Thomas & Williams Miners lamp
Thomas and Williams Miners lamp
Name/Title
Thomas & Williams Miners lampEntry/Object ID
2025.1.832Description
Brass lamp with a glass to surround the flame, sealed with rubber at the top and bottom of the glass, allowing the gas to expand as it was heated by the flame. The lamp includes a device underneath which extinguishes the wick - a lever is pushed over the light and so it is doused. The fuel was either paraffin or a mineral oil.Context
Stamped round the top of the fuel chamber E.T W. made in Wales, UK 1985. On the front of the lamp E. Thomas & Williams Ltd. Makers. Aberdare. Wales. No 163567. The volatility of the gases and dust in the coal mines quickened the invention of lamps that would not ignite the methane gas - open flames were being used. After an explosion in 1812 where 92 men and boys were killed at the Felling Pit in Durham, a committee was set up to develop a safe miner's lamp. First came the Clanny lamp, followed by George Stephenson's and then Davy's. In 1886 the commission chose four lamps that were acceptable to them. Evan Thomas No 7 was in the top four. Although this put the business on a firm footing, it was dogged by a patent dispute. Evan Thomas was born 1829. He was a philanthropic man - always ready to relive suffering. Lewis Williams was born 1845. He had strong Liberal sympathies and became a 'pillar of society'. In 1877 together they started the Cambrian Lamp Works, Aberdare to produce their No 7 lamp. Through success at exhibitions and receiving a Gold Medal at the London Mining Exhibition the business expanded with exports to Australis, India, South Africa, Canada and Russia followed. In the First World War the company made casings for the Army and in the Second World War they developed a battery operated "Lightbuoy" designed to locate survivors from torpedoed ships. After the war they developed an electric light for miners. Eventually as coal mining ceased they found a new avenue of production and started marketing replicas of their lamps. The business has been very successful, in spite of factory fire destroying everything and nowadays approx 1500 lamps are sold per month around the world. This lamp is one of the replica lamps.Cataloged By
Felix LamCategory
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