Lamplighters

[Eric Gibson]

My mother used to talk with affection about one of her uncles who was a lamplighter. As she was born 1909 I guess the period would be around 1914-25, does anyone have any info about lamplighters?
All I remember is that he carried a pole and wore a cap. E.

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: Eric go here on 'The Forum':
https://forums.birminghamhistory.co.uk/index.php?topic=7104.0
There are also two pictures of 'Lamplighters' O0

Pom :angel:

 

[The Baron]

One of my older skating Pals, was still called a" lamplighter" in the 1950, his job was to clean the Glass in the street lights change the mantle if GAS (yes some were still Gas back then) or the bulbs if electric. O0
It was just general maintenance. of street lighting. I never seen him in a flat cap or with a pole? :2funny:
ASTON

 

[Eric Gibson]

:angel: Eric go here on 'The Forum':
https://forums.birminghamhistory.co.uk/index.php?topic=7104.0
There are also two pictures of 'Lamplighters' O0

Chris :angel:

Hey Pom, I wonder if that's my mom's uncle.

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: Which one Eric :2funny: ... Only joking mate, you never know he could well have been. Maybe if you PM Cromewell, he could tell you if there was a name with the Picture or where it came from, as it was he who posted it on that thread.

Pom :angel:

 

[Vivienne14]

Surprised that Birmingham lamplighters were still around into the 1970s, although not doing the exact same job as the early lamplighters Viv.


Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[John L]

I remember that the lamplighter was still around in the 1960s (I understand that the chap below was Brum's last one). My friends and I would be playing in the street (jumpers for goal posts and all that ) and we would watch the gas lamps get lit in Hermitage Road (which had little to no traffic on it then) and still had it's gas lamps in place. My father bought one in the 70s and put it in our front garden too. I believe they were introduced to Brum in 1819, the last one in Birmingham was taken down in 1975 (final picture below) and I know that our one was removed last year, when we moved...

 

[Vivienne14]

Birmingham Public Lighting Department lamplighters c1890. Vivsource: British Newspaper Archive

 

[Eric Gibson]

I remember this from when I was a kid, looked it up and found this nice video.

 

[Richard Dye]

I remember this form when I was a kid, looked it up and found this nice video.

Simpler days!

 

[boilerman]

When I started work for the council, as an apprentice electrician, in 1967, there was a lamplighter at Sheepcote St depot. Until I moved to Shropshire, in the early 80s, I still had a mantel that he gave me.

 

[mw0njm.]

Gas lamplighter​

 

[Radiorails]

The gas lamplighters seem to be replacing older type lamps with newer type lanterns which are probably more familiar to BHF members.