Welsh Miners Lamps
History of the mining lamp
Over two hundred years ago, working in the mines was a hard and gruelling job, made even harder by severe lighting issues. These lighting struggles created a massive danger to the miners due to gasses coming from within the coal itself which could burn or explode, the miners called this "firedamp". This presented a huge problem because a flame could and often did set off an explosion from the firedamp coal.
At this time, the only form of lighting available had to come from candles or paraffin oil mining lamps which often caused explosions due to their naked flames setting fire to firedamp gasses. Children still worked in the mines, no mains electricity existed as yet as generators had not been invented, there were no torches as batteries had not been created and there were no light bulbs until over a hundred years after the Industrial revolution.
To overcome the issue of safely lighting caves with the danger of firedamp, a safety lamp was made in 1813 by William Reid Clanny who was an Irish doctor. Improvements to this safety lamp were then made by Sir Humphrey Davy who was a famous scientist, and George Stephenson who was a famous engineer, this was then showcased to the public in 1816.
A picture of several miners lamps with statues of Welsh miners.
The safety lamps used paraffin with the flame surrounded by wire gauze, meaning the flame could not get through the gauze because the metal of the gauze cooled the flame down so explosions were avoided. These lamps were much safer than candles and gave off a much brighter light than flint mills but unfortunately these safety lamps still had their problems and would become dangerous as they got old or damaged in the mines due to rust or accidents and could still set off explosions.
As miners started to use safety lamps they soon discovered that these mining lamps could also be used to detect firedamp by the way that the flame in the lamp burned, they could tell if the explosive gas was present or dangerous. Safety lamps became extremely useful for detecting firedamp and were used for many years on for this particular reason.
Since the 1990s, electric lights and battery powered torches have mostly replcaed safety lamps. These were a huge improvement due to their ease of use, portability and efficiency; but lack the ability to detect hazardous gasses in a way similar to the safety lamp. Further advances in technology in recent times has however reduced the risk from this, with the use of complex machinery.
Modern manufacturers
There are currently two primary manufacturers of Welsh miners lamps. Both of which are detailed below, with their products listed in our sites catalogue.
A family business based in Aberdare with over 40 years of experience in metal fabricating, J D Burford continue to manufacture ornamental miners lamps with a connection to the mining heritage of Wales, being produced by the sons and daughters of actual miners. They produce lamps in a variety of sizes and finishes including brass, copper and nickel. Some of the lamps also have a modern twist to them which will make them look perfect in a contemporary home. These modern lamps are made using the same traditional means, but can match the colour of your home.
View document provided with J. D. Burford lamps.
Established in 1860, Evan Thomas designed a lamp with tremendous improvements on those which already existed in the mining industry. The result, the "Type No. 7 Lamp" won gold medals in 1890 from the London International Exhibition of Mining and Metallurgies, but unfortunately Evan Thomas did not live to see the fruits of his expertise. He was joined before his death by L. N. Williams who was known being an authority on the theory and construction of safety lamps. His knowledge and connections was a major factor in the growth of the Aberdare business.
View document provided with E. Thomas & Williams lamps.Purchasing a lamp
We sell a range of welsh miners lamps at welshgifts.co.uk that come in a variety of finishes including brass, stainless steel, and enamel so you can choose the material that suits your tastes. Our range of lamps are working replicas, using lamp oil (kerosene) and come with a presentation box, which makes them a great gift. A selection of which can be found below, and the complete range can be found in our catalogue or on Welsh Gifts.
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