Whitley Bay, Watts Road, Promenade, Sewer Gas Lamp

HER Number:
1611

District:
N Tyneside

Site Name:
Whitley Bay, Watts Road, Promenade, Sewer Gas Lamp

Place:
Whitley Bay

Map Sheet:
NZ37SE

Class:
Gardens Parks and Urban Spaces

Site Type: Broad:
Street Lamp

Site Type: Specific:
Gas Lamp

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Joseph Webb, a Birmingham man, invented a sewer lamp in the 1890s, primarily to destroy sewer smells and germs. Contrary to popular belief, however, these lamps do not burn sewer gas, but ordinary town gas. The updraught created by the flame's heat conducts the sewer gases up through the hollow column and over the three or four lighted mantles, where they are purified before being released into the atmosphere. 10 lamps survive in Whitley Bay and Monkseaton, most or all probably dating to between 1900 and 1910. The legend "The Webb Lamp Co. Ltd." is on the door plate of each example. This is an intact example with complete glass lantern.

Easting:
3549

Northing:
7275

Grid Reference:
NZ35497275

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1611 >> P. Syder, 1973, Shedding light on a Victorian light shedder, Gas World, 22/29 December, 1973 T. Henderson, 1993, Lighting up for the way we were, The Journal, 15 December, 1993 I. Ayris, 1992, Sewer Gas Lamps in Whitley Bay and Monkseaton; North Tyneside Council, November 2008, Register of Buildings and Parks of Special Local Architectural and Historic Interest SDP (Local Development Document 9); Brian Singer, Northumbria University, September 2015, Investigation of paints from objects on Whitley Bay waterfront for Kier North Tyneside