JE Webb’s Sewage Gas Destructor Lamp | Brincliffe Edge Road | Sheffield 2018
Gas destructor lamps were designed to draw methane and other waste gases from Victorian sewers. Burning mantles in the lamp created an intense heat which helped to draw the gases and destroy them as they passed through the lamp. The lamps were an ingenious solution to preventing the build up of dangerous gasses.
Read more on the BBC News website HERE
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Well… I used to live just around the corner and passed this lamp daily on my way to school and later the art college, and it has always been a puzzle as to how it ended up walled in. But I never knew the history. I shall pay it more reverence in future! Simon
Apparently there are only 4 of these lamps in Sheffield and they are in scarce measure generally around the country. It was definitely an odd decision to build the wall right up to the lamp post. Perhaps the builder had no knowledge of the historic significance. I too have passed this lamp without ever paying proper attention and it was only when I went on the Heritage Open Days, Drainspotting walk that I learned about it’s function. I think you’d enjoy the Drainspotting walks which Calvin seems to do every year as part of the heritage weekend/s. This year he did walks in Walkey and Nether Edge. Maybe keep an eye out next year… Have a great week,
Mr C 🙂