Event    From 28/1/1807 

first gas-lit street in the world

Categories: Engineering, Transport

The first public street lighting with gas was demonstrated in Pall Mall by Frederick Winsor in 1807. In January he lit the street and in June he put on a special gas-lit exhibition here, celebrating King George III's birthday. Lighting streets using gas quickly became very popular and there were once more than 60,000 gas lamps in London. Although most have been converted to electricity, there are still about 1,600 remaining, mainly on landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. The Picture Source website gives a good history of gas street lighting.

Some lamps were lit by gas from sewers and one of these, in Carting Lane, still works. IanVisits has a good post on it.

Other firsts: IanVisits has a post about the first shopping street in the UK to be lit by electricity. And the Savoy Theatre was the first public building in the world to be lit throughout by electricity.

Londonist has a terrific post about early electric lighting events in London.

2022: Londonist report that these lamps are under threat: Save London's Gas Lamps: Campaign Grows To Keep Our Heritage Glowing.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
first gas-lit street in the world

Commemorated ati

First gas-lit street

City of Westminster Pall Mall. The first street in London to be lit by gas, ...

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Frederick Winsor

Plaque unveiled by Councillor Carolyn Keen, Lord Mayor of Westminster. At the...

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George Furness

George Furness

Contractor responsible for the construction of the Northern Outfall Sewer in 1862-3.

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1 memorial
Bentley Motor Car

Bentley Motor Car

Walter Owen Bentley (1888 - 1971), "W. O." to his friends, founded Bentley Motors Limited. The chassis for the first model (3 litres) was exhibited at the London Motor Show in October 1919. By Dece...

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Woolwich Royal Arsenal

Woolwich Royal Arsenal

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James Watt

James Watt

Born Greenock. Engineer. Worked with steam engines, devising a separate condenser which greatly improved efficiency. The watt unit of power was named for him. Died Handsworth, Staffordshire.

Person, Engineering, Scotland

2 memorials
Ludwig Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Philosopher. Born Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein in Neuwaldeggerstrasse, Neuwaldegg, Vienna, into a very wealthy Jewish international family, but brought up a Catholic. Initially he studied mecha...

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City and Midland Bank - WW2

City and Midland Bank - WW2

E14, Canada Square, 8

Between the two lit sections is a bronze wreath with a large V made of a tasselled ribbon draped across the centre - all in bronze. It is...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Born in Whitechapel. She was the first female doctor to be trained in Britain and went on to promote the medical training of women at a time when medicine was an all-male profession.  Elder sister ...

Person, Gender Issues, Medicine

3 memorials
Heath & (Old) Hampstead Society / Hampstead Plaque Fund

Heath & (Old) Hampstead Society / Hampstead Plaque Fund

The Hampstead Plaque fund was set up, many years ago, by Ralph Wade and has been administered by the Society ever since.

Group, Community / Clubs, History

40 memorials
W. H. Church

W. H. Church

Alderman in the Borough of Hammersmith in 1948. Our colleague Andrew Behan has researched this man: William Henry Church was born in 1876 in Knightsbridge, a son of Joseph Church and Mary Ann Chur...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Thomas Leverton Donaldson

Thomas Leverton Donaldson

Architect.  Born 8 Bloomsbury Square.  Co-founder of RIBA.  Died at home, 21 Upper Bedford Place.

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1 memorial