Lamplighter Collection

Thames Embankment / Gas
The Thames Embankment, London, on a foggy evening - the lamplighter just lighting the gas lamps

Hogarth Rake Plate 4
The Rakes Progress 4. Arrested for debt in Whitehall as he is on his way to court

Wellington Inn and The Shambles, Manchester Date: circa 1906

English Oil Lamp 1800
A London lamplighter on his ladder refills a street lamp with the oil which his assistant passes to him

Christmas card, Lamplighter. 19th century

Lamplighter holding a ladder and an oil can, 1770. Artist: Edward Topham
Lamplighter holding a ladder and an oil can, 1770

Front view of the Guildhall, looking north, City of London, 1750. With figures in Guildhall Yard, including lamplighters, one of whom has been knocked off his ladder by a coach and horses

Bright Have Thy Young Days Been!, n. d. Creator: Hablot Knight Browne
Bright Have Thy Young Days Been!, n.d

The Lamplighter, Watchman and Link-boy
6340367 The Lamplighter, Watchman and Link-boy by Taylor, Isaac (1730-1807); (add.info.: The Lamplighter, Watchman and Link-boy)

A Rakes Progress, Plate 4, 1st State, 1735 (engraving)
1071405 A Rakes Progress, Plate 4, 1st State, 1735 (engraving) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 34.6x39.4 cm; Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, USA; (add.info.: The Arrested)

The Lamplighter, Watchman and Link-boy. London lamplighter with ladder and fuse lighting streetlamps 55, watchman in great coat with lantern and rattle 56

Tombs in Westminster Abbey, Westminster Hall and Westminster Bridge. Young man pointing to a Latin inscription on a stone tomb in Westminster Abbey 52

The Lamplighter (engraving)
3626001 The Lamplighter (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Lamplighter. Illustration for Chatterbox (1867)

Policeman or Peeler of 1837, Policeman nowadays, Lamplighter, Chimney Sweep
LLM462056 Policeman or Peeler of 1837, Policeman nowadays, Lamplighter, Chimney Sweep by Sinclair, J. R. (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Policeman or Peeler of 1837)

A Rakes Progress IV: The Rake Arrested, Going to Court, 1733 (oil on canvas)
SJS2002 A Rakes Progress IV: The Rake Arrested, Going to Court, 1733 (oil on canvas) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 62.2x75 cm; Courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soanes Museum

The Great, 000 Match - Entering the Last Furlong (oil on canvas)
2606650 The Great, 000 Match - Entering the Last Furlong (oil on canvas) by Stull, Henry (1851-1913); 76.2x134.8 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; American, out of copyright

Lamplighter (colour litho)
3650297 Lamplighter (colour litho) by Petherick, H.W. (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lamplighter)

The Lamplighters Address to All His Worthy Masters and Mistresses, by A Lamplighter (engraving)
586259 The Lamplighters Address to All His Worthy Masters and Mistresses, by A Lamplighter (engraving) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Great Actor, or Mr Punch in all his Glory, from The English Spy, pub
3085922 The Great Actor, or Mr Punch in all his Glory, from The English Spy, pub. 1824 (hand coloured engraving) by Cruikshank

Lamplighter at work
A lamplighter at work on what appears to be a foggy (or smoggy) day

Lamplighter
London characters: London is lit by gas lamps now, and every evening the LAMPLIGHTER must switch on every lamp in the metropolis, and every morning switch them off again. Date: circa 1870

William Hogarth - The Rakes Progress
The Rakes Progress 4. Arrested for debt in Whitehall as he is going to court Date: 1735

HOGARTH RAKES PLATE 4
The Rakes Progress 4. Arrested for debt in Whitehall as he is going to court Date: 1735

FOG, EMBANKMENT
The Thames Embankment, London, on a foggy evening - the lamplighter just lighting the gas lamps Date: circa 1896

C17 LAMPLIGHTER
A lamplighter Date: 17th century

The Lamp Lighter, 1870s. Creator: William P. Chappel
The Lamp Lighter, 1870s

Sale of Hyde Park Turnpike, c1876. Creator: Unknown
Sale of Hyde Park Turnpike, c1876. Auction of the toll gate between Piccadilly and kensington From " Old and New London: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places

St. Jamess Street, 18th century, (1925). Creator: Unknown
St. Jamess Street, 18th century, (1925). Engraving after Plate 4 of William Hogarths A Rakes Progress of 1735, Arrested for Debt

St Andrew Holborn, London, 1804. Artist: Frederick Christian Lewis
St Andrew Holborn, London, 1804. North east view of St Andrew Holborn incorporating a street scene in the foreground with figures, including soldiers and a lamplighter

One of the Advantages of Oil over Gas, 1821. Artist: Richard Dighton
One of the Advantages of Oil over Gas, 1821. A lamplighter is mounted on a ladder, engaged in filling a lamp with oil; momentarily distracted, he pours the oil over a passing citizen

Occupations 1883 - The Lamp Lighter. 1883

Lamplighter cleaning an old lamppost. Colored engraving by Bertrand, 1885. Paris. France

Gas Lamp Attended To
A lamplighter attends to a lamp from the top of a ladder Date: 1863

London Lamplighter
A lamplighter up his ladder on one of Londons bridges Date: circa 1840

A lamplighter at work in the London fog
A lamplighter at work on what appears to be a foggy (or smoggy) day

To follow the path of virtue, it serves to teach your own, then they will honor you forever, Jan Hendriksen, 1811 Anonymous

Decorative panel depicting Paris, Salon de la Commission du Personnel (oil on canvas)
XIR215475 Decorative panel depicting Paris, Salon de la Commission du Personnel (oil on canvas) by Willette, Adolphe Leon (1857-1926); Hotel de Ville, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

Man carries a lamp on an Egyptian street - Egyptian Darkness
Egyptian Darkness - a phrase meaning very intense darkness, which comes from Exodus X.21-2: God then said to Moses, Stretch out your hand towards heaven, and let darkness

Lamp, sunset. 1935

London street scenes. Boy Chimney Sweep: Cab driver: Orange Seller: Water Board Man turning a stopcock: Digging up the road: Lamplighter lighting a gas street lamp

The lamplighter
From a book illustration. Artist: Alan Wright Date: circa 1920

Street lighter
Lighting the lantern. Landskrona, 1956. Date: 1956

Poster for Veritas Mantles, highlighting the strength and brilliancy of this superior product

Paris Lamplighter
A Paris lamplighter cleans the glass of a candelabra on the boulevards

C17 Lamplighter / Woodcut
A lamplighter with the tools of his trade - matches to light the oil lamps at nightfall, a snuffer to extinguish them at the dawns early light

Oil Lamplighter
A London lamplighter climbs his ladder to refill a lamp with oil

French Oil Lamps
A French lamplighter replenishes the oil in a street lamp, which he has pulled down to ground level for the purpose

Lamplighter (Petherick)
London characters: London is lit by gas lamps now, and every evening the LAMPLIGHTER must switch on every lamp in the metropolis, and every morning switch them off again

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

The lamplighter, a figure of the past, holds a significant place in history and art. From the bustling Thames Embankment to the warm glow of gas lamps, their presence illuminated the streets of old London. In Hogarth's iconic Rake Plate 4, we catch a glimpse of this timeless occupation. During Christmas time, lamplighters were often featured on festive cards, symbolizing hope and warmth amidst winter nights. Their role extended beyond London as well; places like Wellington Inn and The Shambles in Manchester relied on these dedicated individuals to light their oil lamps in the early 1800s. Edward Topham's artwork from 1770 captures a moment frozen in time - a lamplighter holding a ladder and an oil can, ready to bring light to darkened streets. Meanwhile, an enchanting view of Guildhall City showcases how vital these figures were for urban life back in 1750. In an Occupations chart from 1883, we find "The Lamp Lighter" listed among various trades that defined society at that time. Hablot Knight Browne's work titled "Bright Have Thy Young Days Been. " evokes nostalgia for days when lamplighters played an essential role in guiding our way through darkness. "The Lamplighter, " along with watchmen and link-boys (young boys who carried torches), formed a trio responsible for maintaining safety during nighttime hours. This concept is further explored by William Hogarth's engraving "A Rake's Progress, " where Plate 4 depicts this trio working together. As we reflect upon these historical references to lamplighters' significance within society, it becomes evident that they were not just illuminators but also guardians of our cities' nocturnal landscapes.