Did you know that there are around 1,500 gas lamps left in the capital, which British Gas’ team of five lamplighters have the pleasure of looking after? TheThese historic light fixtures can be found from Richmond Bridge in the west to Bromley-by-Bow in the east. Iain Bell is the leader of the team of lamplighters at British Gas, and he said that “the 19th century lamps tell a story of a magical and hidden part of London, and we’re proud to maintain this iconic piece of history.”
Over the festive season, eating and snacking can become a bit of a hobby, second only to the nation’s most popular sport of couch potato-ing. If you’re looking to get up out of the winter rut, a walking tour around Central London is both immensely picturesque, but also quite romantic (you can thank us later). The Ye Olde Lamplighters Map of London is an interactive map recently created by British Gas that takes you past some of London’s remaining gas lamps, set amongst some of the capital’s most important and beautiful historical hot-spots.
British Gas’ lamplighters of London are viewed as one of the most endearing jobs in the capital, continuing a tradition that has been nearly pushed to extinction since the introduction of electric lights. Since last winter, they have been seen and heard by more than 150 million people in more than 20 countries and a new video, showing a glimpse into their work, has been seen by 3.5 million people.
Featured image: Jon Raffoul | Instagram @j_r_photography