Miner's 'Scotch Davy' safety oil lamp, about 1880
Miner's 'Scotch Davy' safety oil lamp, about 1880.
The large internal volume of this design of lamp makes them unsafe. The size of the gauze is a deviation from the size specified for the Davy safety lamp. They were rapidly phased out after the Blantyre mining disaster on 22 October 1877, Scotland's worst mining disaster, in which at least 207 miners were killed. This type of unsafe, modified lamp was one of the most likely causes of the accident.
Details
- Category:
- Coal Mining
- Collection:
- Lancashire Coal Mining Collection
- Object Number:
- Y2002.19.36.1
- Measurements:
-
236 mm x 88 mm
- type:
- miner's oil safety lamp
- credit:
- Gift of Salford Museum and Art Gallery