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Mining Lamps, Badges & Ephemra
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HOWATTS SHAFT SAFETY LAMP

Here you are then anthony, pics of the Deflector Safety Lamp and Miners Appliances Company Ltd Howatts Patent Shaft Lamp. I have not come across this maker before, but they must have been makers as the name is embossed on the top and stamped on all parts. Factors did not go to all that effort.
The lamp is 19" tall including hook and 5.25" in diameter. Bonnet is uncorroded and in good condition. Gauzes and glass are in good condition - no damage. All parts are present and there is a lovely little secure brand brass lock with key on the side lock hasp, which slides freely on the brass band receesed round the body of the vessel.
I have removed the bits that did not belong on the lamp and cleaned all the soot and cozaline off it, given a light buff up, but not to gleaming pristineness, because I think lamps look better slightly scuffed and used.

















Re: HOWATTS SHAFT SAFETY LAMP

The following may be of interest:

" The Deflector Safety Lamp & Miners Appliance Co. Ltd., Cornbrook, Manchester. Mr Andrew Howat (Managing Director.) "

From an advert in 'The Colliery Guardian', January 8, 1892, page 94.

If you go to the account of the West Stanley Colliery disaster, 1909, on the website at

www.oldphotoforum.co.uk

you will read the following:

" Years later, the former manager Mr Hall donated a Howatts Patent Deflector Lamp to Armstrongs Mining College at Newcastle. This said lamp, according to Mr Hall, came from the Brockwell Seam at the time of the 1909 explosion. A Howatts Patent Deflector Lamp was a large lamp able to give off strong light underground. For this purpose it was very good. However, it was a naked flame lamp not allowed for use in a gassy pit. "

Armstrong Mining College became part of the University of Durham at Newcastle upon Tyne and is now part of Newcastle University.

Re: HOWATTS SHAFT SAFETY LAMP

THANKS FOR THAT INFO ALAN.
The report of the explosion at the Brockwell Seam 1909 is slightly puzzling as the Big deflector shaft lamp is a double gauzed oil safety lamp, not an open flame lamp. And by it's inference, deflects the incoming air and outgoing burnt gases away from each other as part of it's safety lamp design.
Maybe they were using it without glass or gauzes to give more light!!!
I have a normal sized Cornbrook delector lamp, but it is just marked as Cornbrook, nice to associate with this big shaft lamp!!

Re: HOWATTS SHAFT SAFETY LAMP

H & G O Lewtas seem to have operated from Cornbrook Lamp Works in earlier years. Ebay item number 350120735682 although a bit 'off topic' makes reference to them for the year 1891.

Re: HOWATTS SHAFT SAFETY LAMP

Thanks Alan, very interesting how snippets of info surface in all kinds of places. Wonder if H & G.O. Lewtas made miners lamps as well!!
I have since looked at my normal sized Cornbrook deflector lamp and in fact it is faintly marked up the same as the shaft lamp, so I have the shaft lamps baby brother also!!!!