LIGHTING & HEATINGKitty Perry, Alicia Spratley, Emily

Wilton, George Harkay Jack Smale, Anna Robinson, & Katie Rowbottom

HEATING & LIGHTING THROUGH THE AGES Introduction to Key Themes –

Kitty Perry Fireplaces & Candles – Emily

Wilton Mirrors & Reflective Surfaces –

Alicia Spratley Natural light – Anna Robison Gas – Jack Smale Electricity – George Harkay Conclusion – Katie Rowbottom

KEY THEME: BRIGHTNESS OF THE ROOM Notable transition to

brighter and lighter rooms occurred initially with the introduction of large French windows during the 20th Century

Reflected the emerging association of light with morality, cleanliness and health

This largely carries on into present day

Reflective surfaces – polished silver, brass, mirrors and candle holders increase a sense of light in the room

KEY THEME: EVOLUTION OF TIME STRUCTURES THROUGH LIGHT IN THE HOME The pattern of our lives and our

constructions of time historically shaped by light

Until the 19th century, the lives of the poor were largely ruled by hours of daylight

The rich would have increased power and agency over the structure of their day by burning candles to increase waking hours

Represents the social power over time for wealthy, whilst the poor were reliant on natural cycles of light to structure the timings of the day

Gas lighting installed in London houses from 1840s formed the life pattern we know today - regular light

The shift to electric sources of lighting allowed for increased cleanliness and efficiency in lighting

KEY THEME: MATERIAL CULTURE OF LIGHTING AND HEATING Stylistic and

aesthetic choices of materialities of lighting and heating embedded with; Social meaning Class structures Gender

constructions Consumerism (Hamlett, 2009)

KEY THEME: TRANSITION INTO CONSUMERIST SOCIETY Reflective of a shift into a

consumerist society which occurred through the consumer revolution of the 18th century England; Fashionability rather than durability

became important in material possessions of the home

People would expect to buy rather than inherit the materialities of the home

All social classes began to aspire to ownership of possessions which for centuries were only attainable by the rich

(McKendrick, Brewer and Plumb, 1982)

This is demonstrated by the transition from the fireplace to the TV as the focus of the room which occurred between 1955-65

FIREPLACES 1960/70s shift away from

using fireplaces for heating Fireplaces as the central

focus of a room in the 16th and 17th Centuries Provides both heating and

lighting Use of wood as a fuel

source Fires start to use coal towards

the end of the 19th Century Cast iron grates introduced Increased efficiency of fires Fireplaces have become

more ornate in design The are still prevalent in

contemporary housing but mainly for decorative purposes

CANDLES Main source of lighting in

17th and 18th Centuries Used at nighttimes when

there was no natural light Usually situated on:

the mantel piece the table other furniture with a

flat surface Wax candles were

expensive Paraffin candles introduce

which were cheaper and more effective

Lighting improved once again with oil lamps

CONTEMPORARY CANDLES Candles now used

for decorational purposes

Often found in the living room or dining room

Many different varieties and may be highly scented

MIRRORS Mirrors and looking-

glasses important fixtures Victorian households

Aristocratic interior was hung with mirrors

Reflective images created illusion of an unending continuum of internalized space

In upper- and middle-class homes mirrors hung above fireplaces

Pier glasses and oval mirrors took their place among pictures on the wall.

THE BOURGEOIS MIRROR The Bourgeois use mirrors as

‘spies’ The window mirror is a

characteristic furnishing of the spacious nineteenth century apartment... The function of the window mirror is to project the endless row of apartment buildings in the isolated bourgeois living room; by the mirror. (Charles, R. The Emergence of the interior: architecture, modernity, domesticity)

Mirror seen as a “looking glass” Mirror mediates between:

eternity and finitude infinite and the finite interior and the exterior actual and the virtual

THE 19TH CENTURY FEAR OF MIRRORS ‘Fear’ of mirrors formed

during 19th Centrury by discerning elites.

Mirror creates a sense of disorientation lead ing to anxiety.

“Not so much a terror of the effects of the mirror on the viewing subject as a fear related to the effects of interior decoration” (Teysst, A Topology Of Threshold).

Interior design placed emphasis and influence on decoration over use of the mirror

EARLY WINDOWS

‘Hall’ aesthetics took precedence in 17th Century

Diamond patterned lead windows highly popular

Late 17th Century the use of natural light becomes a representation of social status

Bigger windows allow more light

Changes in to décor make rooms feel airier

WINDOW DEVELOPMENT AND THE REFLECTION OF SOCIAL STATUS Floor to ceiling windows

used to represent social status

During 1830s balconies introduced that increase penetration of natural light and ‘fresh air’

Late 19th Century, drawing room moves downstairs

Bay windows allows for maximum light to fill the room mirroring the ‘balcony effect’

CHANGES IN ROOM STYLE AND THE ROLE OF THE WINDOW Edwardian period

sees rooms become more open plan

Stain glass windows add decorative style and flair

Windows take on a double function

Large French Doors give the illusion of internalising the exterior

CONTEMPORARY WINDOWS 1930s large

windows fit with the curvature of the room

Horizontal glazing bars become a typical feature

1990s studio living becomes popular as a result of increased urbanisation

Minimalist décor and open plan living enforce idea of space

INTRODUTION OF GAS Gas lighting installed

in new, middle-class homes, built from 1840s onwards

However, this was dependent on availability

Majority of people left reliant on oil lamps and candle light until late into the 19th Century

Gas was convenient and burned brightly

But installation was prohibitively expensive for many

TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS Many homeowners

were concerned that the noxious fumes and condensation given off by gas lamps could ruin furnishings

Gas lighting became more popular with the development of more efficient gas burners in the 1880s

Gas fires were cleaner than coal fires and much more convenient

LASTING GAS LEGACY Gas fireplace

remained the focus of the living room

Central heating took away the practical function of fireplaces

Facilitation of constant hot water and the introduction of the radiator

Gas for heating and cooking still largely in use today

EARLY ELECTRIC LIGHTING Electric lighting

considered a luxury for many years beyond its’ first availability

Houses equipped with electricity reflect prosperity

Early electric lights were ironically less bright than the oil lamps that had gone before

Electric lighting gave the rich the opportunity to illuminate decorative items

Electricity implicated in giving impression of good health, convenience, cleanliness, safety and aesthetics.

MAINSTREAM ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY Electric light only becomes

mainstream in the 20th Century

Improvements in technology allowed the middle classes to possess this ‘luxury’ through

The development of larger electricity supply stations were instrumental in reducing costs, and facilitated street lighting

The ‘poor’ only gained access when the ‘National Grid’ was created in 1934

Lighting outside of daylight hours greatly aided productivity

CONTEMPORARY ELECTRIC LIGHTING Electricity may be though

of as increasing people’s freedoms – but there were distinct differences between accessibility in urban and rural areas

Rural access improve through the REA

Contemporary electric lights provide endless possibilities

Many lamps and lights now available to a variety of uses

Replacement bulbs and decorative styles are easy obtainable and affordable

CONCLUSION: LIGHTING

17th century Activities restricted by hours of daylight Candles were used but the

tallow candles required lots of care 18th century

Candles still being used but introduction of a specific tax meant they were only used when necessary

Beeswax candles become the choice of candle for the rich 19th century

Mass production process of paraffin candles made them both affordable and odourless

Use of candles begins to increase Later on, oil lamps become widely used By 1840s paraffin oil lamps give off far brighter and more easy to

manage More efficient gas made available in 1880s, but poorer working classes

continued to use candle and oil lamps until the end of the century 20th century

By 1950s electric lights available to all  as a clean and efficient method of lighting

Different types used to create different moods  

CONCLUSION: HEATING

During the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries, heat for the house was predominantly derived from the fireplace

Continual efficiency improvements took place, e.g. the introduction of cast iron gates to concentrate the heat

Movement from wood to coal as the main fuel source in the 19th Century

By the early 20th century gas and electric heaters were fitted as a cleaner way of producing heat

In the 1970s central heating became widely available  

HOW SOCIAL CLASS IS REFLECTED Social class and wealth controlled the rate

at which households could keep up with the improvements in technology

The richer you were the faster you could install the new technology; the elite in the past often lived a very different lifestyle to the poor

But also factors such as the number of candles you have and the material the candlestick holder was made of identified the wealth of a household

The world in which we live in has changed beyond belief, allowing us to live in a far brighter and warmer home