LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 17th Year

Issue

Issue No.

10

Date Released

Jun 1964

Length of issue (in feet)

780

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1PARKSIDE PAYS OFF
2. 2LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS
3. 3THE CROWD ROARS
4. 4ARTHUR HOLLAND

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: A look at the miner’s safety lamp.
NCB Commentary - They used to say "Don’t go down the mine, daddy," but for hundreds of years miners have done just that.
In the early years the coal was hacked out by sweat and muscle, and even women and children helped.
The light was often just a bare candle and it attracted an invisible enemy - GAS.
Today, such candles, and similar early mining lamps, are museu, pieces in London’s Science Museum.
Not all the lamps on show were used in coal mining. This open lamp was used in metal mining - developed from Roman lamps used in the home.
Dr. Clanny’s Blast Lamp was an early attempt to combat the growing danger of explosion as men burrowed deeper and deeper underground. But imagine today’s miner working with a lamp the size of a tea urn.
The Flint and Steel Mill gave off sparks rather like a child’s firework sparkler - another open invitation to - (B-A-N-G).
It was the Davy Safety Lamp - with its gauze surround - which pointed the way to a final solution - but miners didn’t like it for the gauze cut down the light. They did lose money - but at least they were alive.
One of the most unusual Davy Lamps belongs to Dr. Benson of County Durham. It was specially made for the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia in 1816 for his underground visit to Wallsend Colliery. But the lamp was never used. The Grand Duke, looking down the mine shaft, stepped back smartly, exclaiming "Ah, My God, it’s the mouth of Hell."
The coming of electricity made possible the development of an intrinsically safe electric pit lamp, which every miner carries today.
Centuries of history in a few glass cases - a lesson for today’s youngsters who take electricity in the mines for granted.

Keywords

Mining; Safety devices; History and archaeology

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit