THIS OBJECT IS PART OF THE PROJECT 'A HISTORY OF CORNWALL IN 100 OBJECTS'.
PENLEE HOUSE GALLERY AND MUSEUM. It is strange that Humphry Davy of Penzance is best known today for an invention made to help coal miners in the Midlands. Davy was a chemist and became president of the Royal Society at a young age. His friends included Sir Walter Scott, and fishing was one of his passions. Davy ought to be better known for his work on oxygen and anaesthetics which had a wider impact than his other inventions. It is probably no coincidence that his birthplace in Market Jew Street is now the location of the Oxygen fitness club.
This example of a Davy lamp is an early one manufactured by John Newman c.1817. Davy only began work on a coal miner's safety lamp in 1815. He devised a metal gauze around the flame to prevent explosions. Davy lamps were not needed in Cornish mines as explosive gases are rarely present.
Davy lamp
Contributed by Cornwall Museums
Most of the content on A History of the World is created by the contributors, who are the museums and members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ or the British Museum. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site’s House Rules please Flag This Object.
About this object
Click a button to explore other objects in the timeline
- Location
- Culture
- Period
-
1817
- Theme
- Size
- Colour
- Material
View more objects from people in Cornwall.
Podcast
Highlights from the collection
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ iD
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ navigation
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ links
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Â© 2014 The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
Share this link: