Artifact #19

Historic Edison Collection

Most Famous Lamps in the World

Famous Edison Lamp Collection DISCOVERED After Century in Darkness

Lamp 19 - Lane Fox 1881 British Electric Lamp & Socket- St. George Lane Fox, Inventor - This extraordinary carbon incandescent lamp was shown at the 1881 Paris Electrical Exposition by then 25 year old St. George Lane Fox of the British Electric Light Company. This is the only lamp of its kind known to exist with its wood and brass base and string tag label attached. Tag has a hand written note by William H. Meadowcroft, the note states, "British Elec. Light Lamp, Paris Elec. Exh. 1881, Rec'd fr. Company, London Oct. 1881." William Henry Meadowcroft was the New York County Notary who notarized Edison evidence used in 1883 in the court trial - "Edison vs. Maxim vs. Swan." Meadowcroft went to work for Edison and became his personal liaison, publicist, and his secretary for half a century. Professor George Forbes acted as Juror at the 1881 Paris Electrical Exposition (Paris Exposition Internationale d'Electricite). In February of 1881, the Lane Fox British Electric Light Company of London installed the first electric lighting at Manchester Victoria Station. In 1882, Professor Forbes, at age 33, became Engineering Manager of the British Electric Light Company. In 1882, the company was represented in Taunton by Walter W. Easton at Portman Terrace, Cheddon Road. Mister Easton was the owner of the Whitehall Foundry where he installed the British Electric Light Company system for demonstration. The British Electric Light system was the first incandescent lighting system in that part of the United Kingdom. The Easton installation of the British Electric Light Company system display was comprised of a number of Lane Fox electric incandescent lamps rated at 20 candlepower each and operated via a Gramme Dynamo (generator) powered by a two horsepower steam engine. In that same year, Moss Davis was the first to have his home in Auckland illuminated by Lane Fox lamps from the British Electric Light Company, which was represented by Sir Julius Vogel, London.

2006 is this lamp's 125 th. Anniversary

Go To the Collection Group Exhibit

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