1. This is a lamp used by ironstone miners to see underground in the 1920s to 1940s.
2. The light is a lit flame of acetylene gas. The gas is formed when water in the upper chamber is added to calcium carbide in the lower chamber.
3. Miners did not like how the light was a very bright lime green light as their eyes did not quickly adjust to look between the bright lit areas and shadows.
Background information
Contextual images
Content Coming Soon
Curriculum possibilities
History: second order concepts continuity and change, cause and consequence, trends over time e.g. linked to attitudes towards worker safety. A local history study.
Science: Everyday materials and their uses
Geography: basic geographical vocabulary, aerial photos and simple maps
How to book the object
Museum name: Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum
Contact name: Jean Banwell
Phone number: 01287 642877
Email: jean@ironstonemuseum.co.uk
When you contact the museum please be clear where your school is located and check whether the museum that holds this object can deliver it to your area. In some cases, you may need to choose another object at a museum closer to your school.
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Background information
1. This is a lamp used by ironstone miners to see underground from the 1920s to 1940s.
2. The light is a lit flame of acetylene gas. The gas is formed when water in the upper chamber is added to calcium carbide in the lower chamber.
3. Miners did not like how the light was a very bright lime green light as their eyes did not quickly adjust to look between the bright lit areas and shadows.
Contextual images
Content Coming Soon
Curriculum possibilities
History: second order concepts continuity and change, similarity and difference, cause and consequence. Significant places in their locality.
Science: Rocks, states of matter, light, properties and changes of materials
Geography: Human and physical geography, maps
Climate Education: underground mining (link to fossil fuels)
How to book the object
Museum name: Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum
Contact name: Jean Banwell
Phone number: 01287 642877
Email: jean@ironstonemuseum.co.uk
When you contact the museum please be clear where your school is located and check whether the museum that holds this object can deliver it to your area. In some cases, you may need to choose another object at a museum closer to your school.
Back to Objects
Go to Writers and Storymakers
Background information
1. This is a lamp used by ironstone miners to see underground from the 1920s to 1940s.
2. The light is a lit flame of acetylene gas. The gas is formed when water in the upper chamber is added to calcium carbide in the lower chamber.
3. Miners did not like how the light was a very bright lime green light as their eyes did not quickly adjust to look between the bright lit areas and shadows.
Contextual images
Content Coming Soon
Curriculum possibilities
KS 1 and 2 curriculum possibilities may be relevant.
KS 3 History: Social, cultural and technological changes (NB this lamp dates to 1940s)
Science: Chemical reactions, combustion, energy transfer, properties of metals
Non-formal curriculum: staying safe, dark and light
Sensory items: This lamp may be carefully handled. Alongside the lamp we can provide a torch with a green filter to emulate the carbide glow.
How to book this object
Museum name: Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum
Contact name: Jean Banwell
Phone number: 01287 642877
Email: jean@ironstonemuseum.co.uk
When you contact the museum please be clear where your school is located and check whether the museum that holds this object can deliver it to your area. In some cases, you may need to choose another object at a museum closer to your school.