Mining was important to Cornwall and so we were interested in the lamp.Humphrey Davy invented the Davy lamp in 1815.Miners used to use candles and that was really dangerous especially in coal mines because of all the gases.Davy enclosed the flame of the lamp in a wire mesh and for 200 years everyone trying to invent a better lamp used that idea.George Stephenson who invented the steam locomotive also worked on a safety lamp and so did William Clanny. We were most interested in Humphrey Davy because he was born in Penzance and is a famous Cornishman.
Safety Lamp
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Penzance
- Culture
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- H:
- 25cm
- W:
- 12cm
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