William Murdoch's Gas Lighting Experiments

Background. William Murdoch, a Scottish chemist and mechanical engineer, worked for Boulton & Watt in Cornwall. In 1792, he began experimenting with gas derived from heating coal and other materials for lighting. He proposed that gas obtained by distillation could be conducted through tubes as an economical substitute for lamps and candles, marking the start of practical gas lighting experiments.

Experimental Methods. By 1794, Murdoch produced coal gas using a small retort containing heated coals. He attached a three or four-foot iron tube to the retort to pipe the gas, which was then sent through an old gun barrel and ignited to produce light. These experiments focused on the quantity, quality, transport, storage, purification, and lighting of gases from various substances.

Demonstrations. Murdoch first lit his own house in Redruth, Cornwall, in 1792. His first invention was a lantern with a gas-filled bladder attached to a jet. In 1797, after moving on from his Cornish residence, he installed gas lighting on a large scale in his new home and workshop, experimenting further with producing, purifying, and burning gas.