• Home
  • LOLITAS
  • READING LISTS
  • STEAMPUNKAPALOOZA
  • WRITING STEAMPUNK

STEAMED!

Writing Steampunk Fiction

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Going Ape
Home is Where the Hearth is… »

Lighting a Victorian Life

January 23, 2015 by Ray Dean

lampKerosene gets it name from the Greek word Keros (meaning wax). Petroleum, related to the production of Kerosene, was discovered in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s and helped fund a number of American industrial fortunes. Oil for the home lamps had a new source.

Kerosene was cheap and burned brightly. Lamp development was quick and kerosene lamps were one of the primary light sources in homes during the second half of the 19th century.

studentlampThe Student Lamp (not used widely in America until late 1870s) was a special type of lamp. Rather than the static construction of most lamps, a student lamp was based off of a ‘stem’ and the actual light could be ‘swung out’ or positioned over a book or paper that needed illumination.

In our modern world, light sources cast WIDE beams and can make a room bright and cheery. The Victorians had a different experience.

When writing your stories.. keep in mind where the light sources are.

When you’re in a room at night or in the center of a house where there are no windows, where is the light?

How much light comes from each source?

How does that change where people stand in a room?

How does it change their activities in the dark hours of the day?

Or, if a character lacks the funds or access to such conveniences… do they go to sleep with the sun or find alternative methods of producing light?

Facts from – A Style and Source Book – American Victorian by: Grow & Von Zweck

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Friday fun, Gaslamp, Steampunk, Victorian Life, Victorian Technology | Tagged Kerosene Lamp |

  • Welcome to Steamed!

    We hope you enjoy Steamed. We're no longer adding new content, but we have lots of great stuff. so please enjoy!

  • Pages

    • LOLITAS
    • READING LISTS
      • Reviews
      • Steam Classics
    • STEAMPUNKAPALOOZA
      • Steampunkapalooza 2010
      • Steampunkapalooza 2011
      • Steampunkapalooza 2012
    • WRITING STEAMPUNK
  • Recent Posts

    • Lit-Con at Write Space
    • Tea Time
    • Gail Carriger – Book Signing for Prudence
    • Quest for the Lost City of Z
    • The Great Airship Scare of 1896 – 1897
  • Archives

    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • October 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
  • Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,795 other subscribers
    • RSS - Posts
    • RSS - Comments

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • STEAMED!
    • Join 757 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • STEAMED!
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: