Nowadays, it is hard to imagine what life would have been like without the aid of streetlights guiding you home.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the streets of the UK were a very dark and dangerous place as streetlights had not been invented to help people make their journeys home.

The first kind of streetlights were fuelled by fish oil which would be attached to a wick. It was not until 1807, that the gas streetlight was invented.

Pioneer Frederick Albert Winsor was the first to be seen lighting a gas streetlight in Pall Mall on a chilly January night. From that amazing starting point the world of streetlights would go from strength to strength.

Illumination of streetlights was down to the work of a Victorian lamplighter. Thought to be trustworthy crafters, the lamplighters took pride in their work, as it was an essential and important role in the city and brought safety to all those who lived there.

The lamplight would set off for his round just before dusk, with a cheery whistle or song and his ladder and repeat the round at dawn to extinguish the light.

They would rest his ladder against the specially constructed set of horizontal bars, known today as ladder bars, which would support the ladder as he climbed. Now constructed onto lamp posts for decorative use, the ladder bar is a staple feature on many of our lamp post designs.

As science and technology progressed, lamp posts have become synonymous with everyday living and everyone would certainly be lost without them, figuratively and literally.

Streetlights have transitioned from gas to LED and everything in between. Now, lamp posts are available in various finishes and different light sources, making them suitable for homes and commercial areas.

All of our lamp posts at English Lamp Posts pay homage to the ones who have gone before us and we pride ourselves on still crafting streetlights with traditional methods.

You can see below a few of our most popular ranges.