Candle Lighting

Dr Johnson, the great eighteenth-century lexicographer and writer, defined a candle in his Dictionary as 'a light made of wax or tallow surrounding a wick of flax or cotton'. The candle was, at that time, the usual form of domestic lighting in Britain. Today's candles, brighter and less troublesome, are the result of two hundred years of refinement. First rivalled by gas and then improved oil lighting, the candle has now given way to electric lighting, yet remains to charm us with its gentle light. This book looks at the types of candles which have been used over the centuries, and describes the various methods of manufacture. Candle lamps and lanterns are also included and many examples illustrated, along with other appliances which were once essential to candle lighting. About the author David J. Eveleigh is Curator of Social History for the City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery at Blaise Castle House Museum. Other titles for Shire by this author are: Brass and Brassware (currently out of print) Firegrates and Kitchen Ranges (currently out of print) Old Cooking Utensils The Victorian Farmer