ABSTRACT
Notwithstanding the development of pilot lights, kinds of automatic ignition of gas, chandeliers continued for a long time to be lighted by hand, this was the case with the main chandelier at Covent Garden in 1856. The routine was as follows: the assistant gas man would ascend in company with the fireman to the carpenter’s shop where a door gave access to the ventilating flue above the chandelier. The economical lowering of the gas until needed was also practised back stage before the introduction of pilot, kinds of automatic ignition. The man in charge of the supply and control of gas to a theatre was awarded any title sufficient to identify him, including gas engineer, gas superintendent, gas fitter, master gas man or simply gas man. His duties at the theatre occupied all his working hours, and in a large establishment he would have one or more full time assistants.
