Gas Lamp-Lighters' Poems.

Letterpress broadside printed with gas lamplighter's verses for the coming year. The broadside is decorated with a title woodcut representing 'The Gasman's Arms' and a border of seven woodcuts. Three of the border woodcuts represent the gas industry, illustrating a retort house, a gasometer and a gas works, two represent a lamplighter lighting a street lamp and the other two represent the family Christmas meal and festivities. The verses describe the life of the lamplighter throughout the four seasons.

Such sheets printed with verses in the first person, as if written by the lamplighter himself were a Christmas tradition from the late 18th century. Delivered to householders within the lamplighter's area of responsibility just before Christmas, in the hope that a financial 'tip' would be given in appreciation of the services provided by him throughout the year they were often hung in houses as seasonal decorations. This example was published by John Vandenburg Quick, described on the broadside as engraver, printer and wholesale dealer in toys located at Bowling Green Lane Clerkenwell & 8 Little Paternoster Row, Union Street, opposite Spitalfields Market.