For much of human history, people have lived in the dark.
The sun shines for only half the day, or lesslesser still during winter.
But that didnt mean people retired to bed early.
In 18th century London, shops were oftenopen till tenat night.
Balls went on till two or three in the morning lighted only by candle chandeliers.
Getting around outside, however, was a good deal harder.
People had to grope around in the darkness, and with darkness came danger.
Sometimes they would lead their customers into back alleys where their confederates waited to rob them off their valuables.
Many people avoided going out at night.
Soon gas-lit lamps were used to light homes and public buildings.
London was one of the first cities to adopt street lighting powered by gas.
Over the next few decades, thousands of gas lamps were installed across the British capital.
Other cities like Paris and Berlin followed suit.
Early lamplighters had to go around lighting each lamp by means of a wick on a long pole.
At dawn, they would return to put them out using a small hook on the same pole.
Londons remaining gas lamps get lighted automatically in the evening by a mechanical clock.
The lamplighters job is to ensure the mechanism is in working order.
Prague gradually replaced all gas lamps by electric lights.
As of 2018, there are about 650 gas lanterns lighting the streets of Prague.
A lamplighter lights a gas lamp in Wroclaw Old Town.
In Cincinnati, Ohio, more than 1,100 gas lights operate in areas that have been named historic districts.
Leading image byKPG_payless/Shutterstock.com
A gas lamp in Berlin.
Photo credit:Sebastian Rittau/Flickr
A gas lamp on a street in Zagreb, Croatia.
Photo credit:Jorge Lascar/Flickr
A gas streetlight in Prague.
