De productie van gasverlichting before 1865

Jean-Baptiste Daems created this image of gas production using an engraving sometime in the mid-19th century. This simple image belies the enormous social impact of industrialized gas production in Europe. The development of infrastructure in Western Europe had a democratizing effect on public life and social interactions. Gas lighting provided an increased sense of security for those traveling at night and allowed businesses to stay open later. This in turn made it possible for members of the working class to spend more of their wages at local businesses. Historians of technology have studied government documents, patent applications, and business records to get a sense of how quickly new technologies were adopted by municipal authorities in the 19th century, as well as how individuals responded to the changing urban landscape.