The Lamplighter

Noon in the sunny south of France, the first Wednesday of the month. The town's warning siren has just wailed its way though its monthly try-out. But I'm going to take you back in time to the darkening streets of 19th century Edinburgh today...My parents live near to the childhood home of the poet and author Robert Louis Stevenson. In his youth the poor boy was often very ill, mainly because the now-beautiful Water of Leith ran near the house, carrying at that time all sorts of diseases which weren't properly understood.One of the highlights of poor, sickly Robert's day was to see the new gas lamps being lit every evening. His street was actually the first in Edinburgh to get these newfangled inventions, with each householder paying a contribution towards the lights and the wages of 'Leerie', the lamplighter.

The overgrown remains of those very gaslamps can still be seen all down Robert's street. In other (posher) parts of the New Town of Edinburgh the lamps are still in use, although I assume they've been converted to electricity now. Here I've used photos of the lamps I saw to illustrate Robert Louis Stevenson's children's poem, The Lamplighters.

My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky;

It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by; For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,

With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street. Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,

And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be; But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,

O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you! For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,

And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more; And O! before you hurry by with ladder and with light,

O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him tonight!