Carbide lamps, or acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene (C2H2) which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide (CaC2) with water. Acetylene gas lamps were used to illuminate buildings, as lighthouse beacons, and as headlights on motor-cars and bicycles. Portable acetylene gas lamps, worn on the hat or carried by hand, were widely used in mining in the early twentieth century. A mining or caving lamp has calcium carbide placed in a lower chamber, the generator. The upper reservoir is then filled with water. A threaded valve or other mechanism is used to control the rate at which the water is allowed to drip into the chamber containing the calcium carbide. By controlling the rate of water flow, the production of acetylene gas is controlled. This, in turn, controls the flow rate of the gas and the size of the flame at the burner, and thus the amount of light it produces. Staszic is a coal mine located in Katowice , in the district Giszowiec, Poland This type of lamp generally has a reflector behind the flame to help project the light forward. An acetylene gas powered lamp produces a bright, broad light. Many cavers prefer this type of unfocused light as it improves peripheral vision in the complete dark. The reaction of carbide with water produces a fair amount of heat independent of the flame. In cold caves, carbide lamp users can use this heat to help stave off hypothermia. When all of the carbide in a lamp has been reacted, the carbide chamber contains a wet paste of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). This is emptied into a waste bag and the chamber can be refilled. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbide_lamp, accessed 06/05/2015)Metal Carbide Mining lamp with light reflector and hook.miners lamp, mining lamp, statszic, poland, carbide, mining

This 1868 letter was kept by unknown persons until 100 years later, it was then forwarded to Holy Trinity Secretary F.A.W. ('Skip') SHORT. The persons not signed but listed at closing of the letter were all prominent citizens including various Councillors. A copy of letter in The Age, 16 May 1868, p1 lists 27 parishioners (giving better identification of the people ie first names or initials) plus 73 others. In both the handwritten letter and the printed copy in The Age the names CURTISS and Henry Chas. CURTISS are listed. While this could be the correct spelling we have used Henry Charles CURTIS which is the much more common reference to him in newspapers. He was a surgeon and Sandridge Councillor (8 Aug 1867 - 4 Feb 1873).Small handwritten letter to the vicar of Holy Trinity Rev F.C. PLATTS, 1868, suggesting he remove "to some other sphere of labour" - from 25 listed parishioners "and 73 others!"religion - anglican (holy trinity), public action campaigns, david thomas, george trodd, thomas swallow, william morley, james ker beck plummer, william richardson tarver, henry dando, frederick charles platts, william garside, robert mulford, james elsworthy, r g banner, richard j barlow, william james barlow, thomas clay, mrs cane, mrs mason, william arnold, thomas slater, william cook, john sharples, s bentley, e stevens, george kentish, thomas ripkey, c earnshaw, george carnaby, henry charles curtis, f a w 'skip' short

Map of the County of Bourke, 1886melbourne

Town of Port Melbourne - Rates Cash Book for the period commencing June 1914 to September 1918local government - town of port melbourne

Enamelled house number 349 - white background, royal blue numbers; rectangular shape with rounded ends, holes each end for screwsbuilt environment - domestic, thomas anderson

vietnam veterans memorial (washington, d.c.) -- pictorial works