My fondness for kerosene lamps began in 1966 when I took my mother to visit a friend who had dozens of kerosene lamps on display. I think I sat mesmerised by these beautiful lamps for the entire visit.
Many years later Mum, knowing my fondness for kerosene lamps, arrived back from a holiday with the beautiful milky blue lamp which took pride of place in our home. It was not just ornamental, it was kept full of lamp oil with matches beside, and well used because the power often went off, usually at dinner time with dinner half cooked and small boys needing a bath. The problem was eventually fixed but despite the inconvenience it was lovely sitting by lamp light in the lounge room which was heated by a wood heater. This is the first lamp on the left in the photo.
We were living in Benalla when I purchased by next lamp at a clearing sale in Waller Street. I stood for hours and it was auctioned quite late in the proceedings. There was another bidder for the lamp who I think was equally keen but eventually I became the proud owner of the next lamp in the photo.
My sister and I had a holiday in England in 1997 and stopped at a village in England in and had coffee next to an antique shop. Against my better judgement I had a quick look inside and saw green kerosene lamp I eventually purchased. I was told it was a 1930’s lamp. It is a double burner and has an unusual chimney which is flat on two sides. This was fine while we had our hire car but became a problem when we had to leave our car in Reading and travel back to London by train and then more trains to Archway station. My sister remembers wrestling with two lots of luggage while I sailed along carrying my precious lamp quite oblivious to her struggles.
I bought the amber lamp at Camberwell market. I would often catch a tram down Whitehorse Road and then another down Burke Road to the market during visits to Melbourne. I saw it on several visits and eventually decided that, if the lamp was still there on my third visit, I would buy it, which it was and so I did. It also has a double burner which apparently is desirable as it shows a brighter light.
The little pink lamp, although pretty, was probably not a good buy as it’s a bit wobbly. I think I bought it in Balwyn. I put it on the floor once when I was dusting in a hurry and kicked it over but it didn’t break. I thought that was a pretty silly thing to do as I could have broken it, however I put in back on floor continued my dusting, kicked it over again and this time broke the bottom of the chimney. It is now glued up, You can’t see the break, but I know it’s there.
None of my lamps are shown in a book I bought on lamps which features much grander lamps.
Mine are far less grand but give me a lot of pleasure.
Judith Borthwick
August 2020
Many years later Mum, knowing my fondness for kerosene lamps, arrived back from a holiday with the beautiful milky blue lamp which took pride of place in our home. It was not just ornamental, it was kept full of lamp oil with matches beside, and well used because the power often went off, usually at dinner time with dinner half cooked and small boys needing a bath. The problem was eventually fixed but despite the inconvenience it was lovely sitting by lamp light in the lounge room which was heated by a wood heater. This is the first lamp on the left in the photo.
We were living in Benalla when I purchased by next lamp at a clearing sale in Waller Street. I stood for hours and it was auctioned quite late in the proceedings. There was another bidder for the lamp who I think was equally keen but eventually I became the proud owner of the next lamp in the photo.
My sister and I had a holiday in England in 1997 and stopped at a village in England in and had coffee next to an antique shop. Against my better judgement I had a quick look inside and saw green kerosene lamp I eventually purchased. I was told it was a 1930’s lamp. It is a double burner and has an unusual chimney which is flat on two sides. This was fine while we had our hire car but became a problem when we had to leave our car in Reading and travel back to London by train and then more trains to Archway station. My sister remembers wrestling with two lots of luggage while I sailed along carrying my precious lamp quite oblivious to her struggles.
I bought the amber lamp at Camberwell market. I would often catch a tram down Whitehorse Road and then another down Burke Road to the market during visits to Melbourne. I saw it on several visits and eventually decided that, if the lamp was still there on my third visit, I would buy it, which it was and so I did. It also has a double burner which apparently is desirable as it shows a brighter light.
The little pink lamp, although pretty, was probably not a good buy as it’s a bit wobbly. I think I bought it in Balwyn. I put it on the floor once when I was dusting in a hurry and kicked it over but it didn’t break. I thought that was a pretty silly thing to do as I could have broken it, however I put in back on floor continued my dusting, kicked it over again and this time broke the bottom of the chimney. It is now glued up, You can’t see the break, but I know it’s there.
None of my lamps are shown in a book I bought on lamps which features much grander lamps.
Mine are far less grand but give me a lot of pleasure.
Judith Borthwick
August 2020
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