Ben Carter
Before the invention of matchsticks, lighting a candle in the eighteenth century was a tricky affair. Candles were a luxury, reserved for nighttime hours and used sparingly due to the lengthy candle-making process. Typically, a small fire would be kept burning throughout the day, and thin pieces of wood, rush, fibre, or long candle wicks covered in wax, known as tapers, would be lit from this central flame and used to light candles. Alternatively, sparks could be struck with flint and steel, or friction could be used to light tinder. In the 18th century, lighting a candle required effort and, as such, was a precious commodity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lighting methods | Fire built up for breakfast and kept throughout the day; small fires were kept as long as possible; flint and steel; bow and drill; fire from neighbours; lanterns; ember bundles; fire pots |
| Types of candles | Tallow candles; wax candles; rushlights |
| Candle usage | Candles were generally lit at night; used sparingly due to lengthy candle-making process |
| Cost | Tallow for candles was 2s 6d (12.5p) for 8 pounds in 1791; wax candle-ends were desirable and often reserved for senior servants to sell; hosting could be expensive due to candle costs |
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What You'll Learn
- Fire was kept throughout the day to light candles at night
- Candles were only lit at night and sparingly due to the lengthy candle-making process
- Candles were expensive, and wax candles were a luxury
- Rushlights were the cheapest form of lighting
- Tallow candles were unpleasant and required constant attention
Fire was kept throughout the day to light candles at night
In the 18th century, artificial light was a luxury, and candles were a precious commodity. Candles were generally lit sparingly during the night, as they were crafted through a lengthy and laborious process.
Fire was kept throughout the day, built up during breakfast, and maintained until nightfall, when it would slowly die out. As it served as the only source of light and heat, it was not put out intentionally. From this central fire, smaller fires, stoves, and candles could be lit.
Thin pieces of wood, rush, or fibre, known as tapers, were commonly used. These tapers were lit from the main fire and then used to light candles and other light sources. Alternatively, a small flame could be kindled by striking flint and steel or using a bow and drill to create a spark, which would then be used to light the candles.
The hearth or stove was the focal point of daily life, providing warmth and illumination. The limited lighting available meant that activities were restricted to those that did not require sharp vision. Storytelling, including Bible stories and family lore, was a popular pastime. People also adapted to the dim conditions, developing better night vision than we have today.
The wealthy could afford to use wax candles liberally, while those of lesser means relied on cheaper alternatives, such as rushlights, which were made by dipping the pith of a rush in animal fat. These provided a faint, smelly light and required constant attention to prevent sputtering and smoking.
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Candles were only lit at night and sparingly due to the lengthy candle-making process
In the eighteenth century, artificial light was a luxury. People were accustomed to working by daylight, and lighting a candle during the daytime was rare. Typically, folks would move from room to room to make the most of the day's light. Candles were generally reserved for the nighttime hours and used sparingly due to the time-consuming and laborious candle-making process.
The candle-making procedure involved dipping the 'pith' from inside a rush in melted animal fat (tallow), gradually building up layers to form a thin candle. These rushlights were inexpensive but had a low light output, produced an unpleasant smell, and tended to sputter and drip. The alternative, tallow candles, were of a brownish colour and required constant wick trimming to reduce sputtering and smoking. The process of making these candles was lengthy and resource-intensive, leading to their conservative use.
The fire built for breakfast was maintained throughout the day and served as the primary source of light and heat. From this central fire, thin pieces of wood, rush, or fibre, known as tapers, would be lit and used to light candles and other stoves. The fire was kept burning as lighting candles or lamps without it was challenging and time-consuming, often requiring tools like flint and steel or a bow and drill.
The high cost of candles also contributed to their sparing use. The expression "the game's not worth the candle" originated from the 18th century, reflecting how playing a dull card game wasn't worth the expense of candles needed to see one's hand. Even the leftover wax candle-ends were valuable and were often sold by senior servants. The wealthy could afford to use wax candles liberally, but for most people, candle usage was a significant expense. A typical middle-class home in the 1750s could easily go through 500 to 700 candles in a year.
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Candles were expensive, and wax candles were a luxury
In the eighteenth century, candles were lit using thin pieces of wood, or tapers, lit from the main fire of the home and then used to light candles. The main fire was kept burning throughout the day, so that anything else that required fire could be lit from it. Candles were also lit using flint and steel, or by spinning a stick to create friction and light tinder.
The cheapest form of lighting was the rushlight, made by dipping the pith from inside a rush in melted animal fat (tallow). However, rushlights produced very little light, were smelly, and spat and dripped fat. Tallow candles were also unpleasant, with a brownish colour and a tendency to sputter and smoke if the wick was not trimmed regularly. The average price of tallow for candles in 1791 was 2 shillings and sixpence for 8 pounds, rising to 3 shillings and one pence the following year.
The high cost of candles meant that lighting them during the daytime was rare, and people would instead move from room to room to make the most of the day's light. The expression 'the game's not worth the candle' comes from the observation that playing a dull or low-stakes card game would not be worth the cost of the candles needed to see one's hand.
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Rushlights were the cheapest form of lighting
In the eighteenth century, artificial light was a luxury. Candles were lit sparingly and only during the nighttime hours. The lengthy candle-making process and the high costs of candles meant that people usually relied on the light of a hearth or stove for warmth and activities.
The light emitted by a rushlight was minimal, comparable to a single modern match. The burning fat tended to spatter and drip, and the flame flickered. Despite these drawbacks, rushlights provided a source of light for those who could not afford better options. The expression "burning the candle at both ends" originated from the practice of lighting both ends of a rushlight candle in an emergency, which rapidly exhausted the candle.
In addition to rushlights, tapers were also used to light candles. Tapers could be thin pieces of wood, rushes, or fibres, or long candle wicks covered in wax. These tapers would be lit from the central fire or hearth, which was kept burning throughout the day, and then used to light other candles or stoves.
The high cost of candles meant that lighting many of them was a status symbol. For example, the Duke of Newcastle spent £25 per month on wax candles for his London home in the 1760s, and Sir Robert Walpole once lit 130 candles in his grand mansion's hallway.
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Tallow candles were unpleasant and required constant attention
The use of candles in the eighteenth century was a luxury. They were lit sparingly, usually only during the nighttime hours. Candles were often made from tallow, which produced an unpleasant brownish colour. Tallow candles also required constant attention, needing their wicks to be trimmed every few minutes to lessen their tendency to sputter and smoke.
The process of lighting candles was also a chore. Before the invention of matchsticks, candles were often lit using a small fire. This could be a hearth or stove fire, or a cooking fire. Thin pieces of wood, rush, or fibre would be lit from the fire and used to light candles. Alternatively, a long candle wick covered in wax, known as a taper, could be lit from the fire and used to light other candles.
Lighting a candle from a fire could be a cumbersome process. It required using materials such as flint and steel to strike sparks and create a flame. This method was so annoying that it was common practice to keep a small fire burning throughout the day to avoid having to start a new fire each time a candle needed to be lit. People would also visit neighbours to light a stick from their fire if they did not have their own.
The use of candles was also costly. The wax candle-ends were highly desirable and were often reserved for senior servants, who would sell them. The expense of candles was so significant that it influenced social gatherings. Card games considered dull or with low stakes were avoided as they were not worth the cost of the candles needed to play. Fashionable hosting among the elite in the eighteenth century could be financially ruinous due to the high cost of candles.
The high cost of candles led to the use of cheaper alternatives such as rushlights. Rushlights were made by dipping the pith from inside a rush in melted animal fat (tallow) and slowly building up layers to create a thin candle. However, rushlights produced a weak light, similar to a single modern match, and were smelly and messy due to the sputtering of the animal fat. Despite their drawbacks, rushlights were used by those who could not afford better lighting options.
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Frequently asked questions
Candles were typically lit using a small fire that was kept burning throughout the day. This flame could be transferred to a thin piece of wood, a long candle wick covered in wax, or a small piece of rush, known as a taper, which would then be used to light candles.
Candles were made of tallow, which was rendered animal fat. These candles were an unpleasant brownish colour and needed to be trimmed regularly to avoid sputtering and smoking.
No, hearths or stoves were also used for warmth and light. Activities were often limited to those that didn't require good vision, and storytelling was a popular pastime.
