Gaslight was an invention of the modern Victorian age. Even then open flames and candle light were still the usual forms of lighting used. It was the discovery and development by William Murdoch. It was thought that Gas could be a way to light factories and homes but Murdoch is the first to achieve it. He was not the man to develop the idea. This falls to Mr Albert Winsdor. Releasing the potential of this idea he formed the Gas Light and Coke Company (which becomes British Gas) and started to market his product. Soon private homes and wealthy municipal areas started to have them installed. It was completely unregulated and soon other companies sprang up offering to install the lights as well.
Murdoch and Windsor revolutionised the areas of Victorian social and employed life. Now people could walk the streets without being accosted, or at least they could see the accoster sooner. The sweat shops, mills and factories could stay open into the night meaning that people could work longer hours, albeit for no extra pay.
Soon they made their way into people’s homes, not that they needed a Gas Meter box like those from https://www.meterbox.co.uk/gas-meter-boxes straight away.