On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 21:35:40 +0100, "Robin" wrote:

wrote:
Sometime I was told it allowed enough room for the heat from gas
lighting to disperse without endangering the ceiling, whether that is
the actual reason or just someone's conjecture I have never been
concerned enough to find out.

That's difficult to reconcile with the very many Victorian terraces
built with high ceilings in the front parts (with the main family rooms)
and low ceilings in the rear extensions (for services and servants) but
with gas lights in both.
Yes I wouldn't argue the case too strongly, OTOH the heat given out by
a light fitting with several mantles so the owner of the house could
read his newspapers would be a lot more than the small fittings that
the servants would be allowed,and they may have been wall bracket
ones* either side of the fireplace so still a fair distance from even
a low ceiling . And that might only be in the work areas, servants
bedrooms were for sleeping for a few hours till the long day started
again and a candle to see ones way into bed would be the only
illumination provided.

* In the bed sit land of my youth a mate rented a place with a coin in
slot electric meter One evening we discovered the fold out wall
fittings for gas lights were still live and only needed mantles.
Found some in an old ironmonger , the number of coins going into the
meter decreased remarkably.
Had to remember to hide the gas mantles when the landlady came to
empty the meter.

G.Harman