Hand written text on the reverse of the image.

Dwelling House built on Sycamore Hill, Queens Head Lane, Handsworth, 
and called ‘Fair House’, by William Murdock, the inventor of Coal Gas 
for lighting purposes, and now used as a builder’s stores. (August 16th 1904)

Contributor: Thos Clarke, Ascot Road, Moseley

Process: Bromide

William Murdoch was the inventor of Gaslighting and claimed the merit of the 
first idea of applying the first actual application of Carburetted Hydrogen to 
economic purposes as a substitute for oils and tallow – and who in 1792 lighted 
up his house and offices in Redruth in Cornwall, with gas produced in a retort ? 
and conveyed through the house in pipes. He came to Boulton and Watt in 1777, 
recasing? a Woodson Hat turned in a lathe. He was born on the 21st August 1754 
at Bello Mill, Lugar, Ayrshire. He was paid 15/ a week at Soho and 17/ when he 
was away, except in London, when he had 20/. In 1780 he went to Cornwall, married 
in 1785, he remained there until 1798 when he returned to Boulton and Watt’s as 
manager of their engineering works at £1,000 per annum.

transcribed by Andy Willis
19/05/2003