Hixon History Society

The December meeting was addressed by Brian Morris who gave a talk on Magic Lantern Shows. The lamp is an early type of image projector that uses pictures, paintings or photographs on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source. Because a single lens inverts an image projected through it which inverts the image, slides are inserted upside down. It was mostly developed in the 17th century and commonly used for entertainment purposes by showmen who traveled the country. It was increasingly used for education during the 19th century.

Apart from sunlight, the only light sources available at the time were candles and oil lamps, which were very inefficient and produced very dim projected images. The invention of The Argand Lamp (a much more efficient Oil lamp) in the 1790s helped to make the images brighter, and the invention of the electric arc lamp in the 1860s eliminated the need for combustible gases or hazardous chemicals.

The Magic Lantern was in wide use from the 18th century until the mid-20th century when it was superseded by a compact version that could hold many 35mm photographic slides: the slide projector.

At the 3rd February meeting we will hear The story of Beaudesert Hall and Park as told by Bob Marsh.

The topic for our meeting on 3rd March will be A new home in Stone for GPO/BT by Shaun Farrelly.

All meetings start at 8.00pm. 

The fee is £2-00 per person. All welcome. 

John Egginton