iStockphoto / chrisdorney
History is awesome when you have the right teacher. For my entire childhood, I didn’t, and that put History on the back burner for me as a topic of interest. It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History that I had the revelation that I truly love History I just need to consume it in the right medium and from the properly passionate people.
Case in point: David Harry aka ‘The London Spy’ who runs the ‘2025 Walking Tour Company of the Year’ in London. It was through Mr. Harry that I learned about London’s last remaining Fart Lamp.
The Last ‘Fart Lamp’ Remaining In London
David Harry recently posted a video on TikTok (@the_london_spy) where he explains what the Fart Lamp is and how this is the last one remaining intact in the city of London. Given that we are all eternally juveniles trapped in adult bodies when it comes to fart humor, the video took off and now has 1.3 million views and counting.
He starts off by calling out the “last lamp of its kind in London.” He jokes that it is “not any ordinary gas lamp, it’s a fart destructor lamp.”
Essentially, these lamps were constructed to use human waste (bio gas) as fuel. They date back to Victorian London when enormous sewer systems were constructed underneath all of the buildings. This led to a dangerous and pungent amount of human waste right underneath where everyone was living.
So they built these lamps to burn off the bio gas flowing underneath the streets to help with smell and make the areas safer all around. Over time, Carting Lane became colloquially known as Farting Lane. And this all happens to exist right next door to the world famous Savoy Hotel where rooms range from £620 to £17,500 per night.
Farting Lane FTW
Here is the brief history less from The London Spy on the only Farting Lamp that still exists in London:
@the_london_spy This is the last fart destructing lamp in London, known as a gas destructor, constructed as part of the Victoria embankment massive sewer works, it is next to the Savoy hotel. It was used to burn off residual wind from the sewers. ffartggaslampl#londonhistory
An Instagram video can be viewed here if TikTok is not loading at the moment:
I since came across this write up on Farting Lane for those who would like to learn more. There is also a fascinating and lengthy Wikipedia entry on these Victorian era Fart Lamps.
And for anyone visiting London, David Harry runs The London Spy, an award-winning historical walking tour. So be sure to check that out if you’re a history buff.