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Lucy Large Swan Neck Bracket
Genre: Swan neck bracket
The "swan neck" bracket probably gained prominence as the electric arc lamp became popular in the late
19th century. The arc lamp required suspending above the roadway by its canopy, so a sweeping, curved
bracket was utilised to position the lantern relative to the column. With the advent of the inverted mantle,
gas manufacturers followed suit; suspending lanterns by their canopies prevented shadows
and the dark spaces associated with the early post-top Windsor style frame lanterns.
Finally, the first lanterns for tungsten filament bulbs followed the trend and were also top-entry.
The swan neck was easy to manufacture from a iron or steel rolled tube. They were either fully formed to
support the lantern directly, or finished on the horizontal so a decorative finial was required.
Other decorations included the purely aesthetic scrollwork and collars, whilst tulip and leaf husks
not only beautified the spigot cap, but also provided additional protection from rust at the
joint between the bracket and spigot.
The swan neck was a popular choice for a "gas conversion" in the 1940s and 1950s where the original gas
post-top lantern was removed and replaced with a swan neck and high level termination. As columns were
originally made in various heights, swan neck brackets were also made in different sizes so the lantern
height above the road could be standardised.
By the 1950s, the swan neck bracket was still extremely popular, as manufacturers were still producing large
numbers of top-entry lanterns. However, the lines became simpler, and the decoration was eventually scaled
down and finally removed entirely. It was a practical move: scrollwork and spigot joints formed dirt
and moisture traps where corrosion could set in.
As side entry lanterns became popular, the swan neck declined in numbers. Brackets evolved into simple
bracket arms, or became part of the column (as with the popular "hockey stick" column). However, the swan
neck does live on, albeit in smaller numbers, and is still available as a "traditional" option for
decorative and/or heritage style street lighting.
Name: Lucy Large Swan Neck Bracket
Date: Circa 1920s - 1950s
Dimensions: 7' 1" (height), 1' 8" (width)
Specs: Flower finial, single scrollwork, simple collar, Lucy double sided fuse and time switch box with spigot
Lantern: BLEECO Open Type Conical 673
History
The history of Lucy columns and brackets isn't documented and no catalogues have surfaced.
The finial and scrollwork decoration are typical of Lucy which is how this bracket was identified.
It's an enormous bracket, and was obviously intended for extremely short columns.
Popularity
These large brackets were used extensively throughout Surrey, but appeared rare in other parts of the country.
The Lucy Bracket In My Collection
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facing profile
This bracket (and BLEECO
Open Type Conical 673) originally stood on a
fluted cast-iron column on the corner of Arundel Road and Manor Road, Cheam. I purchased the bracket
and its lantern from Sutton Council upon its removal in 1994.
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front profile
I believe the bracket was made by
Lucy. It's fitted with a Lucy fuse box, and the distinctive
flower finial is often associated with Lucy. Unfortunately, no catalogues by
Lucy have ever surfaced, so 100% positive identification isn’t possible.
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trailing profile
This swan-neck bracket is enormous, standing at around 6' tall. It was obviously designed for mounting
on short cast iron columns, probably shorter gas columns (produced before the standardisation of mounting heights).
These large Lucy brackets were favoured by Surrey County Council and could be found installed all
over the county.
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finial
This distinctive flower finial is often found on brackets I believe were made by Lucy, and doesn’t appear in other
manufacturers' literature. Therefore, it’s believed it’s a Lucy finial.
The bracket was painted silver, the original colours used by Sutton Council.
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scrollwork
The scrollwork on this bracket is clamped onto the pipework and is in excellent condition. (Sometimes corrosion
forces the clamps open and the scrollwork falls off). Other brackets sometimes had the scrollwork
welded to the bracket.
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base of bracket
Unlike some bracket manufacturers, no jointing has been added to the top of the bracket
to prevent corrosion. This has caused some corrosion in this case, where collected water
has started to rust the bracket tubing.
The Lucy box sports the firm's distinctive logo. This side, labelled "Time Switch" gives
access to the time swtich whilst the door on the other side, labelled "Fuses", gives access to the two
fuses. Both electrical components are mounted back-to-back on a wooden board.
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bracket: winter 2012-3
The bracket after the first snow-fall of the winter of 2012/3. The weather wasn't good enough to
work outside for long periods last year and the lantern and bracket stayed in-situ over the winter.
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Lucy Bracket: As Originally Purchased
This was one of several brackets I obtained from Sutton Council in the early 1990s. The bracket and lantern originally stood
near the intersection of Arundel Road and Manor Road, Cheam.
It has been partly restored but will be finished off in silver - the colour originally used by Sutton Council.
The lantern is an BLEECO Open Type Conical 673.
The following shot is from my original website, which was online in 1997, and shows the lantern and bracket after its partial restoration.
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