Pictured is a gas lamp cleaner in East Street, Goldenhill.
East street is aligned with Central Street and West Street where all three streets were between the present day Albany Street and Gilbert Street.
The terraced houses in the photograph were built in the middle of the 19th century before being demolished in the late 1960’s.
Before electricity, gas was the most popular method of outdoor lighting in Stoke on Trent. Clockwork timers were used to light the gas automatically every evening and would turn off every morning.
Every so often a man with a ladder (pictured right) would visit each lamp to wind up the clockwork mechanism and check the mantle.
The coach also pictured is a Bristol L6B which could carry about 35 passengers, and would have been used as a bus serving both nearby Sandyford and Goldenhill.
He rode a bike with the ladder over his shoulder. He carried out his work meticulously even cleaning all the panes of glass.