In Victorian London, where fogs were notorious, a particularly bad day could mean that the streets were dark by noon. An American visitor in 1899 claimed that when the fog descended the cab drivers were forced to lead their horses, and pedestrians would hire boys with lights to guide them home.
Writing historical fiction means writing about people who see very differently to modern readers, both literally and figuratively. I used to love power cuts as a child because the dark made the house strange; there was a thrill to travelling from room to room with only a tea light to guide the way. But what would it mean to be permanently dependent on candles? If you woke up in the middle of the night thinking you’d heard an intruder, you’d be fumbling about for matches in the dark, all the while listening for footsteps on the stairs — and if you’re unlucky, you might end up setting yourself on fire in your panic.
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