Gas cookers were invented in the first decade of the nine-teenth century but were not in general use until 1850. At firs tthey were regarded with great suspicion – people fearedexplosions, poisoning or food tasting of gas.
To begin withthey were used in hotels and institutions, but it was not until 1924 that an oven regulator or thermostat appeared which made possible, for the first time, the accurate control of the temperature of the oven. The other great advantage was thatthe gas cooker did not need a flue, so could be placed anywhere within a room, even in a room without a fireplace.
