3 February 1879: the Sunderland-born Joseph Swan invented the first practical light bulb, whose developments would result in the widespread use of electric light throughout the world. it's going to be 133 years in a few days.

Newcastle was one of the first towns to be lit with electricity, Cragside in Northumberland one of the first houses to be lit and a light bulb factory at Benwell was the first in the world; there a post on the BBC about it.