Why did William Murdock invent gas lighting ??

Answer 1

He found a niche for making money, and he found that the councils would pay good money for the benefit of lit streets. Gas lighting was not as good as electric lighting is today, obviously, but we also have the benefit of shop lighting to compliment our street lighting. I recall that in England in 1971, there was an electricity strike, and the streets were eerily dark. No lights were lit at all, nothing, street-lights, shop or houselights.

The gas companies were in league with the coal companies, and benefited from each-other to produce coal to make coal gas and other by-products.

Answer 2

Because it was dark for Chrissakes. Why else?