April 2023
Talk by Frogmore Paper Mill
This month’s meeting was a talk about the making of paper. A volunteer from Frogmore Paper Millin Apsley, a suburb of Hemel Hempstead, took us through the story of communications from stone, papyrus, parchment to paper. Each one had its advantages and disadvantages like weight and portability of stone, the brittleness and lack of durability of papyrus, the huge number of calves needed for parchment making until the convenience, durability, and weight of paper was discovered.
The process of paper making began in Frogmore in the early 1800’s in a wide area north of London and it is now the only one remaining. It is on the River Gade - a chalk river – giving the clear water needed for the production. The other component which is vital are cotton rags, which were easily sent from the vast conurbation of London.
This development coincided with, and enhanced, the advances at the time of the Industrial Revolution, making education more wides pread through books, plans and maps.
The different qualities of weight of paper mean we can make cardboard of many thicknesses for packaging, writing paper, art paper to toilet paper which will dissolve in water. Colour can be added and different surfaces can be achieved through rolling. Seeds can also be added to greetings cards to make the gift last longer.
Normally the Mill at Frogmore would be open to the public but last year the newly erected Visitor Centre, funded by the National Lottery, was deliberately set on fire, so more fundraising is necessary to replace this facility. Such mindless vandalism is hard to understand!
Diane Bell
This month’s meeting was a talk about the making of paper. A volunteer from Frogmore Paper Millin Apsley, a suburb of Hemel Hempstead, took us through the story of communications from stone, papyrus, parchment to paper. Each one had its advantages and disadvantages like weight and portability of stone, the brittleness and lack of durability of papyrus, the huge number of calves needed for parchment making until the convenience, durability, and weight of paper was discovered.
The process of paper making began in Frogmore in the early 1800’s in a wide area north of London and it is now the only one remaining. It is on the River Gade - a chalk river – giving the clear water needed for the production. The other component which is vital are cotton rags, which were easily sent from the vast conurbation of London.
This development coincided with, and enhanced, the advances at the time of the Industrial Revolution, making education more wides pread through books, plans and maps.
The different qualities of weight of paper mean we can make cardboard of many thicknesses for packaging, writing paper, art paper to toilet paper which will dissolve in water. Colour can be added and different surfaces can be achieved through rolling. Seeds can also be added to greetings cards to make the gift last longer.
Normally the Mill at Frogmore would be open to the public but last year the newly erected Visitor Centre, funded by the National Lottery, was deliberately set on fire, so more fundraising is necessary to replace this facility. Such mindless vandalism is hard to understand!
Diane Bell