The Science and History of Toilet
Paper
| In 2005 I was asked by Milestones - a museum of social history in Basingstoke in Hampshire - to give a talk on The Science and History of Toilet Paper. This was subsequently featured in Renaissance South East News, a newsletter for museums and libraries. Please click here to read the article, which appears on page 2. To accompany the talk, the museum kindly lent me one of their exhibits - a 1930's toilet paper dispenser complete with original toilet tissue! |  |
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I had first worked on this topic back in 1998 when I wrote a
feature for Focus
magazine entitled 'Everything you ever wanted to know about
Toilet Paper'. Please page down for a selection of links to web
sites that I found in the course of my research (and some I've found
since). Researching the article also put me in touch with two other
people interested in this subject. One was David Woodcock, a historical
researcher and writer who was at the time Associate Curator of
Domestic Technology at the Science Museum in London,
and Stella Mitchell who runs a museum of British popular culture
called the Land of Lost
Content.
 Copyright: Sharon Ann Holgate |
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David has amassed quite a collection of old toilet paper advertisements. These range from rather bland catalogue entries for the Army and Navy stores in the early 1900's to full page 1950's adverts suggesting that children were too scared to tell their parents how much they hated hard paper, and how much they craved the new softer stuff! David very kindly allowed me to use some of his earliest examples to illustrate my talk at Milestones. |
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Stella also has
an impressive collection, but this is of old rolls and packs
themselves! She very kindly allowed me to show pictures of her
collection in my Milestones talk. Some of the brand names and
designs look rather amusing to modern eyes, with the 'Robin Hood'
paper - complete with a drawing of the famous character in his
jerkin and tights - and 'Everest' - suitably illustrated by a
mountain peak - being two of my favourites. I would be happy
to give my talk again at other museums, libraries or to interested
groups. Please return to the main Talks page for contact details.
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Web links: The Virtual Toilet Paper Museum Toilet Paper WorldThe Great American Toilet Paper Shortage A 500x magnified image of toilet paper |
