Zoe Finlay Paper Conservation

Ok, I know it feels endlessly cold right now and I hope that wherever you are in the UK, you are managing to keep warm, but pause for a moment to remember that during the years 1607 to 1814, Britain was in the grip of what is now referred to as the ‘Little Ice Age’. Some sources even state that this spanned from 1550 to 1850.

One well-recorded result was in London, where each winter the Thames would freeze over. Between 1607 and 1814, seven major ‘Frost Fairs’ were held actually on the ice as well as frequent smaller ones, with traders such as shoemakers, barbers and publicans setting up business. There were even football pitches!

Printed and painted images of the frost fairs still exist today. In addition, a multitude of libraries and archives both in the UK and abroad also hold within their collections examples of related ephemera. Items such as business cards, ballads, adverts and posters were produced by entrepreneurs who set up printing presses on the ice. They offered cheap souvenir keepsakes such as is pictured below, which people could buy with their name, date and printing location on the frozen Thames in order to remember the occasion.

Image courtesy of Cambridge University Special Collections

As you can imagine, the fairs weren’t completely without danger and occasional tragedies were recorded where the ice gave way.

Eventually, the climate warmed up, and now the only evidence remaining of these once-famous fairs are the conserved collections held in libraries, archives and likely also in privately-held family books and documents. If you have any examples, I would love to see them!

300 years? Now that’s what I call a cold snap…!

Further reading:

Historic England: The Thames Frost Fairs in London   https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Thames-Frost-Fairs/

Cambridge University Library Special Collections: ’Printed Frost Fair Ephemera in the University Library’   https://specialcollections-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk/?p=4660

London Museum:
https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/v/object-1165367/broadside-frost-fair-paper/

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It was a full house at yesterday’s talk, ‘An Introduction to Paper Conservation’ which I presented to 70 Friends of the Laing members at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle.

Thank you to everyone who came to hear me and for all your very positive feedback afterwards. I hope everyone went away with lots of useful advice on how to look after your own paper items in the home. Often, simple and inexpensive steps can make a major difference.

I also had a little time before the talk to visit the current ‘The Arts and Crafts House: Then and Now’ exhibition organised by Compton Verney. It was wonderful and I’d definitely recommend it!

A recent trip to London wouldn’t have felt complete without popping into the immense British Museum, a highlight of which for me is the Reading Room. Although unfortunately it’s currently closed, it’s well worth a visit should you get the chance in future. While the huge beautiful gold and azure blue dome is breath-taking to see, what amazes me even more is that the lining is papier mâché.

Unfortunately, restoration work had to be undertaken in 1998 to stop the advent of cracks caused by shrinkage of the paper. An ingenious method, inspired by the Royal Navy’s method for waterproofing ships using hemp and caulk, was applied. After first filling the cracks with cotton wadding, one and a half miles of a type of surgical bandage was attached over the cracks before an oil-based paint was applied over the top.

The solution is one which is typical of conservation; sometimes, damage can’t always be stopped but by applying a method which is sympathetic to the problem and original materials, further damage can at least be slowed and controlled. In the above instance, the wadding and bandage will permit the cracks to continue to move as is the nature of the component materials, however, the new support will preserve and protect the tremendous dome for years to come.

The British Museum Reading Room Dome. Building work began in 1854.