´óÏó´«Ã½

In his position as an engineer with ICI, my father had a ‘reserved occupation’, which meant he was exempt from military call-up. (At 36 he was probably less likely for call-up in any case.) He was however persuaded to take on voluntary duties as a stand-by engineer with the local Water Board. In the course of becoming familiar with the layout of the water supply and sewage system, he came across numerous obsolete blueprints that were destined to be destroyed. Instead, he came home one day from his duties with the Water Board with an armful of these blueprints, and said they were going to be made into handkerchiefs! Blueprints in those days were printed (with literally blue ink) on waxed linen, and, as I understand it, the linen could be recovered from the sheets by melting off the wax in a large pan of boiling water. (Perhaps, some other chemical fluid was also necessary?) At any rate, I believe these blueprints kept us supplied with handkerchiefs for the duration of the war. (I also understand that the practice of recovering the linen from blueprints continued in many households until well into the 50s.)

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.