Did a wasp help invent wallpaper?

How did a wasp lead to the invention of paper in ancient China?

In 105 AD, a Chinese court official, Cai Lun, watched as a wasp landed on a rough, partially formed sphere hanging from one of the branches—her nest. Cai observed the queen with fascination as she regurgitated a sticky substance onto the edge of the flimsy structure. She appeared to spread the gloop, adding a thin layer to create the walls.

This gave Cai an idea. Over the next few weeks, he oversaw an experiment to see if he could recreate the wasp’s manufacturing process on a larger scale. He boiled bark flakes in a cauldron, together with hemp waste and other substances, to create a viable pulp. The resulting mush was then sieved to remove excess water before being laid flat, pressed, and left to dry. The Emperor gave it a big thumbs-up.

And that, according to legend, is how Cai Lun invented paper.

Why was wallpaper made illegal during the Stuart period in England?

Oliver Cromwell was an English politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of the British Isles.​​ He played a vital part in the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I in 1649. As you can probably tell, he was quite a serious man. Cromwell took a dim view of anything deemed frivolous or sinful, including public houses, sports, makeup, Christmas and perhaps most strangely, wallpaper. Thanks to him, wallpaper production was shut down. It wasn’t until the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 that wallpaper took off again in a big way.

How did the destruction of London ignite a love for wallpaper?

In September 1666, the Great Fire of London raged across the city for five days, leaving a trail of devastation and despair in its wake. More than 13,000 buildings were laid to waste, with over 70,000 people left homeless. The ravaged city had to be rebuilt in the aftermath of the fire. New building and planning regulations were introduced, including wider streets. From now on, houses were to be made of stone or brick, with timber banned from the exterior of buildings.

An army of architects, masons, builders and construction workers descended on London and changed the face of the city. Wallpaper also played a part in the regeneration. Behind every imposing new facade was an interior waiting to be decorated. Wallpaper warehouses sprung up in the city, displaying the latest prints and patterns for the wealthy to choose from.

How did a wallpaper maker help inspire the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was a period of political and societal change in France. You may be aware of seismic events like the Storming of the Bastille or the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793. But did you know wallpaper played its part, too?

In 1789, a French wallpaper manufacturer called Jean-Baptiste Réveillon gave a speech complaining about rising production costs. He spoke fondly of the days when a labourer could live quite well on their 15 sous a day. As you can imagine, his words did not go down well with the common man - those struggling to make ends meet.

In fact, that’s an understatement. His poorly chosen words incited a riot. An effigy of Réveillon was hung from the Bastille, and an angry crowd armed with weapons marched to his house. Réveillon managed to escape, but the posse converged on his home and looted his prized possessions. The French Guard arrived soon after and opened fire on the baying mob, killing 25 people.

The Réveillon Riots, as they became known, were among the earliest acts of violence in the French Revolution.

A silent killer is found hiding in plain sight on nursery walls across Victorian Britain…

Designer William Morris produced his first wallpaper in 1862. His designs are still popular today, but back then, they were radical and thought of as peculiar. But, while designers were embracing the creative opportunities offered by the rising popularity of wallpapers, a killer was discovered hiding in plain sight on nursery walls across the country…

Deaths attributed to arsenic poisoning shot up. At first, the police were stumped. And then, it occurred to them - it must be the wallpaper! It may sound like the denouement from a particularly far-fetched episode of Poirot, but tests revealed the theory to be true.

William Morris didn’t want to believe it. Many of his designs relied on arsenic-based dyes to achieve their eye-catching effects. Getting rid of arsenic would severely restrict his palette. As an artist, he naturally rebelled. But in 1875, Morris bowed to public opinion. He switched to arsenic-free green pigments, in line with other manufacturers. Though, in private, he continued to grumble that it was all a fuss about nothing.