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The history of the raincoat |
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The early history of waterproof rainwear is coterminus with the early history of the rubber industry.
The significant practical utility of rubber began when the means were found to spread it onto cloth. Before that its usefulness in Europe and the US had been restricted to the removal of lead pencil marks.
There were two great phases in the evolution of the rubber industry - before and after the development of what was called 'vulcanisation'. Prior to 'vulcanisation' rubber was seriously susceptible to modest changes in temperature, being soft when warm and when cold, hard and brittle. At room temperatures it was also sticky. In removing both obstacles, vulcanisation increased the utility of rubber enormously.
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Charles Goodyear (1800-1860) Biography appearing in 1891 in the Scientific American (Supplement). |
Vulcanisation was developed in the period 1839-44. Goodyear in America found a way of effecting it in 1839; the first patent protecting a vulcanising process in the UK was obtained in 1843 by Thomas Hancock.
Both techniques relied on the introduction of the element of sulphur into the structure of the rubber, and both involved the application of heat.
Other techniques of vulcanisation were developed by Stephen Moulton and Alex. Parkes, both in the UK. In both cases sulphur compounds were key.
In Europe the industry pre-vulcanisation had seen success enough to maintain expansion. In the US, initial intense enthusiasm and investment had spawned a number of rubber businesses, but most of these collapsed when consumers rejected their products as seriously unsatisfactory.
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Thomas Hancock (1786-1865) This picture comes from his 'Personal Narrative'. |
The pre-vulcanisation businesses in the UK produced rubberised cloth and garments made from such; and also clothing accessories made by cutting ribbons or rings or small sheets from small blocks of rubber and applying these to provide elastication to such things as the wristbands of gloves. There were also some medical applications, and some production of overshoes.
In the US, larger sheets of rubber were produced and larger articles made out of them (all disintegrating quickly in use).
Note: These statements are by way of overall summary: they are developed and substantiated on other pages.
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