From evidence at the Old Bailey, where husband's gt gt grandfather William Robins was acquitted of theft of combs, gt gt gt grandfather, James Robins, also paper-stainer, gave this evidence, which might be of interest to those who had ancestors in the trade:
"It is impossible to use three combs in making oak paper - the paper is laid on a table, this coarse comb is used first, we go down the paper, and then this small comb comes after, and then we come up the other side the whole width of a piece of paper - it is impossible to use more than two combs."
William's defence was that he had bought the combs, not stolen them, and James also gave evidence that his son told him he'd paid half a crown for them, to which he replied "Fools and their money are soon parted"!!!
"It is impossible to use three combs in making oak paper - the paper is laid on a table, this coarse comb is used first, we go down the paper, and then this small comb comes after, and then we come up the other side the whole width of a piece of paper - it is impossible to use more than two combs."
William's defence was that he had bought the combs, not stolen them, and James also gave evidence that his son told him he'd paid half a crown for them, to which he replied "Fools and their money are soon parted"!!!
Comment