Paper Timeline
The need to communicate and find an effective surface to make marks upon is long indeed. Humans looked around for available materials for thousands of years before the Chinese made paper. The papermaking process was then a guarded secret for 500 years before arriving in Japan. Papers Journey West is thought to have begun when Chinese prisoners were forced to reveal the recipe, hence papermaking commenced in Samarkand in 751CE. Slowly papermaking travelled West along the Silk Route to reach Muslim Spain in 1140.
3,000 BCE
The oldest known papyrus, a blank scroll found in the tomb of Saqqara, near Cairo.
300 BCE
King Eumenes Il of Pergamum, barred from importing papyrus, builds a library of 200,000 volumes in parchment.
252 BCE
The the oldest piece of paper ever found in Lu Lan, China.
207 BCE
Beginning of the Chinese Han dynasty, in which paper is developed.
30 BCE
Romans conquer Egypt and spread papyrus in the Mediterranean world.
105 CE
The eunuch Cai Lun of the Chinese Han court is credited with inventing paper.
256
First known book on paper, the Phi Yu Ching, produced in China.
500-600
The Mayans develop bark paper.
610
Korean monk Dancho, takes papermaking to Japan.
706
Arabs bring paper to Mecca.
751
Papermaking in Samarkand begins.
1086
Domesday Book (parchment)– corn mills in operation at Great Gaddesden, Apsley, Bury, Kings Langley, Nash, Piccotts End and Two Waters.
1140
Papermaking begins in Muslim Spain in Xativa.
1264
First record of papermaking in Fabriano, Italy.
1282
First watermark in Fabriano, Italy.
1286 CE
Ashridge Survey – corn mill in operation at Frogmore, also known as Covent or Fulling Mill.
1307
Paper first used in England.
1456
Gutenberg completes printing his first Bible with moveable type.
1477
William Caxton opens Britain’s first printing press.
1488
John Tate establishes the first paper mill in England in Hertfordshire (Sele Mill).
1624
Sale of Nash Mill by James Fullerton to William Kentish.
1672
With invention of the Hollander beater, Holland becomes a net exporter rather than importer of fine white paper.
1755
Batchworth Mill established as making paper.
1763
Two Waters Mill established as making paper.
1769
Nash Mills established for making paper.
1774
Frogmore Mill first used for papermaking.
1778
Apsley Mill established for making paper.
1798
Nicolas-Louis Robert applies for a patent for his continuous paper machine, France.
1799
The Hertfordshire section of the Grand Junction Canal was completed. It continued through to the Midlands by 1801, having started in the South from Brentford.
1801
John Gamble patents the Robert idea in England.
1803
Henry and Sealy Fourdrinier lease Frogmore Mill, and engineer Bryan Donkin installs the world’s first mechanised paper machine developed from the Robert idea.
1804
John Dickinson describes his cylinder mould process in an affidavit five years prior to the patent. Then, a second, improved machine was installed at Frogmore.
1805
Donkin’s third, refined machine for making paper installed at Two Waters Mill, also owned by the Fourdriniers.
1807
John Dickinson takes out a patent for improvements to cartridge paper.
1809
John Dickinson patents his cylinder mould papermaking machine. George Stafford sells Apsley Mill to John Dickinson for its installation.
1810
Friedrich Koenig invents a steam-powered printer. Fourdriniers bankrupt.
1811
John Dickinson purchases Nash Mills.
1818
Joshua Gilpin builds the first continuous-paper machine in America. The route of the Grand Junction Canal is altered.
1821
A method for drying paper using heated cylinders and felt by Thomas Bonsor Crompton was granted patent. Patent No. 4509.
1825
John Dickinson commences building of Home Park Mill.
1829
John Dickinson commences building of Croxley Mill. John Dickinson takes out a patent for silk-threaded paper, used for security papers and making envelopes.
1830
New bleaching process makes white paper from coloured rags possible.
1833
An English patent is granted for making paper from wood.
1836
John Dickinson begins building at house at Abbots Hill. The house is now Abbots Hill School.
1837
The railway arrives.
1839
Miles Berry takes out the first patent for making paper with esparto grass. Home Park station (now known as Kings Langley station) is built.
1840
John Evans begins working at Nash Mills.
1847
Nash Mills school founded by John Dickinson.
1849
Holy Trinity Church in Leverstock Green, was consecrated. The instigation committee included John Dickinson who also provided funds.
1850
First envelope machine introduced to John Dickinson & Co by John Evans.
1851
Hugh Burgess and Charles Watt made paper from wood by a chemical process, now known as soda pulp, for a newspaper trial.
1853
Shendish Manor is built as a residence for Charles Longman.
1856
Thomas Routledge takes out a patent for the treatment of esparto and other raw fibres. He later works with John Dickinson & Co to establish Ford Works, near Sunderland, to produce esparto paper and half-stuff.
1859
John Dickinson retires. Charles Longman, Frederick Pratt Barlow, and John Evans are the partners in the firm; John Evans is principally responsible for the manufacturing arm of the business.
1871
St Mary’s Church, Apsley consecrated. Sponsored by the Directors of John Dickinson & Company.
1877
Frogmore Mill and Two Waters Mill leased for ten years by John Dickinson & Co to produce pulp from Esparto grass.
1883
Lewis Evans founds the John Dickinson Fire Brigade.
1885
John Evans retires, aged 62. Lewis Evans takes over as head of John Dickinson & Co.
1890
British Paper Company begin manufacture of recycled paper at Frogmore Mill.
1907
Frogmore Fourdrinier No.2 paper machine installed.
1918
Explosion destroys buildings at Two Waters Mill; the mill is not rebuilt.
1937
Opening of Shendish clubhouse and grounds for the Dickinson Guild of Sport and members of the House of Dickinson.
1938
Apsley Railway Station opened.
1947
Hemel Hempstead becomes a New Town.
1966
John Dickinson & Co merge with Robinson Group to form Dickinson Robinson Group (DRG).
1980
Closure of Home Park Mill and Croxley Mill.
1989
Pembridge bid breaks up DRG.
1990
The return of the John Dickinson name, as John Dickinson Stationery inaugurated. SAPPI Europe now owns Nash Mills.
1993
The Paper Trail set up to promote the history of the paper industry in Apsley.
1999
Apsley Mill ceases stationery manufacture. Apsley Paper Trail moves into The Cottage at Apsley Mill.
2000
Closure of British Paper Company at Frogmore Paper Mill.
2006
Paper manufacture ceases at Nash Mills. Heritage Lottery Funded Visitor Centre opens.
2009
Last use of the Frogmore No.2 paper machine. The machine remains on site.
2022
Fire destroys Visitor Centre on 22nd January.
2025
Visitor centre reopens for hard hat tours.
