[MR] BBC: Letter Interlocking

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today BBC Future is offering a neat feature on how letters were "locked"
before there were envelopes. More than just a history lesson, this article
is a how-to feature showing how any Scadian can learn this interesting
process.

In its simplest form a narrow sliver of paper or parchment was cut from the
edge of the completed letter. Then the letter was folded in various ways,
some incredibly difficult. A hole was then punched through the edge and the
strip used like string to tie the whole thing up. Then it was sealed with
wax.

Of course, there was nothing here to prevent a letter from being
intercepted and read, perhaps by one of Queen Elizabeth's clever spies. But
it would be difficult to put a letter back together in a way that would
conceal the tampering.

If you had something to say you didn't want read, it would be better to
write that part in invisible ink. That's how Father Gerard set up his
escape from the Tower of London, using orange juice in an otherwise
innocuous message to his friends. When heated the secret writing became
visible.

Read the whole story at
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210616-how-the-forgotten-tricks-of-letterlocking-shaped-history
 .

And Father Gerard? You can read about his escape at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gerard_(Jesuit) . The bit about the
orange juice isn't here though. Curator of Royal Palaces Dr. Tracy Borman
discussed and demonstrated this in the recent Smithsonian Channel series
INSIDE THE TOWER OF LONDON.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆