FIRE! A Discussion on Fire Retardant Cloth

[Mary Diamond]

While looking for something else, I came across this, and thought it might be of interest - and perhaps use, with more research. The first article (from Blockade Runner) was the spur, the second article (from a specialty textile company) found after a brief search.

 

https://www.blockaderunner.com/nlc/info.html#4

FIRE RETARDENT DRESSES

My grandmother was a great story teller, and I vividly remember her story of a childhood friend who at the age of 9 years was burned to death. The child had been helping her mother attend to a wash pot of clothes boiling over an open fire in the yard as was the custom in the Tennessee backwoods in 1906. The child eased closer to the fire to stir the pot when the hem of her cotton dress brushed the flames. She was instantly set alight and died that day. Now my grandmother related a much more detailed, heart rendering description that I shall spare you from, but I think you understand just how important fire safety is around a camp fire.

Here are a few tips, from period sources that may be of some use to you.

From the book, "INQUIRE WITHIN UPON EVERYTHING", first published in 1856 by Houlston and Stoneman in Great Britain.

Page 3, Tip # 28.

PREVENTION OF FIRES, add one ounce of alum (Alum is inexpensive and available at any good drug store.) to the last water used to rinse children's dresses and they will be rendered uninflammable, or so slightly combustible that they would take fire very slowly, if at all, and would not flame. This is a simple precaution. which may be adopted in families of children. Bed curtains, and linen in general, may also be treated in the same way.

We will list any other tips on this matter that come to light. Feel free to submit yours. We will be happy to list it here and will happily give you the credit.

 

https://www.redwood-ttm.com/news/a-brief-history-of-flame-retardant-textiles/

The earliest uses

Flame resistant textiles go all the way back to Ancient Greece, where they first discovered that asbestos did not burn easily. In fact, the word asbestos is rooted in the Greek for inextinguishable. Fast forward to Roman times, and you find asbestos shrouds being used in cremations to prevent the ashes from the body mixing with the ashes from the fire.

On a less sombre theme, in the 8th century, King Charlemagne was known for introducing asbestos-treated tablecloths at feasts, to prevent fires from candles knocked over by drunken guests. By the 17th century, asbestos-treated flame retardant textiles were widely used in theatres in Britain and France to reduce the risk of fire from stage lighting.

The post-asbestos era

Eventually, people realised the harmful effects of using asbestos, and so scientists went back to the drawing board to come up with alternative ways to create fire retardant textiles. The first such patent was awarded to Obediah Wylde in 1735, who used sulfate, alum, iron and borax to treat fabrics. This work was continued over the next century by French chemist Joseph Gay-Lussac, who did significant research into the flame retardant properties of various chemicals.

The problem with many of these early treatments was a lack of longevity. While they were highly effective to begin with, their fire resistance soon washed out after repeated laundering. The first durable flame retardant textiles were not created until 1912, by English chemist William Henry Perkins.

[LadyBarbossa]

Nice! Thanks for the info, Mary. 
So, one would have to treat the fabric at every washing to continue the fire retardant qualities, hmm? 

[Mary Diamond]

So it seems…