FOOLSCAP PAPER

New Zealand Tablet, 19 October 1911, Page 2110

FOOLSCAP PAPER

Everyone who handles paper recognises foolscap as a sheet 16i by 13£ inches. This is used as a standard size all the world over, officially and commercially. It will, therefore, be of interest to tell how this work originated. After the execution of Charles 1., Cromwell and his staff, in organising the Commonwealth, made all possible efforts to remove everything which had anything to do with the old Monarchy. The paper in official use up to that time had as a watermark the king’s crown; and when Cromwell was asked what should be put in the place of this crown, to show his overwhelming dislike to everything concerning royalty, he directed a fool’s cap to be put in the place of the crown. ;- This was done ; and when Charles 11. ascended the Throne of England it was at first forgotten to replace the cap by something else; and then too late. The king was afraid to do anything to recall things dangerous to touch; so it was neglected, and the fool’s cap may be seen as a watermark on nearly all official papers in England.