The history of rubber is a fascinating topic and without rubber in our lives in the 21st century we could not survive.
We've just been reading a book written by John Tully from Melbourne, called The Devil's Milk. He has intensively researched the social dynamics and consequences of rubber over the last 200 years. It's like a Readers Digest Condensed book of key facts and very easy to read.
Rubber, derived from the gum of a tree, has existed since prehistoric times. Even fossils of rubber-producing plants date back almost 3 million years.
Crude rubber balls, discovered in ruins of ancient Incan and Mayan civilisations in Central and in South America, are said to be about 900 years old. Natives of south-eastern Asia used rubber, prepared from the "juice" of trees to waterproof their baskets and jars. Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the New World, observed Haitian natives playing with balls made from "the gum of a tree".
Most natural rubber comes from a single species of tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Though native to South America, H. brasiliensis is planted in large plantations in south-east Asia, including Malaysia. The famous Michael Palin recently visited Brazil and we personally asked him if he saw any rubber trees. He said he saw a little bit but there aren't many rubber trees now.
On March 17, 1845, the first rubber band was patented by Stephen Perry of London, made from vulcanised rubber.
On June 24, 1844, Charles Goodyear was granted patent #3633 for vulcanized rubber and of course made rubber tyres.
Ask anyone under 30 the question, "Where does rubber come from?" and you'll get a variety of answers, but not often the correct one. One young man recently asked us if it was from a whale. I think he was thinking blubber, not rubber.
List of things made of rubber:
- Condoms,
- Car, truck, plane tyres,
- Rubber banks
- Rubber balls
- Rubber hose,
- Rubber boots (gumboots)
- Rubber stamps
- Rubber stopper
- Rubber belt
