the shed of electrofried: Norfolk

Monday 13 July 2020

a beautiful invention

Soap was invented around 2800 BC in Babylonia. Made from fat boiled with ashes, it was originally used in cleaning wool and cotton for textile manufacture.

Soap is such a beautiful invention. According to The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2012, hand-washing with soap could save the lives of over 600,000 children every year.

So here is my personal odyssey in soap...

My first memories of soap as a child were of old-fashioned brands, in particular the legendary, 'Imperial Leather'. Created in 1938 by UK manufacturer Cussons, it was named after a perfume invented by a Russian aristocrat.

It wasn't, however, the illustrious history of Imperial Leather that made it such a firm favourite in our household. My mother bought it purely on the basis of durability. A bar of the wretched stuff could last for months until it was reduced to vestigial remains attached to the indestructible label on the front. Even that was recycled, the label removed and the soapy residue squished into the next bar so nothing was wasted.

Back in my childhood the concept of a daily bath was an impossible luxury. It was a weekly dip in the tub (shared water) supplemented by a chilling morning scrub at the basin. During winter frosted-glass in the bathroom meant just that - rime-patterned windows iced on the inside.

My teenage years bring back the fondest memories of all. With newly-launched hormones coursing through my system I met my first girlfriend.

In all probability she was using the same sort of soap as me, but she smelt different - she smelt feminine. The importance of olfactory input in the process of bonding has been well documented and despite my increasing age I can still close my eyes and bring back those fond memories.

Time marched on. My girlfriend became my wife and then mother to our three lovely children. This brought many new smells into the household - some pleasant, some not.

The best of all, of course, was the smell of freshly bathed babies.

One by one, the children have flown the nest and now we are back to being a couple again. We can enjoy the indulgence of luxury soaps, many of which are scented with lavender. They bring back memories of our old holiday home, deep in the heart of Norfolk.

Whilst we hope our ultimate demise may be years away there is no denying the inexorable fate that awaits us all. No perfume, no colour, no earthly existence. It is meet and right to reflect on the cycle of life. Ashes to ashes - a key ingredient of the humble but beautiful invention that is soap.