Rather interesting Basingstoke facts
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Did you know that gabardine waterproof clothing was invented by a Basingstoke Man? His name? Thomas Burberry! Burberry was a draper who came up with a process for proofing yarn as well as finished cloth after a chance conversation with a shepherd. That man’s clothing had seemingly become waterproof through contact with lanolin - he claimed during sheep dipping. Known as a fashion item now, Burberry gabardine was originally for outdoorsy types – at the most extreme end of that scale worn by explorers like Ernest Shackleton .
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Famous Basingstoke people:
John Arlott
Liz Hurley
Thomas Warton
Tom Cleverley
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