Probably the Earliest Use of Bleached Wood-Pulp Paper in English Book Production

In 1802 printer Charles Whittingham of London issued a 2-volume edition of The Mathematical and Philosophical Works of the Right Rev. John Wilkins, Late Lord Bishop of Chester. To Which is Prefixed the Author's Life, and an Account of His Works. In Papermaking: The History and Technique of an Ancient Craft (1947) Dard Hunter stated on p. 525 that this was "probably the earliest use of bleached wood-pulp paper in English book production." It is possible that his paper was made by Matthias Koops. However, it is quite different from the wood pulp paper used as the appendix for Koops' 1801 edition as the paper in the 1802 Wilkins is thicker,with a rougher text, and has not browned. It does however have several flaws and would appear to be of an experimental nature. If Koops did produce the paper used in Whittingham's 1802 edition of Wilkins it is likely that he changed the process between 1801 and 1802. One should note that although Koops' process involved innovative technology his grandiose Straw Paper Manufactory followed the traditional process of making paper by hand in large scale, with steam engine assistance, as the Fourdrinier papermaking machine was not in operation until 1804.