In 1844 Mr. Charles Goodyear took out his first patent on Vulcanization of Rubber, making rubber more useful. One year later, in Britain, Mr. Stephan Perry took out the first patent on the Rubber Band, employing Mr. Goodyear’s process.

Rubber bands were first seen as useful in making bundles of paper. However, it cannot have taken long for the first paper wad to become airborn, via the Rubber Band, whizzing through the air at the unsuspecting.

It is from this missile inauguration that this famous phrase arose: “You’re going to put someone’s eye out that way!” (If that is not a fact, it ought to be, as any Rhino would tell you.)