Hudson Bay Blankets

Do you know what a Hudson's Bay blanket is? I'd never heard of them until a character in my book wrapped one round her shoulders this morning. I'm an inveterate googler when I read and I love learning about different Englishes. I discovered that Hudson's Bay blankets were made by the Hudson's Bay Company (in what is now Canada) in the 18th century. They were traded with First Nations communities in return for furs.

The history of the blankets, and the Hudson's Bay Company, includes all the controversy common to the colonial era. It's a fascinating read, but I was particularly interested to know that the blankets were originally woven in British textile mills. The most easily recognisable colour scheme is green, red, yellow and indigo stripes on a white background - colours that were easy to obtain at the time.

What interesting language stuff have you learned from your reading lately?