Born Birmingham. Initially worked on improved methods of electroplating. 1856 patented Parkesine, a celluloid recognised as the first man-made plastic (chewing gum, shellac and natural rubber are all classified as plastics).
1866 he set up The Parkesine Company at Hackney Wick intending to manufacture Parkesine cheaply in bulk but this was not successful and closed in 1868. Died London.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Alexander Parkes
First plastic in the world, known as 'parkesine', invented by Alexander Parke...
Chemist. Born Penzance. Wrote "Researches, Chemical and Philosophical". Discovered potassium, sodium, barium, strontium, etc. Invented the safety lamp for coal miners.
See Londonist's excellent post How Television Was Invented In London. We love it when our friends do the work for us!
Full name: Dr Alphonse Rene Le Mire de Normandy. Born Rouen, France. He completed a medical course but then devoted himself to chemistry. Came to England in the late 1830s/early 1840s, initially li...
Born Glasgow. Geologist. In 1851 first Chair of Geology at the School of Mines (later Imperial College). Specialised in the geology of Arran and Wales. Died at home in Anglesey. Sir William Rams...
Born in Germany. Studied chemistry and then worked in factories, coming to England in 1862. Following marriage in 1866 Frida and Ludwig moved to England, had two sons: Robert (see the Infants Hospi...
Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Community Housing 1999 - 2016 when he stepped down. Social Housing gives: "Mr Tyrrell said he believes the organisation - which was deemed non-compliant on governa...
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