Chemist. Born King David's Lane, Shadwell. While a student at the Royal College of Chemistry, aged 18 he discovered the first aniline dyestuff while working in his home laboratory. He dropped out of college and with his family's support he opened a chemical factory at Greenford Green (where there is now a plaque) and began manufacturing the dye, the first mauve. His plaque says that he "went on to found science-based industry". We understand the words (and discovered that SBI is even a recognised acronyn) but aren't too sure of the significance since we would have thought that SBI dates back to at least the beginning of the industrial revolution in the 18th century. Died at home in Sudbury.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Sir William Henry Perkin, FRS
Commemorated ati
Sir William Perkin
Sir William Henry Perkin, FRS, discovered the first aniline dyestuff, March 1...
Other Subjects
32 Soho Square
Built 1773-5 for Sir George Colebrooke, the design has been attributed to the Adam brothers but it seems that Sir Robert Taylor is more likely. 1776/7 Colebrooke sold No. 32 to Joseph Banks who mov...
Sir John Sinclair
Founder and president of the first Board of Agriculture. Born Scotland into family of the Earls of Caithness. 1780 entered the House of Commons. Promoted a scientific and statistical approach to ag...
Person, Gardens / Agriculture, Politics & Administration, Science, Scotland
Luke Howard
Chemist and meteorologist. Born in London. He became a pharmacist, and set up his own practice in 1793. Made recordings of the weather in London from 1801 to 1841. Although he was not the first per...
John Newlands
Chemist. Born John Alexander Reina at 19 West Square, Southwark. The first person to devise a periodic table of chemical elements arranged in order of their relative atomic masses. He arranged all ...
William Lilly
Master astrologer. Born Leicestershire. Allegedly predicted the Great Fire of London 14 years before it happened. He was accused of having started the fire and was tried but, there being no evid...

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