Henry Deacon (industrialist)



Henry Deacon

Henry Deacon
Born30 July 1822
London
Died23 July 1876
Widnes, Lancashire
ResidenceEngland
NationalityEnglish
Fieldchlorine
Religious stanceSandemanian

Henry Deacon (30 July 1822–23 July 1876) was a chemical factory in Widnes, Lancashire, England.

Henry Deacon's father was also named Henry Deacon and his mother was Esther Deacon, his father's cousin. The family were members of the Sandemanian church,[1] one of whose members, alkali manufacturer, in Widnes.[1]

In 1853 Deacon, with Edmond Leyland, filed his first patent, which was for an improved manufacturing process for ammonia-soda process of making alkali. Deacon experimented with this process but had no success and Gaskell persuaded him to abandon this project.[2]

Between 1854 and 1876 Deacon, alone or in collaboration with others, filed at least 29 patents, all relating to alkali manufacture.[6] Deacon also presented a number of papers to learned societies, including the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1870, the Chemical Society in 1870 and the Warrington Literary and Philosophical Society in 1874. In 1867 Deacon took on a chemist, Ferdinand Hurter, on a month's probation.[7] In time Hurter was to become the chief chemist to the company.[8] Deacon worked with him to discover an improved method of manufacturing catalyst.[1][9]

Henry Deacon also played a part in public life in Widnes. He was chairman of the Local Board and played a significant part in establishing the waterworks at Pex Hill. He was chairman of the first school board in the town.[6]

Deacon married Emma Wade from Basford, Nottingham in 1851 with whom he had two sons and a daughter. After Emma's death he married Caroline Rutt of Islington, Middlesex, in 1866.[10] Deacon died in 1876 from typhoid fever at his home in Widnes. He was survived by his widow, seven sons and four daughters.[6] His estate was in excess of £100,000.[1]

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Michael A. Sutton (2004) ‘Deacon, Henry (1822–1876)’, rev., Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press [1] Retrieved on 29 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Allen, J. Fenwick (1906) 'Chemical Classics; Some Founders of the Chemical industry - Henry Deacon, Part 1', London and Manchester: Sherratt & Hughes [2] Retrieved on 8 July 2007.
  3. ^ Hardie, p.31.
  4. ^ Hardie, p.223.
  5. ^ Hardie, p.33.
  6. ^ a b c Allen, J. Fenwick (1906) 'Chemical Classics; Some Founders of the Chemical industry - Henry Deacon, Part 2', London and Manchester: Sherratt & Hughes [3] Retrieved on 8 July 2007.
  7. ^ Hardie, p.67.
  8. ^ Hardie, p.46.
  9. ^ Hardie, pp.67–68.
  10. ^ Hardie, p.34.

Bibliography
 
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