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...
Botanist. Born in Stoke, near Plymouth. His family moved to St Petersburg in 1805, where he becam proficient in several languages. In France he studied at the universities of Tours and Montpelier. ...
Epidemiologist, a founder of medical statistics. Born Kenley, Shropshire.
Born Yorkshire. 1967 Nobel Laureate for his work on photosynthesis relating to the potential use of hydrogen to supply energy.
Amateur astronomer. One of the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition, 1951.Born York.
Biostatistician, human geneticist and eugenicist. Born at The Larches, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, a half-cousin of Charles Darwin. An enthusiastic traveller, particularly in Africa. Darwin's publicati...
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