Figure timeline
Sir William Henry Perkin was an English chemist and entrepreneur best known for his serendipitous discovery of the first commercial synthetic organic dye, mauveine, made from aniline. Though he failed in trying to synthesise quinine for the treatment of malaria, he became successful in the field of dyes after his first discovery at the age of 18.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
business · English chemist known for his accidental discovery of the first synthetic dye · chemist · inventor · businessperson · also William Henry Perkin, Sir William Henry Perkin, Perkin
Born 12 March 1838 · Died 14 July 1907 · Q165749
22 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
7 photos
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
Professor Alice Gast, President of the College, stated: "The colour purple symbolises the spirit of endeavour and discovery, and the risk-taking nature that characterises those with an Imperial education and training
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The William Perkin Church of England High School opened in Greenford, Middlesex
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Died 1907-07-14.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“When I look back on my life and consider all the way I have been led, above all I thank God to Whom I owe everything, for all His goodness to me and ascribe to Him all the praise and honour.”
Text from Wikiquote, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Of pneumonia and other complications resulting from a burst appendix
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Perkin Medal (1906).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal (1906).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Lavoisier Medal (1906).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Knight Bachelor (1906).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
And in the same year was awarded the first Perkin Medal, established to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his discovery of mauveine
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Albert Medal (1890).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Davy Medal (1889).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Longstaff Prize (1888).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Royal Medal (1879).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Received their Royal Medal and, in 1889, their Davy Medal
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Perkin found a method for the commercial production from anthracene of the brilliant red dye alizarin, which had been isolated and identified from madder root some forty years earlier in 1826 by the French chemist Pierre
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Fellow of the Royal Society (1866).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
To Alexandrine Caroline, daughter of Helman Mollwo
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Which resulted in two sons, (William Henry Perkin Jr
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Perkin performed some further experiments in the crude laboratory in his apartment on the top floor of his home on Cable Street in east London
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
At the age of 15, Perkin entered the Royal College of Chemistry, now part of Imperial College London, where he began his studies under August Wilhelm von Hofmann
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Born 1838-03-12.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Connections
Family we also track