James Thomson (calico printer)
James Thomson (6 February 1779 – 27 April 1850) was an English industrial chemist who made a career and large reputation in calico printing. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1821.
Life
He was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. While studying at Glasgow University he came to know Thomas Campbell, who became a friend.[1]
The Thomson family was connected with the Peels, the manufacturing and political dynasty in Lancashire.[2] James Thomson went to work for Joseph Peel & Co., calico printers in London, around 1795, and remained there for six years;[3] Joseph Peel was an uncle of Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet.[4] While in London Thomson met William Hyde Wollaston and Humphry Davy.[3] Davy became a close friend, and they worked together on the theory of acids, with Thomson willing to inhale Davy's nitrous oxide in 1799.[5] In 1801 Thomson was brought in as a middleman in negotiations for Count Rumford to hire Davy, by Thomas Richard Underwood of the Royal Institution.[6]
The Primrose Works, set up near Clitheroe in Lancashire in 1801, became Thomson's, in partnership with others. The works aimed at the manufacture of prints of a high standard, and existed to 1854. Thomson innovated in technology: he took out an English patent for the Turkey red process of Daniel Koechlin in 1813, and invented his own indigo blue process with potassium bicarbonate.[2] Some of the employees were later distinguished: Walter Crum FRS spent two years working for Thomson,[7] and he also employed Richard Cobden about 1826[8] and Lyon Playfair about 1841.[9]
Thomson gave evidence to a select committee of Parliament, on trade, manufactures and shipping, in 1833.[10]
For Rees's Cyclopædia he contributed articles on textiles manufacture:[11]
- Colour-making in Calico-Printing, (vol 9, 1808/9)
- Copper in Calico-printing, (vol 9, 1808/9)
- Copper Plate Work in Calico-Printing, (vol 9, 1808/9)
- Cotton, (Vol 10, 1809). In this he defended the reputation of Richard Arkwright.[12]
- Dipping in Calico-Printing, (vol 11, 1809)
- Discharging of Colour, (vol 11, 1809)
- Manufacture of Cotton, (vol 22, 1812). John Farey, jr contributed an account of Strutt's Works at Belper and made the drawings with which the article is illustrated.
- Spinning,(vol 33, 1816)
- Printing, Calico, (vol 39, 1819)
Notes
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/mlemen/mlemen024.htm
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ ODNB 18573 (Mercer, John)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
