William Losh(1770 in Carlisle – 4 August 1861, in Ellison Place, Newcastle) was achemistandindustrialistwho is credited with introducing theLeblanc processfor the manufacture ofalkalito the United Kingdom.
Life and work
editLosh worked in a family business,Losh, Wilson and Bell,manufacturing chemicals inWalker-on-Tyne,nearNewcastle upon Tyne,England. The firm manufactured akali and saltsake by processes patented byArchibald Cochrane.[1]Losh went to Paris in 1802 where he learnt about the Leblanc process and then started to use it in his own factory.[2]
Losh also became involved in the early development of the railways, when he collaborated withGeorge Stephensonin the development of improved cast-iron rails that did not break as easily as existing rails. At the time, Losh had an ironworks in Walker, where the new rails could be manufactured. Subsequently, when Stephenson was building theStockton and Darlington Railway,he decided to use wrought-iron rails obtained from theBedlington Ironworks.This caused a permanent rift with William Losh, who had believed that he had an agreement with Stephenson to use his own rails.[3][4]
Losh retired from the alkali business in 1831. In addition to being an alkali manufacturer he worked as acollieryagent and asconsulforPrussia,theScandinaviancountries and, later, forTurkey.[1]
References
edit- ^abHardie 1950,p. 217.
- ^Hardie 1950,p. 11.
- ^Davies, 1975.
- ^Dow, Andrew (2014).The Railway - British track since 1804.Pen and Sword Transport. pp. 19, 26.ISBN978-1-47382-257-3.
Bibliography
edit- Davies, Hunter (1975).George Stephenson.Weidenfeld and Nicolson.ISBN0-297-76934-0.
- Hardie, David William Ferguson (1950).A History of the Chemical Industry of Widnes.London:Imperial Chemical IndustriesLimited, General Chemicals Division. ASIN B0007JBZRQ.