Blue Plaque: Alexander Parkes

Alexander Parkes was a highly inventive Birmingham chemist and metallurgist, whose pioneering work in plastics fundamentally changed material science and laid the groundwork for the modern plastics industry. 

From brass locks to breakthrough science
Born in Birmingham, he was the son of a brass lock manufacturer and worked with George Elkington on the early development of electroplating.  Parkes’ career was marked by an astonishing number of patents, reflecting his restless innovative spirit. He held multiple patents for processes related to electroplating, electrometallurgy, and the manufacture of various materials. His early work included significant improvements to electroplating techniques, particularly for delicate objects, and the development of new alloys. He was also involved in processes for extracting precious metals and the vulcanisation of rubber.

The birth of Parkesine
Parkes’s most enduring legacy came from his pursuit of a substitute for natural ivory and horn. In 1856, he patented “Parkesine,” considered the world’s first man-made plastic. Parkesine was a cellulose nitrate-based material, derived from cotton, which could be moulded when heated and retained its shape when cooled; it was a precursor to celluloid . He exhibited Parkesine at the International Exhibition in London in 1862, showcasing its versatility for a wide range of products, from buttons and combs to knife handles and jewellery.  

Ahead of his time
Despite its revolutionary potential, Parkesine, faced commercial difficulties due to its high production cost and issues with consistency and Parkes’ business was unsuccessful.  Nevertheless, this invention was a crucial step, and later, a modified version of Parkesine, known as Xylonite or celluloid, found greater commercial success in the hands of others.