Perkin , William Henry , 1838-1907 , chemist

William Henry Perkin was an English chemist born in East London; he entered the Royal College of Chemistry aged 15 and discovered the first aniline dye, Mauveine, at the age of 18. Perkin's discovery set off the subsequent discovery of other new aniline dyes which led on to factories being established to produce them. Another result of his discovery was the increase in the processing of coal tar, the main source of material for his dye. Perkin was widely lauded in his later life (including his knighthood in 1906) and was also President of the Chemical Society from 1883 to 1885.