Daniel Spill
Encyclopedia
Daniel Spill was born in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire
, England. He became a rubber and an early thermoplastics manufacturer. For over 20 years Spill had pursued the goal of making a successful business from Alexander Parkes
' invention Parkesine
, the first man made plastic.
.
Spill became aware of Parkes' claim for the waterproof qualities of Parkesine
probably at the 1862 exhibition. Negotiations led to an agreement not only to use it for waterproofing but also to develop Parkesine
in the works of George Spill at Hackney Wick
. A provisional patent was granted in 1863 to the Spill brothers and Thomas James Briggs concerning "improvements in the manufacture of driving straps or bands and of flexible tubes or hose"
In 1866, the Parkesine Co. was established with Daniel Spill as works manager and Parkes as managing director. The Company did not prosper and was wound up in 1868, Spill taking over most of the stock. He formed the Xylonite Co. in 1869 to carry on the business but that did not fare much better and was wound up in 1874.
Undaunted by these failures, Spill established Daniel Spill & Co. in Homerton
, continuing to make Xylonite and Ivoride. This enterprise succeeded in that others entered into an agreement with Spill in 1877 to form the British Xylonite Co. in the same premises. This company did go on and prosper, going onto employ 1,160 people by 1902 and changed it's name to BX plastics.
Spill's later years were largely occupied in a long legal battle in America with Hyatt and the Celluloid Corp. for infringement of his patents. The lawsuit was filed in 1875, found in his favour in 1880 even after Parker testified on behalf of Hyatt, but reversed in 1884. Spill returned to England and in 1887 died of diabetes at the age of 55.
Winterbourne, Gloucestershire
Winterbourne is a large village in South Gloucestershire, England. It had a population of 8,623 in the 2001 census. It sits as the centre of the Civil Parish of Winterbourne which encompasses the neighbouring communities of Winterbourne Down, Hambrook and Frenchay...
, England. He became a rubber and an early thermoplastics manufacturer. For over 20 years Spill had pursued the goal of making a successful business from Alexander Parkes
Alexander Parkes
Alexander Parkes was a metallurgist and inventor from Birmingham, England. He created Parkesine, the first man-made plastic.-Biography:...
' invention Parkesine
Parkesine
Parkesine is the trademark for the first man-made plastic. It was patented by Alexander Parkes in 1856. In 1866 Parkes formed the Parkesine Company to mass produce the material. The company, however, failed due to poor product quality as Parkes tried to reduce costs...
, the first man made plastic.
Career
Although he trained as a doctor he joined the business of his brother George. The firm of George Spill & Co. manufactured waterproof textiles in Stepney Green, East London by spreading rubber onto cloth. The material was much in demand for capes and groundsheets for soldiers in the wet conditions of the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
.
Spill became aware of Parkes' claim for the waterproof qualities of Parkesine
Parkesine
Parkesine is the trademark for the first man-made plastic. It was patented by Alexander Parkes in 1856. In 1866 Parkes formed the Parkesine Company to mass produce the material. The company, however, failed due to poor product quality as Parkes tried to reduce costs...
probably at the 1862 exhibition. Negotiations led to an agreement not only to use it for waterproofing but also to develop Parkesine
Parkesine
Parkesine is the trademark for the first man-made plastic. It was patented by Alexander Parkes in 1856. In 1866 Parkes formed the Parkesine Company to mass produce the material. The company, however, failed due to poor product quality as Parkes tried to reduce costs...
in the works of George Spill at Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick is an area straddling the boundary between the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London. It is an inner-city development situated 5 miles northeast of Charing Cross...
. A provisional patent was granted in 1863 to the Spill brothers and Thomas James Briggs concerning "improvements in the manufacture of driving straps or bands and of flexible tubes or hose"
In 1866, the Parkesine Co. was established with Daniel Spill as works manager and Parkes as managing director. The Company did not prosper and was wound up in 1868, Spill taking over most of the stock. He formed the Xylonite Co. in 1869 to carry on the business but that did not fare much better and was wound up in 1874.
Undaunted by these failures, Spill established Daniel Spill & Co. in Homerton
Homerton
Homerton is a place in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bordered to the west by Hackney Central, to the north by Lower Clapton, in the east by Hackney Wick, Leyton and by South Hackney to the south.-Origins:...
, continuing to make Xylonite and Ivoride. This enterprise succeeded in that others entered into an agreement with Spill in 1877 to form the British Xylonite Co. in the same premises. This company did go on and prosper, going onto employ 1,160 people by 1902 and changed it's name to BX plastics.
Spill's later years were largely occupied in a long legal battle in America with Hyatt and the Celluloid Corp. for infringement of his patents. The lawsuit was filed in 1875, found in his favour in 1880 even after Parker testified on behalf of Hyatt, but reversed in 1884. Spill returned to England and in 1887 died of diabetes at the age of 55.