William Aspdin
Encyclopedia
William Aspdin was an English
cement
manufacturer, and a pioneer of the Portland cement
industry.
He was born in Leeds
, second son of Joseph Aspdin
. His father obtained a patent for "Portland cement
" in 1824 and William joined his father's cement manufacturing firm in 1829. His father's product was a fast-setting material usable only in mortars
and stucco
s. During the next ten years, William evidently noticed that a significantly different product, with much wider applications, could be made by modifying the cement's formulation. By increasing the limestone
content in the mixture, and burning it much harder, a slow-setting, high-strength product suitable for use in concrete
could be obtained. This product was substantially more expensive to make, in terms of cost of extra limestone, cost of extra fuel, and difficult grinding of the hard clinker. It is unclear whether William actually made this product at his father's plant, but in July 1841 he left the firm after major disagreements with his father. Having moved to London, he returned briefly to Yorkshire
in December 1842 to marry Jane Leadman of Barnsley. None of his family was present.
On arriving in London in 1841, he immediately set up a manufacturing plant at Rotherhithe
, and was soon making a cement that caused a sensation among users in London
. Although this product, referred to today as "modern" Portland cement
, was entirely different mineralogically from that of his father, William did not take out a patent, or give it a new name. Apparently , he was aware of the competence of a number of competing manufacturers near to his plant on the Thames, and decided that any patent would quickly be infringed by all his rivals. He therefore decided to claim that the product was covered by his father's patent, and clothed the details of his methods in secrecy. Famously, he would emerge from his office when each newly-loaded kiln was ready for firing, and scatter in handfuls of brightly-coloured crystals over the rawmix, in order to give the impression that the special properties of his product were the result of an unidentified "magic ingredient". This strategy kept competition at bay for two years, after which I C Johnson
succeeded in matching the product at J B White & Co's nearby Swanscombe
plant. See the link for Johnson's own account of this.
He contracted several partnerships in order to finance his operations. As "Maude, Jones & Aspdin", he acquired the Parker
and Wyatt plant at Northfleet
creek, Kent
, and transferred his manufacturing operations there in 1846. He sold out his share of the Northfleet plant in 1852, and set up in Gateshead
, County Durham
, as "Aspdin, Ord & Co". In 1857, he sold out again, and moved to Germany
. From 1860, he set up cement plants at Altona
and Lagerdorf
, these being the first plants to make modern Portland cement outside the UK. He died at Itzehoe
near Hamburg
. The Northfleet plant continued making Portland cement on a small scale as Robins & Co Ltd until it was taken over by APCM (Blue Circle)
in 1900. It shut down shortly afterwards. The Gateshead plant was bought by I C Johnson, and continued in operation until 1911, when it too was bought by Blue Circle and shut down.
Like his father, William had no chemical knowledge, and his innovations were purely the result of luck. His contribution (although he was unaware of it) was to make the first cement containing alite
as an active ingredient. His finances were chaotic, and he was bankrupt
at least twice. At each relocation, he was pursued by angry creditors. However, he always took sufficient cash from his businesses to live comfortably, and constructed a substantial concrete mansion - Portland Hall - in Gravesend, Kent
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
manufacturer, and a pioneer of the Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
industry.
He was born in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, second son of Joseph Aspdin
Joseph Aspdin
Joseph Aspdin was a British cement manufacturer who obtained the patent for Portland cement on 21 October 1824....
. His father obtained a patent for "Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
" in 1824 and William joined his father's cement manufacturing firm in 1829. His father's product was a fast-setting material usable only in mortars
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
and stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
s. During the next ten years, William evidently noticed that a significantly different product, with much wider applications, could be made by modifying the cement's formulation. By increasing the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
content in the mixture, and burning it much harder, a slow-setting, high-strength product suitable for use in concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
could be obtained. This product was substantially more expensive to make, in terms of cost of extra limestone, cost of extra fuel, and difficult grinding of the hard clinker. It is unclear whether William actually made this product at his father's plant, but in July 1841 he left the firm after major disagreements with his father. Having moved to London, he returned briefly to Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in December 1842 to marry Jane Leadman of Barnsley. None of his family was present.
On arriving in London in 1841, he immediately set up a manufacturing plant at Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
, and was soon making a cement that caused a sensation among users in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Although this product, referred to today as "modern" Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
, was entirely different mineralogically from that of his father, William did not take out a patent, or give it a new name. Apparently , he was aware of the competence of a number of competing manufacturers near to his plant on the Thames, and decided that any patent would quickly be infringed by all his rivals. He therefore decided to claim that the product was covered by his father's patent, and clothed the details of his methods in secrecy. Famously, he would emerge from his office when each newly-loaded kiln was ready for firing, and scatter in handfuls of brightly-coloured crystals over the rawmix, in order to give the impression that the special properties of his product were the result of an unidentified "magic ingredient". This strategy kept competition at bay for two years, after which I C Johnson
Isaac Charles Johnson
Isaac Charles Johnson was a British cement manufacturer, and a pioneer of the Portland cement industry.He was born in London. His father was a charge-hand at Francis & White's "Roman Cement" plant in Nine Elms. He himself worked there as a labourer from age 16 while studying chemistry...
succeeded in matching the product at J B White & Co's nearby Swanscombe
Swanscombe
Swanscombe is a small town, part of the Borough of Dartford on the north Kent coast in England. It is part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.-Prehistory:...
plant. See the link for Johnson's own account of this.
He contracted several partnerships in order to finance his operations. As "Maude, Jones & Aspdin", he acquired the Parker
James Parker (cement maker)
James Parker was a British clergyman and cement manufacturer who invented one of the pioneering new cements of the late eighteenth century.In 1791, he was granted a patent "Method of Burning bricks, Tiles, Chalk"...
and Wyatt plant at Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
creek, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and transferred his manufacturing operations there in 1846. He sold out his share of the Northfleet plant in 1852, and set up in Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, as "Aspdin, Ord & Co". In 1857, he sold out again, and moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. From 1860, he set up cement plants at Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
and Lagerdorf
Lägerdorf
Lägerdorf is a municipality in the district of Steinburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
, these being the first plants to make modern Portland cement outside the UK. He died at Itzehoe
Itzehoe
Itzehoe is a town in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.As the capital of the district Steinburg, Itzehoe is located on the Stör, a navigable tributary of the Elbe, 51 km northwest of Hamburg and 24 km north of Glückstadt...
near Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. The Northfleet plant continued making Portland cement on a small scale as Robins & Co Ltd until it was taken over by APCM (Blue Circle)
Blue Circle Industries
Blue Circle Industries was a British public company manufacturing cement. It was founded in 1900, and was bought out by the French company Lafarge in 2001.-History:...
in 1900. It shut down shortly afterwards. The Gateshead plant was bought by I C Johnson, and continued in operation until 1911, when it too was bought by Blue Circle and shut down.
Like his father, William had no chemical knowledge, and his innovations were purely the result of luck. His contribution (although he was unaware of it) was to make the first cement containing alite
Alite
Alite is a name for tricalcium silicate, Ca3SiO5, sometimes formulated as 3CaO·SiO2 . It is the major, and characteristic, mineral phase in Portland cement. The name was given by Törneborn in 1897 to a crystal identified in microscopic investigation of Portland cement...
as an active ingredient. His finances were chaotic, and he was bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
at least twice. At each relocation, he was pursued by angry creditors. However, he always took sufficient cash from his businesses to live comfortably, and constructed a substantial concrete mansion - Portland Hall - in Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
.