Charles Blachford Mansfield
1819 Born 8 May at Rowner, Hampshire
Mansfield is regarded as the 'founder of coal-tar chemistry', reflecting his extensive work to produce valuable chemicals from coal tar. These included pure benzene and toluene by a process for which he was granted a patent in 1848. He also took a deep interest in aerial navigation by balloon.
1855 C. B. Mansfield died in London on 26 February, following injuries sustained in an accident when specimens of benzene were being prepared for the Paris Exhibition.
The above information is condensed from the 'Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology'[1]
A more comprehensive account of Mansfield's life and work may be found in the 'Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography'[2].
Mansfield assisted Read Holliday in the distillation of hydrocarbons.
Mansfield's book 'Aerial Navigation' is available online[3]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology, edited by Lance Day, Ian McNeil, Routledge, 1996
- ↑ [1] Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, 2008
- ↑ [2] 'Aerial Navigation' by Charles Blachford Mansfield, 1851, and edited by his brother, Robert Blachford Mansfield, and published by Macmillan & Co, 1877