Andreas Kurtz ( ), chemist
c.1782 Born in Reutlingen, Germany
c.1795 About the age of 13 he left home went the warring French and Austrian armies entered the area. he went to Paris where he worked in chemicals and studied science.
1815 Having invented a means of manufacturing gunpowder, he moved to England and then to America, trying to exploit his invention
1816 returned to England. Leased a small chemical works on the banks of the Thames of the late Mr Sandemann. Kurtz married Mrs Sandemann. Worked on recipes for making soap.
c.1820 Moved to Manchester, working on the production of dyes.
Took Richard Niven into partnership, who was more business-like.
By 1828 they had made a profit
Niven left
1830 Moved to Liverpool, producing bichromate of potash in Parliament St, and Sefton St, and borax in Harrington St.
c.1835 Kurtz produced a highly fashionable chrome yellow.
Produced borax in conjunction with Messrs Wood and Co of Burslem, and many other chemicals.
1842 Against his wishes, he had to take over Darcy and Dierden's alkali works at St Helens, having loaned them money; Darcy tried to pretend that Kurtz had been a partner which Kurtz had to challenge in court.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Some founders of the chemical industry, J Fenwick Allen [1]