Alexander Duckham (11 March 1877 – 1 February 1945) was an English chemist and businessman, best known for the development of machine lubricants. The son of an engineer, after university he specialised in lubrication, working briefly for Fleming's Oil Company before founding his own company, Alexander Duckham & Co, in Millwall in 1899.
By the outbreak of World War I, he was an authority on technological problems relating to lubrication, and the company went public in about 1920, relocating from Millwall to Hammersmith. By the time he died in 1945, Duckhams had assumed a dominant position for the supply of lubricants and corrosion inhibitors to the motor industry in Britain and other markets. A new manufacturing plant was opened in Staffordshire in 1968, and soon thereafter the company was taken over by BP.
Duckham was born in Blackheath, London,[1] the second eldest son (his elder brother was Frederick and younger brother Sir Arthur Duckham) of a Falmouth-born mechanical and civil engineer, Frederic Eliot Duckham (1841 - died 13 January 1918 in Blackheath), who had patented improvements in governors for marine engines and invented a 'Hydrostatic Weighing Machine'.[2] His mother was Maud Mary McDougall (1849-1921), sister of John McDougall of the flour-making family, which had a mill at Millwall Dock. His younger brother, Arthur Duckham, became one of the founders of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and its first President.His elder brother, Frederick,also an engineer, was Director of Tank Design in World War One
Upon leaving university in 1899, Alexander Duckham, who had worked briefly for Fleming's Oil Company,[3] was encouraged by engineer Sir Alfred Yarrow, who lived nearby (Yarrow occupied Woodlands House in Mycenae Road, Westcombe Park for some years from 1896, close to the Duckham family home in Dartmouth Grove, Blackheath) to specialise in the study of lubrication, and was introduced to engineering firms with lubrication problems.[1] Duckham established Alexander Duckham & Co in Millwall in 1899,[3] and gradually assembled a team of engineers and chemists to whom he could delegate research work, freeing him to focus on lubricant production.[4] Early customers included car dealer and racing driver Selwyn Edge who called weekly at Duckham's Millwall works for an oil change; Duckham, who bought his first car in 1899, also used to accompany Edge to Brooklands.[5]
Yarrow and Lord Fisher subsequently encouraged Duckham to focus on sourcing raw materials for lubricants. From 1905 he helped pioneer the development of the Trinidad oil fields, including a deposit near Tabaquite[6] of high-class crude oil suitable as a base for the preparation of lubricants,[1] establishing a private company, Trinidad Central Oilfields, in 1911.[7] The discovery and development of such lubricants was timely, coinciding with the evolution of internal combustion engines which demanded more advanced lubrication.[3]
As well as being a successful businessman, Duckham was an early aviation pioneer and close friend of cross-channel aviator Louis Blériot – he paid for the stone memorial in Dover marking the place where Blériot landed in 1909 to complete the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft,[8][9][10][Note 1] and 25 years later hosted a dinner at London's Savoy Hotel marking the anniversary of the flight.[11]
DuckhamsEdit
Thermometer with an enamel backing, featuring an advert for Duckham's 20–50 motor oil
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 heightened the focus on mechanical efficiency, and the Duckham company was already established as the highest authority on technological problems in matters of lubrication.[4] The company went public (c. 1920) soon after the war finished,[3] and relocated from Millwall to Hammersmith in 1921.[12]
By the time, Alexander Duckham died in 1945 (being succeeded as company chairman by his son Jack), Duckhams had assumed a dominant position in supply of lubricants and corrosion inhibitors to the motor industry and other markets. Behind Castrol, by 1967, it was regarded as the largest independent lubricating oil company in the UK and the third largest supplier of engine oil to motorists, producing the first multigrade oil for motorists.[13] To cope with demand, a new manufacturing plant was opened in Aldridge, Staffordshire in 1968, shortly before the company was acquired by BP in 1969.[12] Duckhams' Hammersmith site closed in 1979, was acquired by Richard Rogers' architects practice (today Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) in 1983, and was redeveloped to become the Thames Wharf Studios and the River Café.[14][15][16]
FamilyEdit
He married Violet Ethel Narraway in 1902, and they had five children, all born in Greenwich: Alec Narraway Duckham (born c. 1904); Millicent A. M. Duckham (c. 1905); Joan Ethel Duckham (c. 1906); Jack Eliot Duckham (c. 1908);[1] and Ruth Edith Duckham (born 1918).
The family lived for some years from 1907 in Vanbrugh Castle, close to Greenwich Park. In 1920, Duckham donated the house (and another property, Rooks Hill House in Sevenoaks) to the RAF Benevolent Fund to be used as a school for the children of RAF personnel killed in service. Vanbrugh Castle was later sold after the number of pupils declined; sale proceeds were used to educate RAF children, with funds later (1997) transferred to a charitable trust, the Alexander Duckham Memorial Schools Trust.[8]
ReferencesEdit
NoteEdit
^The first flight across the English Channel was made in 1785 using a hydrogen balloon.
CitationsEdit
^ abcd"Alexander Duckham". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^"Frederic Eliot Duckham". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^ abcd"Alexander Duckham and Co". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^ ab"1930 Industrial Britain: Alexander Duckham and Co". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^"Oil!". Motorsport. June 1952. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^. Trinidad and Tobago NALIS. Archived from the original on 10 July 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^"History of Trinidad's Oil". The Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^ ab"History". Alexander Duckham Memorial Schools Trust. ADMST. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^. Hellfire Corner. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^"Louis Bleriot Landing in Dover". Dover Museum. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^"Dinner given by Alexander Duckham at the Savoy Hotel". Diomedia. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^ ab"Duckhams". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
^Wager, Robin (1999). The Duckham's Story: A Century of Fighting Friction. J H Haynes & Co Ltd. ISBN9781859606391.
^Hopkirk, Elizabeth (23 September 2015). "Visitors flock to see Rogers' office for last time". BDonline. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
^Culbertson, Alix (14 January 2015). "A sad farewell from Hammersmith as famous Richard Rogers architects to leave after 30 years". GetWestLondon. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
alexander, duckham, march, 1877, february, 1945, english, chemist, businessman, best, known, development, machine, lubricants, engineer, after, university, specialised, lubrication, working, briefly, fleming, company, before, founding, company, millwall, 1899,. Alexander Duckham 11 March 1877 1 February 1945 was an English chemist and businessman best known for the development of machine lubricants The son of an engineer after university he specialised in lubrication working briefly for Fleming s Oil Company before founding his own company Alexander Duckham amp Co in Millwall in 1899 Alexander DuckhamBorn 1877 03 11 11 March 1877Blackheath London EnglandDied1 February 1945 1945 02 01 aged 67 NationalityBritishKnown forDuckhams OilsScientific careerFieldsTribology lubricantsInfluencesSir Alfred YarrowBy the outbreak of World War I he was an authority on technological problems relating to lubrication and the company went public in about 1920 relocating from Millwall to Hammersmith By the time he died in 1945 Duckhams had assumed a dominant position for the supply of lubricants and corrosion inhibitors to the motor industry in Britain and other markets A new manufacturing plant was opened in Staffordshire in 1968 and soon thereafter the company was taken over by BP Contents 1 Early career 2 Duckhams 3 Family 4 References 4 1 Note 4 2 CitationsEarly career EditDuckham was born in Blackheath London 1 the second eldest son his elder brother was Frederick and younger brother Sir Arthur Duckham of a Falmouth born mechanical and civil engineer Frederic Eliot Duckham 1841 died 13 January 1918 in Blackheath who had patented improvements in governors for marine engines and invented a Hydrostatic Weighing Machine 2 His mother was Maud Mary McDougall 1849 1921 sister of John McDougall of the flour making family which had a mill at Millwall Dock His younger brother Arthur Duckham became one of the founders of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and its first President His elder brother Frederick also an engineer was Director of Tank Design in World War OneUpon leaving university in 1899 Alexander Duckham who had worked briefly for Fleming s Oil Company 3 was encouraged by engineer Sir Alfred Yarrow who lived nearby Yarrow occupied Woodlands House in Mycenae Road Westcombe Park for some years from 1896 close to the Duckham family home in Dartmouth Grove Blackheath to specialise in the study of lubrication and was introduced to engineering firms with lubrication problems 1 Duckham established Alexander Duckham amp Co in Millwall in 1899 3 and gradually assembled a team of engineers and chemists to whom he could delegate research work freeing him to focus on lubricant production 4 Early customers included car dealer and racing driver Selwyn Edge who called weekly at Duckham s Millwall works for an oil change Duckham who bought his first car in 1899 also used to accompany Edge to Brooklands 5 Yarrow and Lord Fisher subsequently encouraged Duckham to focus on sourcing raw materials for lubricants From 1905 he helped pioneer the development of the Trinidad oil fields including a deposit near Tabaquite 6 of high class crude oil suitable as a base for the preparation of lubricants 1 establishing a private company Trinidad Central Oilfields in 1911 7 The discovery and development of such lubricants was timely coinciding with the evolution of internal combustion engines which demanded more advanced lubrication 3 As well as being a successful businessman Duckham was an early aviation pioneer and close friend of cross channel aviator Louis Bleriot he paid for the stone memorial in Dover marking the place where Bleriot landed in 1909 to complete the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier than air aircraft 8 9 10 Note 1 and 25 years later hosted a dinner at London s Savoy Hotel marking the anniversary of the flight 11 Duckhams Edit Thermometer with an enamel backing featuring an advert for Duckham s 20 50 motor oilThe outbreak of World War I in 1914 heightened the focus on mechanical efficiency and the Duckham company was already established as the highest authority on technological problems in matters of lubrication 4 The company went public c 1920 soon after the war finished 3 and relocated from Millwall to Hammersmith in 1921 12 By the time Alexander Duckham died in 1945 being succeeded as company chairman by his son Jack Duckhams had assumed a dominant position in supply of lubricants and corrosion inhibitors to the motor industry and other markets Behind Castrol by 1967 it was regarded as the largest independent lubricating oil company in the UK and the third largest supplier of engine oil to motorists producing the first multigrade oil for motorists 13 To cope with demand a new manufacturing plant was opened in Aldridge Staffordshire in 1968 shortly before the company was acquired by BP in 1969 12 Duckhams Hammersmith site closed in 1979 was acquired by Richard Rogers architects practice today Rogers Stirk Harbour Partners in 1983 and was redeveloped to become the Thames Wharf Studios and the River Cafe 14 15 16 Family EditHe married Violet Ethel Narraway in 1902 and they had five children all born in Greenwich Alec Narraway Duckham born c 1904 Millicent A M Duckham c 1905 Joan Ethel Duckham c 1906 Jack Eliot Duckham c 1908 1 and Ruth Edith Duckham born 1918 The family lived for some years from 1907 in Vanbrugh Castle close to Greenwich Park In 1920 Duckham donated the house and another property Rooks Hill House in Sevenoaks to the RAF Benevolent Fund to be used as a school for the children of RAF personnel killed in service Vanbrugh Castle was later sold after the number of pupils declined sale proceeds were used to educate RAF children with funds later 1997 transferred to a charitable trust the Alexander Duckham Memorial Schools Trust 8 References EditNote Edit The first flight across the English Channel was made in 1785 using a hydrogen balloon Citations Edit a b c d Alexander Duckham Grace s Guide Retrieved 18 June 2016 Frederic Eliot Duckham Grace s Guide Retrieved 18 June 2016 a b c d Alexander Duckham and Co Grace s Guide Retrieved 18 June 2016 a b 1930 Industrial Britain Alexander Duckham and Co Grace s Guide Retrieved 18 June 2016 Oil Motorsport June 1952 Retrieved 18 June 2016 Tabaquite Trinidad and Tobago NALIS Archived from the original on 10 July 2016 Retrieved 18 June 2016 History of Trinidad s Oil The Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago Retrieved 18 June 2016 a b History Alexander Duckham Memorial Schools Trust ADMST Retrieved 18 June 2016 Dover Louis Bleriot and the Royal Flying Corps Hellfire Corner Archived from the original on 16 March 2016 Retrieved 18 June 2016 Louis Bleriot Landing in Dover Dover Museum Retrieved 18 June 2016 Dinner given by Alexander Duckham at the Savoy Hotel Diomedia Retrieved 18 June 2016 a b Duckhams Grace s Guide Retrieved 18 June 2016 Wager Robin 1999 The Duckham s Story A Century of Fighting Friction J H Haynes amp Co Ltd ISBN 9781859606391 Hopkirk Elizabeth 23 September 2015 Visitors flock to see Rogers office for last time BDonline Retrieved 21 June 2016 Culbertson Alix 14 January 2015 A sad farewell from Hammersmith as famous Richard Rogers architects to leave after 30 years GetWestLondon Retrieved 21 June 2016 Thames Wharf Studios Rogers Stirk Harbour amp Partners Retrieved 21 June 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander Duckham amp oldid 1156940196, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
