November 07, 2024

Charles Macintosh Biography, Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Wiki & More

Updated On : February 13, 2018

Short Biography

Charles Macintosh was born on 29-12-1766 in Glasgow in the state of Scotland, United Kingdom. He was a Scottish Chemist, Inventor & Engineer.

Charles Macintosh Complete Bio & Career

Charles Macintosh FRS was a famous Scottish chemist and also the person behind the invention waterproof fabric. He started his career as a clerk. He used to spend his spare time in learning Science, especially Chemistry. He resigned his clerk job to start manufacturing chemicals. His father was his inspiration. He succeeded with his projects and was able to invent different new processes. He was the student of Joseph Black and had studied at Glasgow. He started his own plant in Glasgow to produce Prussian blue dye and ammonium chloride. He started manufacturing aluminum acetates and lead and came with new processes for dying cloths.
 
He started alum works at Hurlet after discovering alum source in waste shale from coal mines. He kept experimenting. He started buying the tar waste byproducts and ammonia from local coal-gas works in Glasgow. He produced a useful dye cudbear using ammonia. By changing the mordant with the dye, it could color the cloths in different colors such as from pink to blue. He produced oily liquid hydrocarbon mixture, naphtha by distilling the tar. He kept working on it to bring more value to the tar waste products. His investigation leads to the invention of waterproof fabric from it. The fabric invented by him was used to make a raincoat. Later they named it as ‘mackintosh’. He patented his invention of making waterproof fabric.
 
His another invention helped in faster iron production methods. He got the patent for converting malleable iron into steel. But the process failed for commercial application. He worked with Beaumont Neilson and received a share of Beaumont’s patent of increasing efficiency of the smelting process using hot air instead of cold air into the furnace. After Glasgow, he started his manufacturing business in Manchester in partnerships, one of which was with cotton weaver and spinner H.H. Birley. Sir John Franklin led Arctic Expedition’s outfit was made of the rainproof cloth. Both British military and the ordinary people caught the material.

Charles Macintosh Popular Videos

Health Issues, Illness and Death Info

Charles Macintosh died on 25-07-1843 in Glasgow, United Kingdom at aged 76.

DEATHDAY 25 July,1843 (Thursday)
DEATH PLACE Glasgow, Scotland
DEATH COUNTRY United Kingdom

Charles Macintosh Family, Relatives and Other Relations

He was born to Mary Moore and a popular and inventive dyer, George Macintosh. He married a Glasgow merchant, Alexander Fisher’s daughter Mary Fisher in 1790. The couple was blessed with a son named ‘George Macintosh’. John Anderson of Douhill was his great-grandfather.

Life's Important Dates Of Charles Macintosh

Body Measurements

Skin Colour Fair
Eye Colour Brown
Hair Colour Dark Brown

Personal Info

Home Town Glasgow
Nationality Scottish
Address Glasgow, Scotland, UK
School N/A
College N/A
Qualification N/A
Marital Status Married

Shocking / Interesting Facts & Secrets About Charles Macintosh

  • He was felicitated as a fellow of the Royal Society for his contributions to Chemistry.
  • Google honored him with a doodle on his 250th birth anniversary in 2016.

Charles Macintosh Age, Birthday Facts and Birthday Countdown

Charles Macintosh was 76 years 6 months & 27 days old age.