C. F. (Charles Frederick) Cross

Born in Brentford, Middlesex, in 1855, he studied chemistry at King's College London, the Zurich Polytechnic, and Owens College, Manchester. He became best known for his deep interest in cellulose and for bringing careful chemical research to practical industrial problems.

In 1885 he went into partnership with Edward John Bevan as an analytical and consulting chemist in London. Their work on papermaking became highly regarded, and in 1892, with Clayton Beadle, they patented viscose, a development that became a foundation for the viscose, rayon, and cellophane industries. He also worked on cellulose acetate and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Contemporary obituaries described his career as a life devoted to a difficult but important branch of chemistry. He died on April 15, 1935, after helping turn cellulose chemistry into one of the key industrial stories of his era.