H. R. (Henry Richardson) Procter

Born in North Shields in 1848, he came from a Quaker tanning family and grew up close to the trade that would shape his career. He later became one of the leading authorities on the chemistry of leather, building a reputation for explaining industrial processes in a clear, usable way.

He taught at the Yorkshire College, later the University of Leeds, where he was the first professor connected with leather industries and helped give the subject a serious scientific footing. Among his best-known books are The Principles of Leather Manufacture and The Making of Leather, works that brought together theory and hands-on practice for students and manufacturers alike.

Recognition followed in later life, including election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1923. He died in 1927, remembered as a pioneer who helped transform tanning from a traditional craft into a field studied with modern chemistry.