author
Watson Smith
1845–1920
A British industrial chemist and technical writer, he turned practical manufacturing problems into clear, usable science. His work is especially remembered for explaining the chemistry behind trades such as hat making and other industrial processes.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born on June 16, 1845, Watson Smith was a British industrial chemist from Stroud. The Science Museum Group notes that he studied chemistry at Owens College in Manchester under Henry Roscoe, and continued his education in Heidelberg and later Zurich.
Smith built his reputation by applying chemistry to real manufacturing work rather than treating it as a purely academic subject. He wrote on industrial topics and contributed technical articles to publications including Scientific American, helping explain chemical processes for working industries.
He is also known as the author of The Chemistry of Hat Manufacturing, a work based on lectures given to the Hat Manufacturers' Association. He died on May 1, 1920.