Alexander Parkes

ABOUT ALEXANDER PARKES

English chemist who created the world's first plastic, which he called Parkesine. By the end of his career he held at least 66 patents on processes and products related to plastic.

He served as an apprentice to brass founders.

He introduced his plastic material at an international exhibition and was able to predict many uses for the new material that are in line with how we use plastic today.

He was the middle child of eight; his father made brass locks.

He came up with a way to vulcanize and recycle rubber, which was very useful to tire maker Charles Goodyear .