Thomas Dix Perkin, brother of Sir William Henry Perkin, 1867

Thomas Dix Perkin, brother of Sir William Henry Perkin, 1867. Thomas Dix Perkin, the elder brother of William Henry Perkin and was a partner in the dyestuff firm of Perkin & Sons set up by their father in 1857. From a collection of 19 photographs relating to Sir William Henry Perkin (1838-1907), his relations, and the synthetic dyestuffs industry. In 1856, whilst attempting to synthesise quinine for the treatment of malaria, William Henry Perkin managed to extract a brilliant purple dye, subsequently named mauveine. His manufacture of this and other aniline dyes was a great commercial success and he went on to create the modern synthetic dyestuffs industry and introduce a new range of colours into human life. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1866 and knighted in 1906. ©SSPL/Science Museum