Sperth: Added refs
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The '''Bonnington Chemical Works''' was a pioneer [[coal tar]] [[chemical plant|processing plant]] established in [[Edinburgh]]. It was probably the first successful independent facility established for the integrated treatment of [[gasworks]] waste, and [[manufacturing|manufactured]] the residues of the Edinburgh gasworks into useful products for over half a century.
==Beginnings, growth and eventual closure==
[[Gas lighting]] was introduced in Edinburgh in 1818.<ref></ref> The production of [[coal gas]] generated considerable residues of [[coal tar]] and [[Ammonia solution|ammoniacal liquor]] which were further processed at the Bonnington Chemical Works.<ref name="Bonn1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> The Bonnington facility was located on Newhaven Road in [[Bonnington, Edinburgh|Bonnington]] (between Edinburgh and [[Leith]]) near the south bank of the [[Water of Leith]].
[[George Dixon Longstaff]] recorded that the chemical works began in 1822 for the purpose of [[Distillation|distilling]] coal tar to separate [[naphtha]]. This was supplied to [[Charles Macintosh]] for him to make waterproof fabrics, as epitomised by the [[Mackintosh]].<ref></ref> Longstaff was at that time assistant to Dr John Wilson Anderson, who taught practical chemistry at the [[University of Edinburgh]].<ref></ref> When Anderson resigned from the university to concentrate on his growing chemical plant, Longstaff took his academic post.
By 1830 the factory was making and selling [[naphtha]], pitch oil (later called [[creosote]]), [[pitch (resin)|pitch]], and lampblack ([[carbon black]]) from the coal tar, while the ammoniacal liquor was processed into sal ammoniac ([[ammonium chloride]]). Anderson also made the [[sulphuric acid]] and [[hydrochloric acid]] he needed in processing and sold the associated products [[magnesium carbonate]] and [[sodium sulphate]]. Anderson believed he was the first in Britain to commence making black ash and soda ash ([[sodium carbonate]]) using the [[Leblanc process]] when the salt tax was repealed in 1823. For some years he also made [[soap]].<ref></ref> Macintosh remained a special customer until at least the late 1830s, and probably well beyond, receiving a significant discount on his large naphtha orders.<ref name="Bonn1"/>
When Anderson died in 1835, his brother-in-law Thomas Astley (son of chemical manufacturer Joseph Astley) took on the management of the plant and introduced the further products [[ammonium sulphate]] fertiliser and [[asphalt]] [[road surface|road surfacing]].<ref></ref>
In 1847 the works was taken over by [[John Tennant (chemist)|John Tennant]] and [[John Tennent (chemist)|John Tennent]], who had both been close associates of Macintosh. Tennant was the eldest son of industrialist [[Charles Tennant]], and Tennent was of the Tennent family who ran [[Wellpark Brewery]]. The firm became one of the Tennant group of companies.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> They added to the product line [[sodium sulphite]] and [[sodium thiosulphate]] (which they sold as [[antichlor]]) and [[copper sulphide]] marine [[anti-fouling paint]]. The large scale of processing precipitated the construction of a [[pipeline transport|pipeline]] to pump the gasworks residues directly from Edinburgh to Bonnington over [[Calton Hill]].<ref></ref>
Tennent's brother-in-law Dr [[Edmund Ronalds]] took over the management of the plant in 1856. He retained most of the existing products and conducted further distillations to make [[benzene]] and also coke oil and [[coke (fuel)|coke]]. Products were shipped as far as Russia and America. He commissioned a new [[acid]] plant in which sulphuric and hydrochloric acids and [[sulphurous acid]] gas were made and introduced [[waste]] gas capture equipment and a large new chimney to reduce emissions. The facility now occupied close to three acres.
The plant was closed in 1878 after Ronalds had suffered chronic ill health for some years.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Chemical plants of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1822 establishments in Scotland]]
The '''Bonnington Chemical Works''' was a pioneer [[coal tar]] [[chemical plant|processing plant]] established in [[Edinburgh]]. It was probably the first successful independent facility established for the integrated treatment of [[gasworks]] waste, and [[manufacturing|manufactured]] the residues of the Edinburgh gasworks into useful products for over half a century.
==Beginnings, growth and eventual closure==
[[Gas lighting]] was introduced in Edinburgh in 1818.<ref></ref> The production of [[coal gas]] generated considerable residues of [[coal tar]] and [[Ammonia solution|ammoniacal liquor]] which were further processed at the Bonnington Chemical Works.<ref name="Bonn1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> The Bonnington facility was located on Newhaven Road in [[Bonnington, Edinburgh|Bonnington]] (between Edinburgh and [[Leith]]) near the south bank of the [[Water of Leith]].
[[George Dixon Longstaff]] recorded that the chemical works began in 1822 for the purpose of [[Distillation|distilling]] coal tar to separate [[naphtha]]. This was supplied to [[Charles Macintosh]] for him to make waterproof fabrics, as epitomised by the [[Mackintosh]].<ref></ref> Longstaff was at that time assistant to Dr John Wilson Anderson, who taught practical chemistry at the [[University of Edinburgh]].<ref></ref> When Anderson resigned from the university to concentrate on his growing chemical plant, Longstaff took his academic post.
By 1830 the factory was making and selling [[naphtha]], pitch oil (later called [[creosote]]), [[pitch (resin)|pitch]], and lampblack ([[carbon black]]) from the coal tar, while the ammoniacal liquor was processed into sal ammoniac ([[ammonium chloride]]). Anderson also made the [[sulphuric acid]] and [[hydrochloric acid]] he needed in processing and sold the associated products [[magnesium carbonate]] and [[sodium sulphate]]. Anderson believed he was the first in Britain to commence making black ash and soda ash ([[sodium carbonate]]) using the [[Leblanc process]] when the salt tax was repealed in 1823. For some years he also made [[soap]].<ref></ref> Macintosh remained a special customer until at least the late 1830s, and probably well beyond, receiving a significant discount on his large naphtha orders.<ref name="Bonn1"/>
When Anderson died in 1835, his brother-in-law Thomas Astley (son of chemical manufacturer Joseph Astley) took on the management of the plant and introduced the further products [[ammonium sulphate]] fertiliser and [[asphalt]] [[road surface|road surfacing]].<ref></ref>
In 1847 the works was taken over by [[John Tennant (chemist)|John Tennant]] and [[John Tennent (chemist)|John Tennent]], who had both been close associates of Macintosh. Tennant was the eldest son of industrialist [[Charles Tennant]], and Tennent was of the Tennent family who ran [[Wellpark Brewery]]. The firm became one of the Tennant group of companies.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> They added to the product line [[sodium sulphite]] and [[sodium thiosulphate]] (which they sold as [[antichlor]]) and [[copper sulphide]] marine [[anti-fouling paint]]. The large scale of processing precipitated the construction of a [[pipeline transport|pipeline]] to pump the gasworks residues directly from Edinburgh to Bonnington over [[Calton Hill]].<ref></ref>
Tennent's brother-in-law Dr [[Edmund Ronalds]] took over the management of the plant in 1856. He retained most of the existing products and conducted further distillations to make [[benzene]] and also coke oil and [[coke (fuel)|coke]]. Products were shipped as far as Russia and America. He commissioned a new [[acid]] plant in which sulphuric and hydrochloric acids and [[sulphurous acid]] gas were made and introduced [[waste]] gas capture equipment and a large new chimney to reduce emissions. The facility now occupied close to three acres.
The plant was closed in 1878 after Ronalds had suffered chronic ill health for some years.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Chemical plants of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1822 establishments in Scotland]]
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