Charles Frederick Cross

Charles Frederick Cross was born in 1855. His father was a schoolmaster turned soap manufacturer. After graduating from King's College London, he went to Zurich Polytechnic and then, with his future partner, Edward John Bevan, to Owens College, Manchester.

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Cross who was interested in cellulose technology and Bevan who had been a chemist at the Scottish papermaking firm of Alexander Cowan & Co. went into partnership in 1885 and set up as analytical and consulting chemists in New Court, Lincoln's Inn in London.

In 1888 they published what was to become a standard work on papermaking. In 1892, together with another partner, Clayton Beadle they took out a patent for Viscose which became the basis for the viscose, rayon and cellophane industries. In 1894 Cross and Bevan took out a patent for the manufacture of cellulose acetate - this was to become the industrial process for its manufacture.

Cross was a recipient of the Perkin Medal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists. He died in 1935.