John Hutchinson

Who was John Hutchinson?

John Hutchinson was a chemist and industrialist who established the first chemical factory in Widnes, Lancashire, England. He moved from working in a chemical factory in St Helens and built his own chemical factory in 1847 in the Woodend area of Widnes near to Widnes Dock by the junction of the Sankey Canal and the River Mersey. In this factory he manufactured alkali by the Leblanc process.

He later opened a second alkali factory nearby and developed a number of other business interests. He died at the early age of 40 by which time a number of other chemical factories had opened in the town.