John Brock (1834-1916)
1834 Born in Manchester
c.1857 Initially he worked with Crosfield and Shanks, chemical manufacturers, in St Helens, where after ten years he had risen to be manager.
1867 He left Crosfield and Shanks to go into partnership with Edward Sullivan and others as Sullivan and Co producing soda ash using the Leblanc process.
In conjunction with the works manager, Brock devised several improvements for the manufacture of bleaching powder.
1883 He was instrumental in establishing the Lancashire Bleaching Powder Manufacturers' Association. Under Brock's chairmanship this organization unsuccessfully attempted to regulate the market in bleaching powder by establishing quotas for its members and a fixed price for the sale of their products, and by intervening directly in the market to maintain that fixed price.
Brock was a strong supporter of a closer union of the alkali manufacturers proposed by Sullivan
1891 Brock became chairman of the new combine, United Alkali Co, of which Sullivans was a part; he pioneered rationalization which brought brief initial success. Profits peaked in 1892 and thereafter declined rapidly, due in part to American tariff barriers.
1901 Brock was vice-chairman of the Power-Gas Corporation Ltd. He was also a director of Holywell–Halkyn Mining and Tunnel Company Ltd
1913 He retired as chairman of the United Alkali Co.
1916 Died
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography of John Brock, ODNB