Henry Brunner

Who was Henry Brunner?

Henry Brunner was an English chemist.

Henry Brunner was born in Everton, Liverpool, the elder son of John Brunner, a Swiss Unitarian and schoolmaster, and Margaret Curphey, who originated from the Isle of Man. He was educated at his father's school, St. George's House, Everton and later at Zürich Polytechnic. In 1861 he was employed by John Hutchinson in his chemical business in Widnes, Lancashire where he became chief chemist. Partly because he could speak good German, he became a friend of Ludwig Mond when the latter came to work in the company in 1862. Henry arranged Mond's first temporary accommodation in Widnes at the Mersey Inn. It is likely that Henry persuaded Hutchinson to take up Mond's sulphur recovery process. After Hutchinson died in 1865 he worked as a chemist with the Hutchinson Trustees and later, with Hedley and Young, formed the firm of John Hutchinson and Company. Later he became a director of Brunner, Mond and Company.

Henry was the elder brother of John Tomlinson Brunner who became general manager of Hutchinson's works and was later, with Mond, to establish the Brunner Mond Company.