Person Swan; Sir; Joseph Wilson (1828 - 1914); chemist and inventor Swan Joseph Wilson Sir chemist and inventor 1828 - 1914 British Male Pallion Hall, near Sunderland, Durham, England 31 October 1828 18281031 Overhill, Warlingham, Surrey, England 27/05/1914 19140527

17 Bloomfield Terrace, Gateshead, England (1861) Lauriston, Bromley, Kent (1893) 58 Holland Park, London (1894)

Physicist, chemist and inventor chemist and inventor Education: MA ('honoris causa') Durham Career: Apprenticed to Hudson and Osbaldiston , Sunderland druggists (1842); joined John Mawson in his chemist and druggist business (1846); became partner in the business (1864); took over management of the business on Mawson’s death (1867); received a patent for the invention of "improvements in Sprengel pumps” (1877); received a British patent for his own device a year before Thomas Edison, reporting success to the Newcastle Chemical Society (1878); started his own company, Swan Electric Light Co, and began commercial production (1881); his first company was superseded by a larger company, Swan United Electric Light Co (1882); sold his U.S. patent rights to the Brush Electric Company (1882); established The Edison and Swan United Electric Light Co (1883). Honours: Kt 1904 Memberships: MIEE; FCS; FIC Parents: John Swan (b. 1794/5) and Isabella, née Cameron. Spouse: 1) Frances (1829/30–1868), school teacher, daughter of a Liverpool merchant, William White (1862) 2) Hannah White, his deceased wife's sister (1871) Children: Three children from his first marriage, and five children from his second marriage. Credited, along with Thomas Edison, with the invention of the electic lamp (light bulb). Developed and supplied the first incandescent lights for the illumination of homes and public buildings, notably the Savoy Theatre, London, in 1881. Invented the dry (photographic) plate. Developed the bromide photographic paper. Medals and prizes: Hughes Medal 1904 Fellow 07/06/1894 66 John Hall Gladstone Alexander Moncrieff James Henry Cotterill James Joseph Sylvester Shelford Bidwell David Edward Hughes John Hopkinson Robert S Ball George Forbes William Cawthorne Unwin William Crookes William de Wiveleslie Abney Andrew Ainslie Common Edward Hull Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB Obituaries: Proc Roy Soc Series A 1919-1920 vol 96 pp ix-xiv signed by W G Swan J W, IM Maull 004469.jpg International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Swan%2C+Joseph+Wilson https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH150930 31 Oct 1828 - 27 May 1914 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 09/10/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA5291 21/11/2001 Andyg Martind 06/11/2024 RS_NET\VidaM Yes 56fdf3b7-b68e-4af3-9067-d6714be594f3