John Clarkson Major
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22 March 1826
John Clarkson Major | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Clarkson Major 22 March 1826 Flamborough, East Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 21 December 1895 (aged 69) Lower Penn, Staffordshire, England |
| Occupation | Manufacturing chemist |
| Known for | Mayor of Wolverhampton, public water supply & drainage provision |
John Clarkson Major (22 March 1826 – 21 December 1895) was a successful manufacturing chemist who, with his partner E. L. Turner, set up the first tar distillery in Wolverhampton, Major & Company Ltd. He served as Mayor of Wolverhampton 1873/74.
Exploiting German tar distilling technology Major & Company Ltd. manufactured a range of products from tar supplied as a by-product of the town gas works. As they expanded they improved their refining to generate larger profits from higher-end products. The business grew into a nationwide operation with several depots. After Major died in 1895 his son continued manufacturing. In 1921 they joined Midland Tar Distillers and in several guises the company was still operating in 1969 when finally taken over by the Burmah Castrol Group.
