James Derek Birchall
James Derek Birchall (7 October 1930 – 7 December 1995) was an English inorganic chemist, materials scientist, and inventor who spent most of his career working for Imperial Chemical Industries. He is known for his research on the health effects of exposure to silica and alumina. Biography James Derek Birchall (usually known as Derek) was born in Leigh, the son of David Birchall, who managed a butcher's shop, and Valetta (née Marsh), who died in childbirth, aged 25. David Birchall remarried four years later, to Dora Mary Leather. In the meantime, Derek had been brought up by his grandparents. Birchall left primary school, aged 14, and joined an industrial firm in his area, Sutcliffe Speakman as a general laboratory assistant. He was promoted to assistant in the research laboratory, and worked on activated carbon and flame. From an internal company report in 1947 it was evident that Birchall had done a lot of experimental work “with great care and precision”. After a period of time with John Kerr & Co, and doing his National Service in the army, Birchall joined ICI Salt Division in 1957, as assistant technical officer. Much of his early work there was on the nucleation of