Special mention should be made of Henry Doubleday (1810 - 1902) born in Coggeshall, the fourth of William and Hannah's eight children. He did not join his father in the family grocery business but was a great experimenter.  He ran a small factory putting starch into packets and he made gum for postage stamps, gum that would not become sticky until it became wet: he had a contract with De La Rue (a stamp printer) to supply this gum which was made from acacia trees. He did a great deal of research into the use of comfrey, particularly for the treatment of wounds on horses. Henry spent the last thirty years of his life researching into the food values of the crops that he grew. Henry, as a Quaker, had been unable to study at university but, as a result of his own research, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. Unfortunately he was unable to use the title as he could not afford the registration fee! Henry never married and lived with his brothers, sisters and nephew in the house at Market End and was buried in the graveyard in Tilkey. The Henry Doubleday Research Association is named in his honour.

Back to Heroes page