Wandering along the Rue Auguste Lamy in Lille feels like stepping back in time. This street bears the name of Claude Auguste Lamy. He was a professor of physics at the University of Lille. Lamy’s story is intertwined with that of Fréderic Kuhlmann. Kuhlmann was a prominent chemist and industrialist.
Claude Auguste Lamy was not just any professor. He achieved a scientific breakthrough. He isolated 14 grams of thallium in 1862. This feat was made possible with a spectroscope. The spectroscope was lent to him by Jules Fréderic Kuhlmann. Jules was Fréderic Kuhlmann’s son.
Fréderic Kuhlmann’s influence extended beyond chemistry. He established Kuhlmann establishments. It became a major chemical industrial group. He also co-founded the Crédit du Nord bank. Moreover, he helped create the Institut industriel du Nord de la France. This later became École centrale de Lille.
Kuhlmann’s journey began in Colmar. He studied in Nancy. Later, he joined Nicolas Vauquelin’s laboratory in Paris. In 1823, Vauquelin sent him to Lille. Kuhlmann taught chemistry there. He held the municipal chair of chemistry. He also offered a free evening course. It was on applied chemistry for the arts and manufacturing.
Kuhlmann’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found his company in 1825. His first factory produced sulfuric acid. He later expanded into producing sodium carbonate. In 1833, he pioneered sulfuric acid production. He used the contact process. He also used catalysts in industrial chemistry.
One of his notable achievements was in 1838. He discovered how to make nitric acid from ammonia. He used platinum. This reaction became part of the Ostwald process. Kuhlmann’s company grew. It produced fertilizers and dyes. He was a pioneer in developing superphosphates. These were sold as fertilizers to sugar beet producers.
The Kuhlmann establishments expanded. A second factory opened in La Madeleine in 1847. Others followed in Amiens and Saint-André-lez-Lille. By his death in 1881, Kuhlmann led a major industrial group. It became Ugine-Kuhlmann after merging in 1966. Later, it merged with Péchiney to form Pechiney-Ugine-Kuhlmann.
Fréderic Kuhlmann also contributed to Lille’s civic life. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce. He was also a general councillor for the Nord department. Kuhlmann supported the transformation of the École des arts industriels et des mines. It became the Institut industriel du Nord de la France.
The Rue Auguste Lamy connects us to these figures. Lamy’s discovery of thallium. Kuhlmann’s industrial achievements. Both men left their mark on Lille. As you stroll along this street remember their contributions. Their legacies continue to shape the city.