Catalogue description PAPERS OF ANDREW KURTZ (1781-1846), CHEMIST, AND ANDREW GEORGE KURTZ (1824-1890), CHEMIST AND ART COLLECTOR

This collection consists of the passports of Andrew Kurtz (1781-1846) and the papers and diaries of his son, Andrew George Kurtz (1824-1890).

The collection is arranged as follows

ANDREW GEORGE KURTZ (1824-1890)

920 KUR 1 Diaries

920 KUR 2 Notebooks

920 KUR 3 Miscellaneous papers

920 KUR 4 Sketchbooks and water colours

920 KUR 5 Photographs

920 KUR 6 Printed material

ANDREW KURTZ (1781-1846)

920 KUR 7

Andrew George Kurtz's collection of autograph letters of artists, musicians, actors and authors was bequeathed to the British Library (ref: MSS 33,964-33968). For details relating to him as an autograph collector see A.N.L. Munby, Cult of the Autograph Letter in England (1962), p.71. A copy of this is available in Liverpool Central Library, Humanities Reference, ref: R 793.9 MUN. His obituary appears in the Liverpool Daily Post for Monday 22 September 1890, p.7 column 3.

Details relating to Andrew Kurtz (1781-1846) as a chemical manufacturer in Liverpool can be found in T.C. Barker and J.R. Harris, Merseyside Town in the Industrial Revolution: St. Helens, 1750-1900 (1954), pp.223-245. A copy of this available for consultation in the Liverpool Local Studies Library (ref H 942.729 SAI). For additional printed material relating to Andrew Kurtz (1781-1846) and Andrew George Kurtz see 920 KUR 6 below.

Access will be granted to any accredited reader.

The papers of Andrew George Kurtz (1824-1890) were deposited by Mary Applebey in 1993. The passports of Andrew Kurtz (1781-1846) and item 920 KUR 6/3 were deposited by Mr. Niemeyer in October 2001. Items 920 KUR 6/4 - 6/5 were donated by Edward Morris.

Acc 5543, 4954

Andrew Kurtz was born in Reutlingen, Germany, on 16 September 1781. He was the son of Erhard Kurz (or Kurtz) and Anna Barbara Schaefer. In c.1795 he left Reutlingen for Paris. His native town had been exposed to the disasters of war with France: trade was paralysed, his father ruined, and the homestead burnt. He studied in Paris for twenty years and became an operative chemist.

He left France in 1815 with his companion Gay-Lussac. They were both interested in the invention of the manufacture of gunpowder. They crossed to England on 15 August 1815 and set sail for America. They arrived in New York on 17 December 1815 and in conjunction with a Dr. Bollman hoped to exploit Kurtz's invention. The venture was not a success and although he became an American citizen he returned to England on 14 May 1816.

His first enterprise in England was to take a small chemical works at Thames Bank. The works were formerly in the occupation of the late Mr. Sandemann. Andrew Kurtz accepted the tenancy from Mrs. Susannah Sandemann (nee Wray) who he later married. In business in London he was mainly interested in soap boiling.

In about 1820 Andrew Kurtz left London for Manchester where he lived and worked for about ten years. In business he turned his attention to the making of colours, and especially to the production of chromate potash. He then moved to Liverpool where his important operations were the manufacture of bichromate of potash and borax. He had works in Parliament Street, Sefton Street, Harrington Street and Greenland Street. In about 1842 he was compelled to become an alkali manufacturer and to take over a works at St. Helens. His firm was known as "The Sutton Alkali Works".

Andrew Kurtz died on 31 March 1846 and his only child, Andrew George Kurtz (1824-1890), reluctantly took over the business. At the time of his father's death he had been studying law. He lived for many years at Grove House, Wavertree, which he shared with his cousin, Julia Turner. He later lived at Dovedale Towers, Liverpool. He also had a house at Penmaenmawr which he used in the summer.

His main interests were in painting and collecting. He had a large gallery of modern paintings at Grove House which he regularly opened to the public. He was also involved with Liverpool's musical life and the Philharmonic Society. He died in 1890 at Penmaenmawr and both he and Julia Turner are buried at nearby Conway

• View Record