The origins of plastic can be traced back to Hackney where Alexander Parkes first manufactured Parkesine from 1866 to 1868. Parkesine was the world’s first semi-synthetic plastic, which Parkes presented in 1862 at an International Exhibition winning a medal for his outstanding innovation. His desire to make affordable products on mass using cheap material resulted in the company’s downfall. Daniel Spill who had been Parkes factory manager then bought the Parkesine patents and set up a company to produce imitation ivory called the British Xylonite Company Ltd in 1877. The company was then purchased by the Levi Parsons Merriam company to make imitation plastic goods such a coral jewellery and later combs. The British Xylonite Company then set up a factory at Higham’s Park Chingford producing goods under the name of Halex such as vanity sets, combs, toothbrushes, and the famous table tennis balls. The company which had a virtual monopoly on these products in the early 20th century expanded and later merged with Distillers Ltd who later became part of British Petroleum. Production ceased at Halex in 1981.Another Lea Vally plastic manufacturer was Thomas De La Rue who were based in Waltham Forest pioneered many moulded plastic products such as cases for televisions, radios, as well as laminate plastics known as Formica. Later the company became De La Rue Plastics and in 1947 National Plastics.
