William B. Wilkinson 1854
William Boutland Wilkinson born 2 January 1819-1902 in Newcastle Northumberland.Wilkinson was looking for way of a fireproofing technique in the construction of buildings. He experimented with embedded strips of iron in concrete.
He used iron bars and wire rope to reinforce the concrete based on broken coke, sand and Portland cement in the floors of a two-story cottage he was building for his servants. The method proved successful. He patented his invention in 1854. for creating reinforced concrete.
His process was in demand and went on to build the concrete platforms at York railway station, floors in abattoirs, dairy and food factories. Concrete stairs were now possible and many other uses.
