James Parker (cement maker)

James Parker (1750-1797) was a British cement manufacturer who is credited with patenting and commercially producing "Roman cement" in 1796. He identified and utilized septaria nodules found on the Isle of Sheppey and along the coasts of southern England. These nodules, rich in clay and containing hydraulic lime, were burned and ground to produce a cement that hardened under water and air. Parker's Roman cement became a popular building material, prized for its rapid setting time and brownish colour, resembling that of Roman stucco. He established a successful manufacturing operation and held a monopoly on the production and sale of Roman cement for several years, greatly impacting construction practices of the era. Despite its eventual displacement by Portland cement, Parker's Roman cement played a significant role in the development of hydraulic cements and early construction techniques.