John Hodges was born in Downpatrick, County Down, and was educated in Dublin, Glasgow and finally in Giessen University where he studied chemistry. In Downpatrick he founded the Mechanics' Institute in 1847. He became Professor of Chemistry in the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Professor of Agricultural Chemistry and Lecturer in Medical Jurisprudence in Queen's College, Belfast. He was Chemical Director of the Chemico-Agricultural Society of Ulster, whose journal he edited. He was one of the founders of the Royal College of Chemistry in London and was employed by the government as an analyst. He had honours conferred on him by Russia, Stockholm, Turin, Germany, France and Amsterdam.

Born:	1815
Died:	1899