Loftus Perkins (8 May 1834 – 27 April 1891) was an Englishengineer, particularly involved in developing the practicaltechnologies ofcentral heating andrefrigeration.

Perkins was born in London, the son ofAngier March Perkins and was likelyapprenticed to his father. His grandfather,Jacob Perkins, had arrived in England fromNew England and the family still had many contacts in the U.S. so, in 1853-4 Loftus worked in America. After further work for his father, and inHamburg and Berlin before establishing thepartnership of A. M. Perkins & Son with his father.^[1]

He devoted his energies to heating and refrigeration and combined great imagination with practical engineering instincts.^[1] He also contributed to the development of thesteam engine. Among his innovations were:

• The "Polly Perkins" - mobile steamovens for theBritish Army;^[1]
• Steam ovens for use inbakeries;^[1]
• High-pressure steamtractors;^[1]
• The Anthracite - a 70-tonyacht powered by high-pressure steam;^[1]
• Express - a 160 ft steamship powered by a Perkins 800horse power quadruplecompound engine;^[1]
• the "Arktos" cold chamber (1888) for preserving food.^[1]

He married Emily Patton (born 1837/8) from New York.^[1] Loftus was joined in the family business by his sons:

• Loftus Patton Perkins (born 1867);^[1] and
• Ludlow Patton Perkins (1872–1928).^[1]

Perkins died in London and was buried atKensal Green Cemetery. The firm subsequently merged with Joseph Baker, Sons & Co., asBaker Perkins.^[1]

• Member of theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers, (1861);
• Member of theInstitution of Civil Engineers, (1881)

• Timeline of low-temperature technology

• Obituaries:
  • The Engineer, 1 May 1891, 349

• McConnell, A. (2004) "Perkins, Loftus (1834–1891)",Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 21 August 2007(subscription orUK public library membership required)
• Muir, A. (1968).The History of Baker Perkins. Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons Ltd.

The Baker Perkins Historical Society

• 1834 births
• 1891 deaths
• English engineers
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

• Use dmy dates from April 2018
• Use British English from April 2018