On 21 November 1879, Lancashire chemist John Hargreaves canvassed a meeting of chemists and managers in Widnes, St Helens and Runcorn to consider the formation of a chemical society. Modelled on the successful Tyne Chemical Society already operating in Newcastle, the newly proposed South Lancashire Chemical Society held its first meeting on 29 January 1880 in Liverpool, with the eminent industrial chemist and soda manufacturer Ludwig Mond presiding.
It was quickly decided that the society should not be limited to just the local region and the title the Society of Chemical Industry’ was finally settled upon at a meeting in London on 4 April 1881, as being more inclusive'. Held at the offices of the Chemical Society, now the headquarters of the Royal Society of Chemistry, in Burlington House, this meeting was presided over by Henry Roscoe, appointed first president of SCI, and attended by Eustace Carey, Ludwig Mond, FA Abel, Lowthian Bell, William H Perkin, Walter Weldon, Edward Rider Cook, Thomas Tyrer and George E Davis; all prominent scientists, industrialists and MPs of the time.
The society grew rapidly, launching international and regional sections. In 1881 Ivan Levinstein was a founder of the Manchester Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, later following Sir Henry Roscoe as chair of the Section. Levinstein also served as President of the Society of Chemical Industry between 1901 and 1903.
Prominent early members included William Lever, George Matthey, Ludwig Mond, [https://www.soci.org/about-us/history/notable-scientists-and-inventors Henry Armstrong], Leo Baekeland, [https://www.soci.org/about-us/history/notable-scientists-and-inventors Rudolph Messel], Charles Tennant, Richard Seligman, Ferdinand Hurter and Marie Stopes.