Original owner of 1405 Balmoral Drive, Dr. Ramage was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the grandson of the lord mayor of the city. He was educated at Liverpool College, Eng., Steward College, Edinburgh, and received his doctorate at Heidelberg University, Germany. He immigrated to the US in 1892. Ramage was a research chemist whose discoveries aided in the development of high-compression automobile and airplane engines. Ramage developed the gyro process basis for ethyl gasoline and many other formulas for increasing the power of motor fuels. During WWI, he formed the Texas Oil Products Co. and developed the first commercial vapor-phase cracking process for petroleum—a process that increased the yield of gasoline. His discovery helped to add 20% to the power of British jet planes by perfecting a process for obtaining 100% hydrogen peroxide for jet fuel. During WWII, the British were using alcohol and hydrogen peroxide for jet propulsion but were able to get only 80% pure hydrogen peroxide with a 20% water content. Dr. Ramage perfected the formula for producing pure hydrogen peroxide and gave his discovery to the British through the Canadian government. Seventy-five of his discoveries were patented.
1405 Balmoral Drive
This Dutch Colonial Revival style home was built in 1921 and is the only house of this type in Palmer Woods. It was originally built for Dr. Alexander Sydney Ramage and his wife Hattie, who moved into the home in February of 1922.
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