 From 1883 to 1886, he held the position of Privatdozent at the University of Munich.He never lost contact with his friend Baeyer, and delivered the memorial lecture following Baeyer's death in 1917.In 1887 he returned to Britain and became professor of chemistry at Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh, Scotland, for which the Chemistry wing of the main campus is currently named The William Perkin Building.