Philologist, industrialist, social and political activist. Born 1813 at Ławki near Trzemeszno. Educated at a junior high school in Trzemeszno and a ‘St. Mary Magdalene’ grammar school in Poznań, studied the classics at the Berlin University, getting his Philosophy Doctor’s degree in 1840. Back at home, he rejoined St. Mary Magdalene’ grammar school as a teacher and pursued his scientific research work in parallel. Removed from his school job, he set up a farming tool retail outlet at the Bazar, and then, a repair workshop which was with time to turn into a large farm tools and machinery factory.

Being the actual pioneer of Polish industry, he did not neglect his linguistic and social interest. He contributed to the activities of the Scientific Assistance Society, the Industrial Society and for a short time acted as Deputy Chair to the Poznań Society for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences. Publisher of Gazeta Polska daily since 1848, and of another liberal/national daily, Dziennik Poznański, since 1859. He was a deputy of the Prussian parliament.

Cegielski died 1868 in Poznań and was buried at a local no-longer-existing cemetery. A symbolic tombstone of Hipolit Cegielski was erected in 1985 at the Cemetery of the Merited Individuals of Wielkopolska.