Category Archives: Chemists’ Shops

Timothy Whites

Posted on June 3, 2020 by buildingourpast

Throughout much of the 20th century, Timothy Whites (later Timothy Whites & Taylors) was Boots the Chemist’s greatest rival. The chain was eventually swallowed up by Boots. In 1848, at the age of 23, Timothy White (1825-1908) took over William … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemists' Shops | 2 Comments

Spotting Historic Shopfronts: Cambridge

Posted on June 24, 2018 by buildingourpast

Cambridge is rich in historic shopfronts. Here are a few interesting examples to look out for on shopping trips in town! Two Art Nouveau Shopfronts from the 1920s Surprisingly, the elegant art nouveau shopfront at 21 Market Street, in the … Continue reading →

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A Spotter’s Guide to Traditional Chemists’ Shops

Posted on September 3, 2017 by buildingourpast

The Mortar and Pestle The mortar and pestle has been used by apothecaries, chemists and druggists for centuries to grind medicinal powders. It remains one of the chemist’s favourite symbols, depicted on shop signs to proclaim the nature of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemists' Shops, Spotter's Guides | 3 Comments

Boots’ Architects. 2. Michael Vyne Treleaven

Posted on April 8, 2017 by buildingourpast

Michael Vyne Treleaven (1850-1934) held the position of Boots the Chemist’s in-house architect for over a decade in the early 20th century, and was responsible for designing the company’s well-known mock-Tudor shops. Treleaven came from the parish of Poughill, near Bude in Cornwall. In … Continue reading →

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Boots’ Architects. 1. Albert Nelson Bromley

Posted on April 8, 2017 by buildingourpast

The prominent Nottingham architect Albert Nelson Bromley (1850-1934) designed many shops for Boots between the 1890s and the 1920s. At first he worked in a neo-Jacobean style, with a strong penchant for terracotta, but in the 1920s he switched to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boots the Chemist, Chemists' Shops | 3 Comments

Jesse Boot and Boots Cash Chemists

Posted on March 10, 2017 by buildingourpast

Jesse Boot (1850-1931) followed in the footsteps of his Wesleyan parents, John (1815-1860) and Mary (1826-85), by becoming a medical botanist, or herbalist, providing remedies to the poor. John had opened the ‘British and American Botanical Establishment’ at 6 Goosegate in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boots the Chemist, Chemists' Shops | 3 Comments

A Spotter’s Guide to Boots the Chemist

Posted on February 27, 2017 by buildingourpast

The Boots Scroll The Boots scroll – the distinctive signature logo – is familiar to everyone. Boots’ name is written in flowing cursive script, with a pennant flowing from the bar of the ‘t’ and an understroke emerging from the ‘s’. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Boots the Chemist, Chemists' Shops, Spotter's Guides | 1 Comment