John Boot

John Boot (1815 – 30 May 1860) was the founder of Boots the Chemists. Originally working in agriculture, he was forced by ill health to change careers and set up a shop to sell medicinal herbal remedies at Goose Gate, Nottingham. Although he had no formal qualification, he had learned the skills from his mother and from the Methodist book, Primitive Physic by John Wesley. When Boot died in 1860, his wife Mary took over the business, and his son Jesse Boot would go on to expand the business by opening more stores in poor areas, eventually expanding it into the company Boots UK.

For the grandson with the same name, see John Boot, 2nd Baron Trent.
John Boot
Born1815 (1815)
Died1860 (aged 44–45)
NationalityBritish
OccupationFarm worker, chemist
Years active1849–1860
Known forSole founder of Boots the Chemists
Spouse(s)Mary Mills
Children

Biography

Boot was born in Radcliffe on Trent in 1815.[1] Originally a farm worker, he was forced to change career due to poor health. He set up a shop at Goose Gate, Hockley, to sell medicinal herbal remedies, and called it "British and American Botanic Establishment".[2]

Boot had learned the practice of creating herbal remedies from his mother, Sarah. In the store, he offered remedies and consultations to members of the public three days a week, in a poor area of Nottingham. The career had also appealed to Boot due to his Methodist roots,[3] where he had studied the books of John Wesley, including Primitive Physic, a book about the fundamentals of herbal biology and remedies.[1] Boot married Mary Mills, and the couple had two children, Jesse on 2 June 1850 and Jane.[3]

Boot's health did not improve and he died in on 30 May 1860, leaving his wife and business behind. Mary Boot carried on with the business, renaming it as M & J Boot, Herbalists. Boot's son, Jesse, would help bring the business to a much larger business, by opening further shops in other poor areas of the city, and eventually evolving into the national Boots UK empire.[4]

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References
  1. Lovell, Jenny (December 2014). "Jesse Boot". Royal Society of Chemistry. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  2. Bannister, Nicholas (13 May 2000). "From alternative origins: Boots". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. Clapp, Sophie. "Boots". The Nottinghamshire Heritage. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  4. "Deaths". Nottinghamshire Guardian. 7 June 1860. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
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