Thomas Beecham (chemist)
Thomas Beecham (3 December 1820 – 6 April 1907) was the founder of Beechams, a large pharmaceutical businesses.
Career
Born in Curbridge in Oxfordshire, Beecham became a shepherd's boy at the age of 8 and its in this role that he learnt about herbal medicine.[1]
For a while he worked as the village postman in Kidlington but in 1847 he moved to Wigan where he started selling Beecham's Pills which were a laxative. [1] By 1859 he was based St Helens where he started advertising as well as selling his pills.[1] He created a network of agents throughout Lancashire and Yorkshire and by 1880 he had expanded his business so much that he was able to open his first factory.[1]
In 1893 he moved to Southport where he fully retired within three years.[1] He died in Southport in 1907 and is buried in St Helens.[1]
Family
In 1847 he married Jane Evans and together they went on to have two sons and two daughters.[1] He subsequently married Sarah Pemberton in 1873 and Mary Sawell in 1879.[1]
His elder son was Sir Joseph Beecham, 1st Baronet, and his grandson was the noted conductor Sir Thomas Beecham.
References
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