Burroughs Wellcome & Company (BW & Co.)

Pharmaceutical company established by Henry S. Wellcome and Silas Burroughs.

Pharmaceutical company established by two American pharmacists, Henry S. Wellcome and Silas Mainville Burroughs in 1880. Wellcome became sole proprietor after Burroughs's death in 1895.

London headquarters was Snow Hill Buildings, Snow Hill EC1. The company headquarters were bombed in 1941.

Initially they acted as agents for several American companies - Burroughs was closely associated with Wyeths; Wellcome with McKesson & Robbins. They specialised in the new 'compressed medicines' or tablets. In 1883, Burroughs Wellcome started manufacturing their own products. The main factory was established in Dartford, Kent in 1889. By 1900 the product range included an extensive 'Tabloid' range of medicines as well as 'Kepler' Cod Liver Oil & Malt; Hazeline Snow; Saccharin; atomisers for sprays; artificial ear drums; tea in 'Tabloid' form, and an assorted range of tonics and laxatives, as well as a growing selection of medicine chests.

In 1924, Wellcome consolidated all his separate enterprises under one private company, 'The Wellcome Foundation Ltd.'. Over time, Burroughs Wellcome came to represent the distribution arm of this network.

Overseas offices & sites:

• 1886: B&W Australia. By 1901, the main offices were at 108 Pitt Street, Sydney, plus depots across the country.

• 1902: B&W South Africa

• 1905: B&W Office & Depot, 14 Via Carlo Alberto, Milan (first associated house in Europe); later (1908-c1948) operated from Via Legnano, Milan

• 1906: B&W Canada in Montreal

• c1906: B&W USA

• 1906: B&W China in Shanghai

• 1910: B&W Argentina

• 1912: B&W India at Cook's Building, Hornby Road, Bombay

• 1946: House set up in Cairo, Egypt, for Middle East markets

• 1946: Dublin House opened for the Republic of Ireland market