| Activity | Florence Rowe was born on the 29th July 1863, she was the daughter of a bookseller in Jersey. Florence attended the Covent school at Coutances, Normandy. According to census records and her marriage certificate, Florence Rowe was working as a shop assistant in her father's stationary shop at the time of her marriage to Jesse Boot in 1886. Jesse and Florence had 3 children together John, Dorothy and Margery.
After her marriage, and drawing on her knowledge of her father's book and stationery store, Florence began to introduce a whole range of new lines at Goose Gate (Jesse’s first shop); books, stationery, fancy goods, artists' materials and picture frames. This led to the concept of Boots shops, not just as pharmacies but as department stores. In 1891, Jesse purchased larger premises on Pelham Street, Nottingham and it was Florence who helped with the store's interior design, and its elegant design and lavish displays soon made it a popular destination.
Florence founded the Boots Booklovers' Library’s around the 1900s and by 1903 libraries had been established in 193 branches. By the mid 1930s when the scheme was at its height, the number had grown to 450, with well over half a million subscribers. She also fostered the idea of cafes in Boots stores. The first cafe was opened in Brighton, followed by Pelham Street in Nottingham.
She supervised the departments handling goods designed to appeal to feminine taste, such as toilet requisites, compacts and handbags ('No. 2 Department'). She travelled widely to European destinations including Germany and France to find good quality products at reasonable prices. She also attended the big international exhibitions in search of novelties with which to stock the branches and often acted as Head Buyer for the Firm. Ships records show Florence travelling from Southampton to New York in 1900 and again in 1909 on buying trips.
In addition to her commercial acumen, Florence is remembered as a pioneer of employee welfare, taking personal interest in female shop and factory workers. Until the early 1900s Florence engaged all female staff at Boot's stores and factories in Nottingham. She toured the branches personally, settling disputes between female staff and the managers. Florence also arranged staff outings. The first outing recorded in the archives was in 1888, when the staff were taken on a picnic. In 1902, Florence took 500 girls to the seaside at Skegness and in 1908, 943 female staff went by train to see the Franco-British exhibition at Wembley in London.
In 1917, Florence became the first female Director of Boots The Chemists.
Florence spent her later years at her home in Jersey, while also spending a lot of time at her home in Cannes. She died at her home; Villa Millbrook at Jersey, on the 17th June 1952 aged 89. |