| Administrative History | Taylor Drug Company formed into a limited liability company in 1888. The founder was Mr William Barker Mason, who named his shops after his wife's maiden name. Mason began his career as an apprentice to W. B. Foggit, a wholesale druggist at Thirsk in Yorkshire. He opened his first shop (which also contained a grocery department) in Thornton's Arcade, Leeds, followed by one in Bradford several months later. By 1887 there were nine shops.
Expansion followed after the formation of the Company and branches were put in charge of qualified chemists. Shops were opened in Leeds, Bradford, Bingley, and Shipley, before expansion into Lancashire, Durham Cumberland, Westmorland, and Scotland.
Several small retail pharmacy companies in the Midlands and London areas were acquired, and the number of stores increased from 162 in 1927, to 373 at the time of the merger with Timothy Whites in 1935.
During this period the Burley Hill, Leeds Office and warehouses were developed by the Taylor Company, galenicals and proprietary medicines were manufactured there until the 1970s.
In 1927 control of Taylors Drug Company was purchased by a holding company, Taylors (Cash Chemists) Trust Ltd. Philip Hill became chairman.
In 1935 Timothy Whites Ltd purchased control of the Taylor Companies and the business was consolidated under the title of Timothy Whites & Taylors Ltd. |