This evening, Judy and I enjoyed joined a small group of
Livery Company Masters and Consorts for a fascinating tour of Apothecaries Hall
conducted by the Clerk.
We learned of the rivalries between the Grocers and the
Apothecaries which led eventually to the split between the two groups in 1617,
and why the Apothecaries are a Society rather than a Company . We learned also of
Gideon de Laune, who was largely responsible for the obtaining by the
Apothecaries of their separate Charter in 1617 from James I , and whose De
Laune pills were still sold to the public until about 1920! When De Laune died,
his estate was estimated to be worth about £90,000 – so the pills were clearly
a best seller!
As we visited The Great Hall, The Court Room, and the
Cellars we were privileged to enjoy a most interesting and lively commentary on the history of the
Apothecaries and their activities today.
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