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Christmas miscellany
“Ikey pikey” pills
From Mr J. E. Packham, MRPharmS
I was most interested to read the article on Taylor, Brawn & Flood
by Roger Jacob (PJ, 20/27 December 2003, p871). In the article, reference
is made to “hiera piera”. I believe this to be “hiera
picra” — aloes and canella powder, a powerful purgative with
a dubious reputation as an abortifacient. In the early 1950s when I was
an apprentice, I was warned to refer requests for “ikey pikey” pills
to the pharmacist.
Another reference is to “Taylor’s ready mixed mustard”.
When I returned to community pharmacy for a short time in the mid 1980s,
I worked at Taylor’s chemist in Newport Pagnell, near Bedford.
Large jars of Taylor’s Mustard were on sale and may still be available
locally.
John Packham
Dunstable,
Bedfordshire
Memories
From Mr J. Taylor, MRPharmS
Roger Jacob’s article Taylor,
Brawn & Flood of Bedford (PJ,
20/27 December 2003, p871) brought back memories, as I worked as manager
of the Bromham Road branch (my first managerial post) for a short period
in 1957 and 1958.
At that time the superintendent pharmacist of the company was a Mr Hanscombe — a
pharmacist of the old school and a gentleman. But the managing director
was Commander Newton, a somewhat intimidating ex-naval man. I think it
was the commander who introduced the use of open pick-up trucks instead
of vans for stock deliveries to the branches in order to reduce loading
and unloading time — fine for mineral water perhaps, but less than
ideal for pharmaceuticals.
The Bromham Road premises were old and had an interesting curved shop
door, and what were probably the original fixtures and fittings, including
an ancient cast iron gas heater. On the back of one of the showcases
was an old coaching timetable. I even found some leaflets advertising
Horse Balls.
The dispensary had a glass door opening on to a garden that was tended
by TB&F’s oldest employee, who lived in the flat over the shop. “Uncle”,
as everyone called him, was in his late 70s or early 80s and still working,
having been employed by the firm as a dispenser as a young man. I was
told that he arrived in Bedford to take up the position on the back of
a horse-drawn farm cart, attracting attention because of his frock coat
and top hat. Might it be possible, I wonder, that the young man so dressed
in the watercolour could be “Uncle”?
In addition to the usual pharmaceutical lines, we sold the company’s
soft drinks and prepared mustard, and carried a range of photographic
goods, although there was also a photographic department in separate
premises just around the corner from the High Street branch.
I considered myself reasonably well paid on £15 per week. Incidentally,
in spite of the name, I cannot claim to be related in any way to the
John Taylor of Taylor, Brawn & Flood, although I may have gained
a certain amount of (probably unwarranted) respect from a few customers
who thought that I might have been.
John Taylor
Nelson,
Lancashire |
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