Francis Newbery & Sons, London

Cruising around the Internet and world wide web, I jump across the pond today to look at F. Newbery & Sons Brain Salt from London. Yes you heard me right, Brain Salt. Certain words do not sound right together. In Houston there is a Thai restaurant next to a donut shop. The sign on the street says Thai Food & Donuts. Kind of like that. When I think of brain salt I think of putting salt on slugs. All bad kids heard of that right? Well salt on a brain? Doesn’t paint a very good picture.

Francis Newbery and Sons Warehouse – Warehouse for Dr. Jame’s Powder – 1779 (Pharmaceutical Journal: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences)

The origin of the firm of Francis Newbery and Sons, Limited goes back to 1746 when Mr. John Newbery. “the philanthropic publisher of St. Paul’s Churchyard,” settled in London at the corner of Ludgate Hill as a publisher and patent medicine vendor. Prior to this, Mr. John Newbery had been in business at Reading. At this time the company was an agent for Hooper’s Pills and sold the famous Dr. Jame’s Fever Powder.

Francis Newbery, who, on the death of his father in 1767, left Sidney-Sussex College, Cambridge, and gave up the prospects of a medical career to carry on the business of publisher and patent medical vendor. His shop was situated on No. 45 St. Paul’s Churchyard which is illustrated above. Francis Newbery died in 1818 and his eldest son, Colonel John Newberry, succeeded him; at the death of the latter in 1854, Mr. Arthur Le Blanc Newbery and Mr. Lionel Newbery took over the business, which was removed in 1869 to 46 St. Paul’s Churchyard, again, in 1872, to Newgate Street, in 1888.

Francis Newbery and Sons Warehouse – 1903 – (Pharmaceutical Journal: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences)

Shortly after the move (in 1904) the old house turned their business into a private limited company. As time went on and competition increased it was found necessary to meet the wants of the trade to add druggist’s sundries, photographic, and perfumery departments. To such an extent have these departments grown that they now take the premier place in the firm’s illustrated catalogue and occupy a major portion of the building (see above).

Reference: Pharmaceutical Journal: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences – J. Churchill, 1906

Francis Newbery and Sons testimonial – The Lancet London: A Journal of British and Foreign Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, Physiology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Public Health and News, Volume 1 – 1861

BRAIN SALT

F. Newbery & Sons Effervescent brain Salt

(TITLE REGISTERED) PRICE 2/9 PER BOTTLE

Cures headaches and indigestion

A POSITIVE RELIEF AND CURE FOR Brain Troubles, Headaches, Sea Sickness, Nervous Debility, Sleeplessness, Excessive Study, Mania, Over Brainwork, etc. etc.

F. NEWBERY & SONS.
1 and 3 King Edward St., London, E.C.

TRADE MARK REGISTERED IN U.S.
BY F. NEWBERY & SONS
FEB. 10, 1888

Later Brain Salt advertisement when F, Newbery was on Newgate Street

A rather well done Brain Salt bottle illustration

Newbery & Sons Brain Salt advertisement – The Twentieth Century, A Monthly Review –  1894

 Other Newbery Products

Sailing Boat Pictorial F. Newberry & Sons Cherry Tooth Paste Pot Lid & Base, London c1890s – ebay

Cuticura ointment made in London, Cardiff and Liverpool, F. Newbery and Sons January 1899.