Timeline

1849 John Boot opened a herbalist shop in Goose Gate, Nottingham.

1871 John's widow, Mary Boot, and son, Jesse began trading as M & J Boot, Herbalists.

1877 Jesse Boot took over control of the shop.

1883 Boot & Company Ltd formed.

1885 Development of manufacturing facilities around Island Street, Nottingham.

1888 Company renamed Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd.

1892 Flagship Boots store opened at Pelham Street, Nottingham.

1898 Boots Booklovers' Library established.

1911 National Health Insurance Act passed.

1920 Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd sold to the United Drug Company of America.

1926 John Boot became Chairman of Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd.

1929 D1 Soap factory, the first building on the new Beeston site completed.

1933

       Ownership of the company returned to the UK.

       D10 "Wets" factory opened, Beeston site.

       1000th Boots store opened in Galashiels, Scotland.

1935 No7 cosmetics launched.

1936 First Boots branch in New Zealand opened.

1947 Companies established to carry out wholesale businesses in Australia, Canada, Pakistan and the Far East.

1948 Inauguration of the National Health Service.

1949

      New factory opened at Airdrie in Scotland to manufacture cosmetics.

      New factory near Bombay in India went into production.

1953 John Boot retired as chairman.

1956 First self-service Boots stores opened in London.

1965

       Closure of the Booklovers' Library announced.

       Agreement signed for the construction of a new factory in Karachi, Pakistan.

1968

      Timothy Whites & Taylors Ltd acquired, with 622 stores.

      New Boots The Chemists Headquarters office, D90 opened at Beeston.

1969 Ibuprofen (Brufen) launched in the UK.

1971

       Company renamed The Boots Company Ltd.

       Acquisition of Crookes Laboratories Ltd.

1977

       Acquisition of Tamblyns Drug Stores, Canada. [The Canadian stores closed in 1990].

       Manufacturing and marketing business established in America with the acquisition of Rucker-Pharmacal in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1982

       Company renamed The Boots Company PLC.

       New factory opened at Cramlington, Northumberland.

1983

       Nurofen launched, following the approval of ibuprofen as an over the counter analgesic.

       Optrex brand acquired from Hoescht.

       First in-store optical practice opened.

1984 Boots (Retail Buying) Hong Kong Ltd established.

1985 The Research Department received the Queen's Award for Technological Achievement for the discovery and development of ibuprofen.

1986 Acquisition of Farley Health Products, including brands Ostermilk, Complan and Farley Baby Rusks [This was sold to H J Heinz in 1994.]

1987 Boots Opticians Ltd formed, with the acquisition of Clement Clarke Ltd and Curry & Paxton Ltd. Boots Opticians became the UK's second largest retail optics chain.

1988 Natural Collection launched.

1989

       Boots Property Division established.

       The Ward White retail businesses of Halfords, Payless DIY and A. G Stanley acquired.

1990 Do It All Ltd created with the merger of Payless DIY and W H Smith's Do It All.

1991 Boots Contract Manufacturing and Boots Healthcare International established.

1992 Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) computer installation completed in all stores.

1993 Medilink system introduced.

1994 Global Collection launched.

1995 Boots Pharmaceuticals sold to BASF.

1996 First Boots store in the Irish Republic opened, in Dublin.

1997

       Boots Advantage Card launched.

       oots Health and Beauty stores opened in Holland and Thailand.

1998

• Wilsons Dentistry Ltd a dental body corporate [now Boots Dentalcare Ltd] acquired.
• Acquisition of Hayes, Conyngham and Robinson, and Connors, making Boots the largest retail pharmacy chain in Ireland.

1999

• Boots Stores for Men launched.
• The first Boots store opened in Japan.
• Handbag.com, an internet service designed for women launched.
• Boots Dentalcare opened 6 practices in England.

2000

• The 50th store in Thailand opened.
• Bootsphoto.com launched - a new, complete e-photo service.
• The first Health and Beauty Experience store opened.
• Boots Healthcare International acquired Clearasil, the world's leading brand in acne prevention and treatment.
• Boots and Granada Media announced the formation of a new internet and broadband company, designed to be Britain's leading e-business for health, beauty and well-being.

2001

      Halfords' Garage Services sold to the AA.

      Boots and Sainsburys trial Health and Beauty link-up.

      Joint venture in Japan ends.

      Closure of Boots Men trial stores: Edinburgh and Bristol.

      Skincare brands are sold to Beiersdorf.

      European private label business is sold.

      Acquisition of Portland Ceramics Ltd, one of the UK's leading dental laboratories.

      Boots offers world's first disposable hearing aid, Songbird.

      Boots and Granada Media launch wellbeing.com internet and digital TV channel.

      boots-plc.com launches separate accessibility version of site - one of the first in the UK.

2002

      Boots Retail International and AS Watson Ltd introduce Boots brand implants in around 100 Watsons stores across Taiwan.

      Halfords stores are sold CVC Partners. .

2003

       Company renamed Boots Group PLC.

       Closure of Airdrie factory announced.

       Appointment of Richard Baker as new Chief Executive.

       Online shopping channel renamed boots.com.

       boots-plc.com's accessibliity version is integrated within main boots-plc.com site.

2004

       Unipart takes over the management and operation of warehouses within Boots.

       New Basics brand launched. 

       Dentalcare and Laser Eye businesses sold.

2005

       Handbag.com is sold to Press Holdings.

       Boots announces intention to sell Boots Healthcare International (BHI).

       Boots introduces new Parenting Club.