Thomas Kerfoot, Bardsley Vale

Business pride in terracotta on the water tower of the Thomas Kerfoot pharmaceuticals factory at Bardsley Vale.

In 1864 Thomas Kerfoot acquired a chemist's business in London Road, Manchester, established in 1797, on his own account. Initially he traded as a retail chemist, but soon began to manufacture galenicals. In 1887 he abandoned production of compressed pills and tablets. In 1890 he moved to premises in Chester Street, Manchester, which were vacated after total destruction by fire in 1896. The firm re-located to a site at Bardsley Vale on the river Medlock. between Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, and a warehouse was opened at 42 Lamb's Conduit Street, Holborn, London. In 1900 Thomas Kerfoot was joined in partnership by his son, Ernest Hodgson Kerfoot, and the business was styled Thomas Kerfoot & Co. A range of new pharmaceutical products was introduced, including Salaspin in 1914 and Kerocain, a synthetic local anaesthetic, in 1915. In 1918 the business was incorporated as a limited liability company, Thomas Kerfoot & Co Ltd.

Ernest Kerfoot's 2 sons, Dr T H Manners Kerfoot and Henry Manners Kerfoot, entered the company in 1931, and in 1936 Thomas Kerfoot died, followed in 1944 by his son, Ernest Kerfoot. During the Second World War the company produced the anli-malarial drug Mepacrine, flavine antiseptics and large quantities of pills and injectables for use by the armed forces. After the war the company continued to produce pills and lozenges, and also began manufacture of penicillin cream. By the 1970s it specialised in the production of antibiotics and steroids, which it sold in unbranded form, directly to retail pharmacies, hospitals and wholesalers.

In 1990 Thomas Kerfoot & Co Ltd was acquired by Medeva pic, Jermyn Street, London, and its business interests were merged with those of Evans Medical Ltd. also a subsidiary of Medeva pic. Thomas Kerfoot & Co Ltd was renamed Medevale Pharmaservices Ltd in 1993. The business is now owned by Swedish parmaceutical company Recipharm.