William Allen (Quaker) - Pharmacy

Pharmacy

William Allen was known in commerce for his pharmaceutical company Plough Court. Situated off Lombard Street in the heart of the City of London, and founded by the Quaker scientist Silvanus Bevan, it eventually grew into one of the UK's largest pharmaceutical companies: Allen & Hanburys. The company was acquired in 1958 by Glaxo Laboratories, who retained 'Allen and Hanburys' as a separate marque within the GSK group.

In 1841 William Allen co-founded The Pharmaceutical Society, which later became The Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Its first president was William Allen.

Allen's involvement with the Plough Court Pharmacy began in the 1790s when he began working there for Samuel Mildred. Already a thriving business in the City of London, with the arms of the Apothecaries Company emblazoned on its window, it continued to prosper and William Allen was offered a partnership; the company thereafter traded for a while under the name Mildred & Allen. Allen strengthened the company's links with medical institutions, particularly Guy's Hospital where he was elected to its Physical Society. Meanwhile, using Plough Court for meetings, he co-founded the Askesian Society. There new ideas for research and experimentation could be discussed with others such as Luke Howard, Joseph Fox, William Hasledine Pepys, William Babington, and the surgeon Astley Cooper. In 1797 Allen invited Luke Howard to formally collaborate with him at the Plough Court Pharmacy, the business then becoming known as Allen & Howard. A second laboratory was opened for the development of new chemicals, a few miles away in Plaistow.