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What we now know as chemists, always had a close connection with the medical profession. Originally known as apothecaries, they were regulated by the Apothecaries’ Hall in Dublin and provided medicines to those who could afford them.
Connor’s Chemist was founded on Hill Street in Newry in 1826 by Dr Patrick Connor, physician, surgeon and druggist. The shop was said to have been one of the largest of its kind outside Belfast or Dublin. His nephew, Dr Samuel Connor, took over the business in 1862 and abstained from medical practice in order to give all his time to compounding physician’s and surgeon’s prescriptions. The business remained in the family until 1967, when it was taken over by Freddy Whitcroft, who had been apprenticed to the company in 1953 and was employed as a pharmacist. The premises in Hill Street were destroyed by fire in 1969 and the company moved to John Mitchel Place. The company was taken over by Boots in the mid-1990s. Many other family-run chemists were eventually taken over by multi-national companies around this time.
Other chemists in Newry during the late 19thand early 20thcenturies were Anderson & McCrea in Water Street, McIlwaine & Co in Hill Street and R.H. Armour, also in Hill Street.
O’Hagan and O’Hare, another long-running family business, was established in Newry c. 1900. One of the managers was John Edward Hudson, who moved to Kilkeel in 1925 and established the Medical Hall in Newry Street. The business was continued by his son, Pat, who had also trained as a pharmacist in O’Hagan and O’Hare. The Medical Hall closed c.1960.
Originally chemists were allowed to sell their own preparations. In the late 19thcentury Robert A Jones in Warrenpoint was selling his own range of medicines, including Grape Saline, Worm Tablets, Teething and Fever Powders as well as preparations for indigestion, rheumatism and influenza. He also sold garden and farm seeds, fancy goods, perfume and bric-a-brac.
Chemists have always been one of the primary health care providers in local communities supplying medicine and advice, especially when a doctor was not always available. This has certainly been true in recent times with the Covid-19 pandemic which has brought local chemists back to the forefront of medical care.
Entry to Caring for the Community: The Development of Medicine in Newry and Mourneis free and the exhibition runs until early September 2023. For further information please contact the Curator at 0330 137 4608.
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Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.
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