Campus author - Beechams, 1848-2000: From Pills to Pharmaceuticals

Monday, 11 April 2011

T.A.B. Corley

Crucible Books (18 Mar 2011)

ISBN - 978-1-905472-14-7

This new book by Tony Corley, retired Senior Lecturer from the International Business History Centre, Henley Business School, tells the story of a remarkable British firm, which began life in Wigan selling recuperative pills that became famous around the world.

The book traces Beecham's progress from home-made pills to the most advanced antibiotics. Early chapters describe a number of colourful and turbulent episodes involving the talented but wayward founding family.

Musical enthusiasts will welcome new background detail about Sir Thomas Beecham, while business historians, management specialists and economists are given an authoritative account of how a modest firm managed to survive and prosper over a century and a half.