I have had a longstanding interest in old pharmacy and chemist shops. This interest began in childhood! One of my earliest memories was from my pram: above me I could see a golden pot and I wondered why it was out of my reach! This was of course a golden mortar and pestle – the pharmacy sign hanging above the door!
This post – GORGET OINTMENT – shares the history of the Pharmacy that had operated in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket for 163 years until its closure in 1960.
One of my earliest memories was from my pram: above me I could see a golden mortar & pestle [the Pharmacy sign outside the Chemist shop]. I wondered why a jar of sweeties should have been raised so high and kept so well out of my reach?
To play this short film please click here or on the image above
Thanks for putting up all this information. I dug up a couple of embossed Wyllie Chemist bottles at the weekend and yours was an unusually large amount of information to find on a past Chemist shop.
Thanks David, That was kind of you to get in touch. I have been fascinated with chemist shops since I spotted a golden mortar and pestle sign from my pram. I wondered why it was set out of my reach. I had thought it contained sweeties!
aye Peter, Bridge of Allan