History of Bickford's Australia
In 1930, they amalgamated with half a dozen other similar Australian companies to form "Drug Houses of Australia" (DHA), which continued to produce "A. M. Bickford and Sons" products: "drugs" and "chemicals" under the DHA brand; and cordials and soft drinks under the "A. M. Bickford and Sons" brand.
The pharmacy products were on-sold; the eucalyptus oil operations were incorporated into "FGB" (Felton Grimwade & Bickford).
William Bickford (18 August 1815 – 11 September 1850) was the seventh child (of fourteen) of a well-to-do couple of West Alvington of Devon, England.
[2] In September 1838, aged 23, the chemist's assistant left England from Plymouth,[3] rounded the Cape of Good Hope in December,[4] and arrived in Port Adelaide on 15 February 1839 on the barque Platina.
[2][3] Though he aspired to become a shepherd in South Australia, soon after his arrival he began working as assistant in the dispensary attached to the North Terrace surgery of one Dr Bright at a salary of 40/- (£2) a week with board and lodging provided.
[6] In April 1841 he wrote "Business is going on prosperously, and I have a comfortable home at my own fire side and a good wife, who studies my interest in every respect".
He purchased 16 acres (6.4 ha) of land at Glen Osmond, "just 3 miles from the Adelaide city centre", and in the winter of 1846 built a house, later to be called "Benacre",[7] moving the family there before the onset of the next summer.
However, he did not live to enjoy the fruits, dying on 11 September 1850 at the age of 35 of "brain fever", after a 3-day illness, leaving his wife pregnant (with Mary) and with four young children, (William, Harry, Elizabeth and Edward) to care for.
[18] Both he and Edward were mentioned at the prizegiving in 1855[19] Harry kept a close association with his alma mater, being president of the Adelaide Educational Institution Old Scholars in 1866.
[20] Although not as academically inclined, William must have made his mark as he was prominent in the Institution's 1863 welcome to "old scholars" W. P. Auld, James Frew and Stephen King, returning members of the Stuart's sixth expedition which had successfully crossed Australia from south to north.
[21] Older son William Bickford (jr.) (19 November 1841 – 20 September 1916), being less academically inclined than Harry, gained experience travelling and picking up a variety of jobs.
[2] He and brother Harry bought Burnside Station near Naracoorte in 1886, and though neither ever lived there, they installed a manager and visited frequently.
By the turn of the century they had decided to free themselves of the responsibility, so after the South Australian Government showed no interest at their price of £49,540, subdivided the 40,978 acres into 28 lots and put them up for auction on 23 October 1908.
He took little interest in civic affairs, but was a keen horseman and was Master of the Adelaide Hounds from 1882 and a committeeman with the South Australian Jockey Club from 1889.
[27] When the company was floated on the Stock Exchange in January 1903, he was elected first managing director, relinquishing the position to his nephew Harold in 1906.
William Bickford did not live long to enjoy its grandeur, and on his death in 1918 left his widow Margaret and son Harold with a substantial overdraft.
Harding William Bickford (14 January 1877 – 5 August 1919), youngest son of Harry, was in his youth a prominent cyclist.
Leslie Bruce Bickford (born 30 December 1885), youngest son of William (jr.) became manager of the Surgical and Veterinary Department.
[44] In 1895 the partnership decided to expand west, and sent Sidney Bickford and Robert McClure, an experienced hand from the Adelaide firm to set up a Perth branch.
It was a joint venture between Felton Grimwade & Co, Melbourne and A.M. Bickford & Sons, Adelaide,[45] with Robert McClure their first managing director.
Sidney Bickford married a Perth girl and settled down, breaking most ties with the Adelaide firm and family.
[2] In 1903 the firm became a limited liability company A. M. Bickford & Sons Ltd.[46] In 1914 the manufacturing laboratory was transferred to Waymouth Street alongside the cordial factory.
Facilities installed included a large (6'6" or 1.9m diameter) autoclave, a bond store and plant for manufacturing absolute alcohol.
Before long these quality products, including the now famous Bickford's Lime Cordial, gained international award recognition for their superiority.
[48] Like its competitor Sedna it was susceptible to abuse for its alcohol content, and sales from chemist's shops and other unlicensed premises were subject to police "sting operations".
[45] Peter Abbott purchased DHA Manufacturing Pty Ltd, which included the eucalyptus oil operations, the business name Drug Houses of Australia, as well as other business and trade names and products including Bickford's Lime Juice Cordial and Bickford's Coffee Essence.
The name Drug Houses of Australia and some of the pharmacy only products were on-sold to Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) NSW.
[62] In 2006, Bickfords lime juice cordial was recognised by the National Trust of South Australia as a Heritage Icon.
[63] Into the second decade of the 21st century, the range of products continues to expand,[64] along with the Bickford's Group[65] which also includes Vok,[66] Wheel & Barrow,[67] and Karma Living.
The article states, (amongst other things), that the "key to Bickford's success has been buying unloved brands and working out ways to rebuild them".
