Florence Boot

Florence was responsible for diversifying the firm's retail offering to include perfume, cosmetics, stationery, books, and other general merchandise and also pioneered in-store cafés.

She also made significant donations of land for public use in Jersey and founded the first all-female hall of residence at the University of Nottingham.

[1][2][3] She was the daughter of bookseller William Rowe and had experience working in his shop selling books, stationery, art equipment, gifts and luxury goods.

[1] Florence also persuaded Jesse to introduce the sale of perfumes and cosmetics from separate counters and to diversify further into general merchandise.

[8] Libraries were introduced in 1898 and were positioned at the rear of the first floor of stores so that customers had to walk through other departments to reach them, in an attempt to boost sales.

She bought land and donated it to the people of Jersey for use for exercise and wellbeing, this included sites at Beauport Bay and Coronation Park.

[5][13] After her husband's death in 1931, Florence commissioned the rebuilding of St Matthew's Church, in Millbrook, Jersey, with glass interior fittings by René Lalique.

[2] A commemorative plaque in her honour has been erected at her birthplace in St Helier and one of the town's Boots branches still occupies the site of her father's bookshop.