[1][2] Harry Jephcott was educated at King Edward VI Camp Hill, a grammar school in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, he studied part-time at West Ham Technical Institute and in 1915 graduated with a first class Bachelor of Science in chemistry at the University of London.
Jephcott was cognitive of new scientific ideas, had an interest in pharmaceutical sales, and was a good business strategist who understood company administration as well.
His understanding of patent law with respect to pharmaceuticals led him to study for the bar and to be called to the Middle Temple in 1925.
He visited the US on behalf of the Ministry of Supply in 1944 to report on penicillin production, which helped enable Glaxo Laboratories to build factories for penicillin production by deep fermentation under licence from two American companies, Merck & Co. and Squibb.
However, as non-executive chairman was largely responsible when his company took control of other pharmaceutical businesses, for example Allen & Hanburys in 1958.
Jephcott married his wife Doris (1893–1985), daughter of Henry Gregory, a builder, on 19 April 1919.
Harry Jephcott died of heart failure at Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, west London.