Silas Burroughs, the Man who Made Wellcome

1. "For too long, Silas Burroughs has stood in the shadows of his partner, Henry Wellcome. In this insightful and revealing book Julia Sheppard does a superb job of redressing the balance, revealing Burroughs's childhood and education, and his increasingly difficult relationship with Wellcome. Based on extensive original research, this is a beautifully written and entertaining biography." - Stuart Anderson, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacy History, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. 2. "Besides a thoroughly engaging story of the American-born entrepreneur, manufacturer and advertising innovator, Julia Sheppard has also given us an important and fascinating insight into the history of the British drug industry and the making of a global pharmaceutical market. This is biography at its very best." - John Harley Warner, Avalon Professor of the History of Medicine, Yale University. 3. Julia Sheppard has written the definitive biography of Silas Burroughs, the dynamic young American behind one of Victorian Britain's most successful (yet fraught) business partnerships, a major forerunner of today's Big Pharma." - Christine Macleod, Professor Emerita of History, University of Bristol 4."Julia Sheppard sets the record straight with an enlightening account of Silas Burroughs\rquote s life and the importance of the part he played in the creation of an extraordinarily successful institution." - Anne Hardy, Honorary Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. 5. "There's much in this book for the business historian. For one thing, it reveals how marketing was done through feet on the ground and knocks on doors. For another, it gives insight into complex partnership dynamics." - John Orbell, Business Archivist and Business Historian. 6. "Silas Burroughs early death, and his bitter feud with his partner Henry Wellcome, has relegated him to a minor role in the story of their pharmaceutical empire. Julia Sheppard's absorbing biography recovers his vital contribution to their joint enterprise, and sets it in the context of a vigorous life of commercial success, globetrotting travels and excursions into radical politics." - Mike Jay, Author and Cultural Historian. 7. "Burroughs 'made Wellcome' by creating the partnership in 1880, however within a decade he attempted to undermine Wellcome and end the partnership. Sheppard's narrative indicates a more complicated history than is implied by the title and invites alternative appraisals of Burroughs's achievements." - Roy Church In Economic History Review, May, 2024. 8. "[Sheppard's] lively account sets Burroughs' life story firmly in context, painting a picture of his personality, relationships, political preoccupations and social life alongside his professional trajectory. Sheppard provides detailed insights into Burroughs' experiences in his own words, such as his journal in London and notes on his Indian contacts. Chapters focussing on Burroughs' extensive international travel are particularly evocative. . The book's obvious readership is pharmacy historians but as a fascinating analysis of the dynamics between Burroughs and Wellcome, it will appeal to a wider audience, presenting an intriguing biography of this lesser-known pioneer." - Briony Hudson, The British Society for the History of Medicine, published online (https://bshm.org.uk/book-reviews/), December 2022. 9. "Author Julia Sheppard charts Burroughs' early life in America, his brilliance as a scientist and his extraordinary work ethic. She also discusses how his experiences shaped his deep-rooted belief in social justice, and the relationship between Burroughs and Wellcome.Ms Sheppard's richly detailed biography brings alive a period of massive technological and social change, and charts the career of a key figure in an industry that changed the world. It's a fitting tribute to a person who deserves to be recognised." - Dan Carrier, in Camden New Journal, June 2022