'Chemists to the Nation, Pharmacy to the World': Exploring the Global Dimensions of British Healthcare and Beauty with Boots the Chemists, 1919-1980
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: History
Abstract
This project will explore the largely unknown international history of British healthcare and beauty, using Boots the Chemists, Britain's most recognised chain pharmacist, as the central case study. The project spans the period from 1919, when the company posted its first sales agent overseas, to the streamlining of its divisions in 1980. It examines how Boots established itself as a prospector, retailer and manufacturer overseas, but also how it continually absorbed international influences as part of its home marketing strategies. Drawing on Boots' vast, underexplored archive (c.5,000 boxes of approximately 500,000 items), this project bridges medical, social, cultural, business, colonial and transnational history. The project team are not interested in writing a classic business biography of Boots' success and growth, rather they are interested in exploring what the Boots story reveals about the international dynamics of the British health and beauty industries. The central research question asks: How does Boots' international archive allow us to map the global networks that moulded and sustained British experiences of healthcare and beauty both at home and abroad? To answer this, thematically focused work packages will recreate the life-cycles of key products within six product domains (pain management, personal hygiene, surgical supplies, vitamins, perfumes, and skincare) across local, national and international spaces. These six focal areas have been selected because of their ample archival resources and their potential to illustrate how complex imperial and other global networks of materials, knowledge and people underpinned the development of British healthcare and beauty, both at home and overseas.
This pioneering research will appear in leading academic journals across the historical humanities and in a co-authored book. It will advance early career capacity by employing a full-time postdoctoral researcher, and provide additional opportunities for an already funded M4C doctoral student. Three interdisciplinary academic workshops will explore new perspectives on the internationalisation of the UK beauty and healthcare industries and will open the project to colleagues in geography, pharmacy, medicine, literature and linguistics.
The project team will showcase findings via an easily navigable website featuring information about the project, links to relevant resources and quarterly updated project stories, attractively illustrated with archival images. Some of these stories will be authored by the project team and some by 'citizen researchers'. These contributors will be identified through call outs via social media, Boots newsletters, and the local press, and might be local history enthusiasts, former Boots employees or business people reflecting on historical context. Additional outreach will include two pieces of popular history, a high-profile public exhibition, with a touring component and accompanying public talks, timed to coincide with Boots' 175th anniversary in 2024. A further outreach strategy targets professional archivists via three initiatives i) working with Boots Archive staff to help inform their cataloguing and digitisation strategies; ii) holding three innovative 'Archive Roadshows' where team members visit other significant business archives (Unilever, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis) to reflect on the usefulness and accessibility of their resources; iii) hosting an Archive Study Day to bring together company archivists throughout the UK. Finally, team members will work with Nottinghamshire County Council to run two 'Knowledge Labs' to consider how this research might stimulate creative thinking about current issues facing the UK high street. Sessions will discuss not only how local growth is internationally informed, but also how international markets are heavily influenced by smaller local developments.
This pioneering research will appear in leading academic journals across the historical humanities and in a co-authored book. It will advance early career capacity by employing a full-time postdoctoral researcher, and provide additional opportunities for an already funded M4C doctoral student. Three interdisciplinary academic workshops will explore new perspectives on the internationalisation of the UK beauty and healthcare industries and will open the project to colleagues in geography, pharmacy, medicine, literature and linguistics.
The project team will showcase findings via an easily navigable website featuring information about the project, links to relevant resources and quarterly updated project stories, attractively illustrated with archival images. Some of these stories will be authored by the project team and some by 'citizen researchers'. These contributors will be identified through call outs via social media, Boots newsletters, and the local press, and might be local history enthusiasts, former Boots employees or business people reflecting on historical context. Additional outreach will include two pieces of popular history, a high-profile public exhibition, with a touring component and accompanying public talks, timed to coincide with Boots' 175th anniversary in 2024. A further outreach strategy targets professional archivists via three initiatives i) working with Boots Archive staff to help inform their cataloguing and digitisation strategies; ii) holding three innovative 'Archive Roadshows' where team members visit other significant business archives (Unilever, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis) to reflect on the usefulness and accessibility of their resources; iii) hosting an Archive Study Day to bring together company archivists throughout the UK. Finally, team members will work with Nottinghamshire County Council to run two 'Knowledge Labs' to consider how this research might stimulate creative thinking about current issues facing the UK high street. Sessions will discuss not only how local growth is internationally informed, but also how international markets are heavily influenced by smaller local developments.
Planned Impact
The research identifies three beneficiary groups in its impact strategy:
1) the general public (reached via a website, a public exhibition with touring component, two popular history pieces):
During year one University of Nottingham Information Services, in collaboration with the project team, will build and launch an attractive project website. Simplicity will guide design, with archive-sourced visuals acting as portals to project information, a newsfeed of planned activities, and research stories. News stories will be regularly updated and announced via a linked Twitter account. To integrate the community into its local heritage, some stories will be authored, with project team support, by 'citizen researchers' (such as local history enthusiasts or former Boots employees or customers) recruited via callouts in social media, Boots newsletters, and the local press.
A public exhibition, prominently showcased at the new Nottingham Central Library, and estimated to attract c.250,000 visitors during its four-month opening, will be rolled out to coincide with Boots' 175th anniversary. The exhibition, which has funding promised from Boots, will examine the international reach of, and international influences upon, this company in the development and reception of its beauty and healthcare provision. Three accompanying talks, pitched to non-specialists, will raise civic awareness about the international dimensions of this heritage story. A launch event for local dignitaries and media representatives, will be arranged to generate the widest possible publicity. After the exhibition, exhibition boards will tour three Nottinghamshire County Council libraries (Beeston, Arnold and Worksop) plus Nottingham Archives, with the team providing three more community focused educational talks for the council's library regeneration project.
Finally, two popular articles (The Conversation, History Today) will disseminate project findings to a wider public audience.
2) regional business leaders and economic development strategists (reached via two 'Knowledge Labs'):
In collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council, two 'Knowledge Labs' in years two and three (on 'manufacture' and 'retail', respectively), will bring the project team together with councillors and local industry leaders to feed into discussions concerning economic development and urban regeneration. Each event will address a practical question of contemporary relevance and will begin with a presentation by the project team of their research before progressing to open discussion and workshop activities. The goal is two-fold: to create a novel networking opportunity between councillors, academics and business representatives; and to encourage creative discussions over the use of companies' local and global histories in tackling challenges facing UK manufacturing and high-street retail.
3) professional archival staff (reached via four Boots Archive Strategy Meetings, three Business Archive Roadshows and one Business Archive Study Day):
Annual meetings with Boots Archive staff will allow staff to dialogue with the project team. These meetings will help the team better understand the challenges and priorities that archivists face, as well as issues unique to corporate archives. This model will be extended to other major business archives via three innovative 'Archive Roadshows' at Unilever (Port Sunlight), Marks and Spencer (Leeds) and John Lewis (Cookham). In each case, the aim is to exchange experiences and to discuss the tensions around academic collaborations and public engagement within a corporate archival environment. The project will culminate in a Business Archive Study Day at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 2024. This event will bring together UK company archivists, librarians and conservators to share experiences of reaching, retaining and collaborating with academic researchers. Findings will be published in ARC, the archivists' professional trade magazine.
1) the general public (reached via a website, a public exhibition with touring component, two popular history pieces):
During year one University of Nottingham Information Services, in collaboration with the project team, will build and launch an attractive project website. Simplicity will guide design, with archive-sourced visuals acting as portals to project information, a newsfeed of planned activities, and research stories. News stories will be regularly updated and announced via a linked Twitter account. To integrate the community into its local heritage, some stories will be authored, with project team support, by 'citizen researchers' (such as local history enthusiasts or former Boots employees or customers) recruited via callouts in social media, Boots newsletters, and the local press.
A public exhibition, prominently showcased at the new Nottingham Central Library, and estimated to attract c.250,000 visitors during its four-month opening, will be rolled out to coincide with Boots' 175th anniversary. The exhibition, which has funding promised from Boots, will examine the international reach of, and international influences upon, this company in the development and reception of its beauty and healthcare provision. Three accompanying talks, pitched to non-specialists, will raise civic awareness about the international dimensions of this heritage story. A launch event for local dignitaries and media representatives, will be arranged to generate the widest possible publicity. After the exhibition, exhibition boards will tour three Nottinghamshire County Council libraries (Beeston, Arnold and Worksop) plus Nottingham Archives, with the team providing three more community focused educational talks for the council's library regeneration project.
Finally, two popular articles (The Conversation, History Today) will disseminate project findings to a wider public audience.
2) regional business leaders and economic development strategists (reached via two 'Knowledge Labs'):
In collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council, two 'Knowledge Labs' in years two and three (on 'manufacture' and 'retail', respectively), will bring the project team together with councillors and local industry leaders to feed into discussions concerning economic development and urban regeneration. Each event will address a practical question of contemporary relevance and will begin with a presentation by the project team of their research before progressing to open discussion and workshop activities. The goal is two-fold: to create a novel networking opportunity between councillors, academics and business representatives; and to encourage creative discussions over the use of companies' local and global histories in tackling challenges facing UK manufacturing and high-street retail.
3) professional archival staff (reached via four Boots Archive Strategy Meetings, three Business Archive Roadshows and one Business Archive Study Day):
Annual meetings with Boots Archive staff will allow staff to dialogue with the project team. These meetings will help the team better understand the challenges and priorities that archivists face, as well as issues unique to corporate archives. This model will be extended to other major business archives via three innovative 'Archive Roadshows' at Unilever (Port Sunlight), Marks and Spencer (Leeds) and John Lewis (Cookham). In each case, the aim is to exchange experiences and to discuss the tensions around academic collaborations and public engagement within a corporate archival environment. The project will culminate in a Business Archive Study Day at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 2024. This event will bring together UK company archivists, librarians and conservators to share experiences of reaching, retaining and collaborating with academic researchers. Findings will be published in ARC, the archivists' professional trade magazine.
Organisations
- University of Nottingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- Unilever (Collaboration)
- Boots UK (Collaboration)
- University of Nottingham (Collaboration)
- University of Waikato (Collaboration)
- NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- John Lewis Partnership (Collaboration)
- University of Essex (Collaboration)
- Marks and Spencer (Collaboration)
- Marks and Spencer (Project Partner)
- Unilever UK & Ireland (Project Partner)
- John Lewis Partnership (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Boots Company plc (Project Partner)
- NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (Project Partner)
- Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries (Project Partner)
Publications
Anna Greenwood
(2023)
Ibuprofen: A discovery of global significance
Anna Greenwood
(2023)
Puncturing the rubber romance
Greenwood A
(2023)
A brief history of Britain's obsession with the hot water bottle
Hilary Ingram
(2023)
Go East Young Man
Hilary Ingram
(2023)
Ushering in the 'vitamin age' with cod liver oil
Hilary Ingram
(2023)
Boots in Fiji
Hornsey, R
(2024)
Lady Gay: Perfumed beauty products for Africa
| Title | Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots |
| Description | Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots was a free exhibition that ran for eleven weeks, from Friday 3 May to Sunday 21 July 2024, at the Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. Part design show, part social history, it explored the history of Boots and the changing high street shopping experience. Spanning three gallery rooms and drawing on historic objects, images, and architecture, visitors moved from the Victorian era to the dynamic retail landscape of the 1980s and beyond. The exhibition showcased how stores like Boots have adapted to shifting social needs, cultural aspirations, and patterns of everyday life, while also highlighting the company's international ventures. To support the exhibition and encourage opportunities for knowledge exchange, the project team led several exhibition-related engagement activities, including gallery tours, public talks, and creative writing and reminiscence seminars. Working closely with Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) and the Boots Archive team, the exhibition was one of the main community supported events within Boots 175th anniversary celebration. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | Counter Culture was the best-attended exhibition at Lakeside Arts since reopening following the Covid-19 lockdowns, with a total recorded attendance of 9,773 visitors. The exhibition was well received, generating dozens of enthusiastic comments collected through visitor guestbooks, social media, and film. Key audience groups included the general public, community organisations (e.g., Nottingham College, ChalleNGe Nottingham), as well as former and current employees of Boots. The exhibition also served as a backdrop for high-profile events, including an after-hours tour for members of Boots' senior executive, led by the Boots Archive team, Hornsey, Greenwood, and Ingram (15 May 2024), and the University of Nottingham Summer Civic Reception, hosted by Vice-Chancellor Shearer West, which welcomed senior representatives from Boots, Nottingham City Council, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and University of Nottingham faculty (11 June 2024). Boots' communications team produced a short video showcasing the exhibition, which was widely distributed across employee networks, broadening the exhibition's reach. Following its closure, Boots UK agreed to permanently house the exhibition at its headquarters in Beeston, furthering opportunities for employees and local community to engage with the company's history. The Boots Archive team is currently overseeing the transition to its new, permanent home. A selection of visitor comments are included and reflect the exhibition's impact: -- 8 May 2024 (guestbook): 'An excellent exhibition. It has relevance way beyond Nottingham, despite the particular links to this city. It encapsulates history of design, retail, and culture. It deserves extensive publicity and an accompanying publication. And chairs to make it more accessible for all those attending.'; --14 May 2024 (via 'X'): 'This is a brilliantly curated exhibition. A great mix of social history, healthcare development, and consumer culture through 175 years of Boots.'; -- 2 June 2024 (guestbook): 'Our second visit and will probably come back again with our grandchildren. Excellent, informative, brilliant videos. Thank you.'; -- 11 June 2024 (guestbook): 'Very interesting exhibition. Have worked for Boots for many years and still learning new things'; -- 10 July 2024 (guestbook): 'Really interesting and a great legacy for the area-should be permanently somewhere.'; -- 19 July 2024 (via 'X'): 'Counter Culture: 175 years of shopping at Boots @LakesideArts-I knew about many of the things @BootsUK used to be involved in/sell... but cafes and the Boots Booklovers' Library (most popular in the 1930s) in an attempt to make the stores a leisure destination? Blimey!'; -- Undated (guestbook): 'I've learned so much today!! This exhibition has changed the way I see 'Boots' as a brand and will definitely change my next visit to a store. Well done!' |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/exhibitions/event/5987/counter-culture.html |
| Description | This award has provided the opportunity to craft new historical understandings of Boots The Chemists, Britain's largest chain pharmacy. Through archival research conducted at the Boots archive, Nottingham, and also in a number of major international locations where Boots had a presence (India, New Zealand, Fiji), the team have pieced together for the first time the little-known international history of the Boots company between c.1920-1975. Not only will this provide important new insights for historians of business, but it will also help colonial and global historians to better understand the functioning of a quotidian business during British imperialism. All research objectives as outlined in the original application were met, although as the final monograph will be longer than anticipated, we will deliver it along with two articles, rather than the originally proposed three articles. The resulting monograph (due 2026) and two articles (due 2025 and 2026) will transform understandings of British retail overseas, while also revealing how the international and imperial contexts and expectations shaped home retail practices. |
| Exploitation Route | It is anticipated that the research will be of key interest to social and cultural historians, historians of business, historians of pharmacy, and imperial historians-providing them with a vital springboard for further research. |
| Sectors | Education Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.overtheglobalcounter.com |
| Description | Our project exhibition 'Counter Culture' has enhanced the visibility and usefulness of the Boots' archival collection to the Boots company. The project received high numbers of visitors from the public, but also promoted the collection to company executives, many of whom had not been aware of its significance and reach. Subsequently our exhibition was the site for two Boots' staff away days and a number of Boots' civic and company receptions. Our exhibition highlighted to the company how important their archive collections were and the role this could play in improving Boots brand image and company reputation, both in Nottingham and beyond. Since the exhibition closed in 2024, discussions are at an advanced stage for making it the basis of a permanent collection on the Boots main site in Beeston, Nottingham. Effective collaboration between our team of academic historians and the company archivists has also led to positive working relationships and future collaborations going forward, such as that proposed between Hornsey and Clapp on curating practises since Covid-19. Furthermore, the good practices and the transparent and open sharing of information between academics and archivists learnt through our engagement with the Boots archive has opened up our productive discussions with other business archive managers, helping them to reflect on their own archiving practices, their strategic positioning within the industries that employ them and successful engagement with academic partners, as well as the public. Furthermore, the exhibition has raised the profile of Boots as a local heritage brand who are engaged with the community to the general public. The touring component of the exhibition, furthermore, allowed the project's research to be introduced to communities beyond the city centre. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Description | AHRC Impact Accelerator Account - Nottingham |
| Amount | £607,329 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/X003027/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | Claire Tunstall, Global Head of Art, Archives and Records Management, Unilever |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Greenwood, Hornsey, Ingram, and Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) met with Katherine Carter (Company Archivist, The M&S Company Archive), Claire Tunstall (Global Head of Art, Archives and Records Management, Unilever) in May 2022 to discuss plans for the Business Archive Roadshow half day sessions with M&S and Unilever. Dr Alix Green (University of Essex) will also participate in future roadshow planning as her interests are allied. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Carter and Tunstall are both enthusiastic about the aims of the Business Archive Roadshow events. The roadshows will be bespoke and tailored to what best supports the local archive visited. Roadshow sessions will help feed into Business Archive Day planning. Event topics Carter and Tunstall were especially interested in pursuing included curation for the future (i.e. digital age, covid implications), ways of workshopping/running events for experimental collaboration and engaging with local communities. In August 2023, Hornsey and Dr Alix Green met with Claire Tunstall, Helen Unsworth (Archives and Records Manager) and other UARM staff at Port Sunlight. Hornsey, Green and Tunstall discussed ways UARM supports audience engagement and academic collaboration while balancing the demands of an active corporate archive. Tunstall advised Hornsey to contact Professor Iain Jackson (University of Liverpool) as he is currently working directly with UARM as PI on Leverhulme-funded project, 'The Architecture of the United Africa Company: Building Mercantile West Africa' (Tunstall is a named CI on the project). Horney met with Professor Jackson on 6 Sep 2023 and Jackson agreed to contribute to the Business Archive Study Day in 2025. Green and Tunstall also committed to ongoing collaboration for the event. |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Dr Alix Green, University of Essex |
| Organisation | University of Essex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| PI Contribution | Hornsey and Dr Alix Green (University of Essex) met on 26 September 2022 to discuss Green's research interests and work with UK business archives. Hornsey met again with Dr Green on 18 May 2023 to discuss ongoing collaboration and both agreed to keep working together. Hornsey and Green held the first joint Business Archive Roadshow with Unilever at Port Sunlight on 14 August 2023. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Hornsey and Green maintain ongoing communication. Green will participate in the Business Archive Roadshows due to her involvement with all three archives (Unilever, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis). In March 2025, Hornsey and Green co-presented at History and Archives in Practice 2025 at Senate House, London, contributing to a roundtable discussion on business archives with Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots), Michael Anson (Archive Manager, Bank Of England) and Sara Kinsey (Head of Historical Archives, Nationwide Building Society). |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Dr Maebh Long, University of Waikato |
| Organisation | University of Waikato |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Ingram met with Dr Maebh Long (Senior Lecturer, English, University of Waikato) in Hamilton in April 2023 to discuss shared research interests, respective research projects, and the potential for future collaboration. Dr Long met Greenwood in Nottingham in July 2023. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Long has been supportive of the project, meeting to discuss developing research with Greenwood and Ingram, and by encouraging opportunities to develop research further (ex. collaboration on ACLA panel). There is potential for future follow on research and/or project-focused collaboration. |
| Impact | In March 2024, Ingram presented a research paper at the 'Narratives of Immunity' seminar, which was co-convened by Long, at the American Comparative Literature Association annual meeting in Montreal, Canada. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Judy Faraday, Manager, Heritage Services, John Lewis Partnership Heritage Centre |
| Organisation | John Lewis Partnership |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Hornsey met with Judy Faraday (Manager, Heritage Services, John Lewis Partnership Heritage Centre) on 17 June 2022 to discuss how the project might collaborate on an Business Archive Roadshow event with John Lewis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Faraday is happy to host an archive roadshow event in 2024. The roadshows will be bespoke and tailored to what best supports the local archive visited. Roadshow sessions will help feed into Business Archive Day planning. Faraday would like to explore in discussion how companies can engage academics and convey business priorities through their archives. She recommended that Hornsey reach out to Dr Alix Green (University of Essex), as Green's work is closely aligned with roadshow research interests. |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Katherine Carter, Company Archivist, The M&S Company Archive |
| Organisation | Marks and Spencer |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Greenwood, Hornsey, Ingram, and Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) met with Katherine Carter (Company Archivist, The M&S Company Archive), Claire Tunstall (Global Head of Art, Archives and Records Management, Unilever) in May 2022 to discuss plans for the Business Archive Roadshow half day sessions with M&S and Unilever. Dr Alix Green, University of Essex, will also participate in future roadshow planning as her interests are allied. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Carter and Tunstall are both enthusiastic about the aims of the Business Archive Roadshow events. The roadshows will be bespoke and tailored to what best supports the local archive visited. Roadshow sessions will help feed into Business Archive Day planning. Event topics Carter and Tunstall were especially interested in pursuing included curation for the future (i.e. digital age, covid implications), ways of workshopping/running events for experimental collaboration and engaging with local communities. |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Nottingham Central Library |
| Organisation | Nottingham City Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Ongoing discussions in 2021-23 with Ron Inglis (Chief Operating Officer (Museums)) and Lynda Naylor (Library Development Officer) regarding the project's planned exhibition. Hornsey has followed up several times with Naylor about ongoing delays to the Central Library opening but a confirmed date when the exhibition space will be ready has not been available. The refurbished Central Library is now slated to open in summer 2023, but we have been told the exhibition space may be delayed further. The project has consulted with project partners involved in the exhibition and has moved the planned exhibition date to 2025 to accommodate these delays. If the Central Library exhibition space is not confirmed by the end 2023, we will have to find a new exhibition venue - independent of Central Library - in order to provide exhibition consultants enough lead time (approx. 12 mos. required) to support design and planning of the designated space. March 2024 update: Nottingham Central Library has opened, but securing sufficient exhibition space remained a challenge. Sophie Clapp approached Neil Walker, Head of Visual Arts Programming at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, who agreed to support an exhibition in 2024, coinciding with Boots' 175th anniversary. This aligns with our original plan of having the exhibition fall within the 175th anniversary year. Planning and preparation for the exhibition 'Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots' to be held at Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham from 4 May - 21 July 2024 has been ongoing since August 2023. Lima Design has been hired to support exhibition design and execution within the short timeframe. The project will continue to work with Inspire: Culture, Learning, and Libraries to bring a traveling exhibition to Nottinghamshire libraries following the 2024 showcase. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Lynda Naylor has kept Richard Hornsey informed about Central Library building delays. Building works to Central Library were delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Professor Stanley Chapman, retired University of Nottingham business historian |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Meeting between Greenwood and Hornsey with Professor (Emeritus) Stanley Chapman, retired business historian from the University of Nottingham who has written the most extensively on Jesse Boot and the Boots company. Greenwood and Hornsey met with Chapman in Nottingham on 25 October 2022 to talk about the current research project and discuss ways Chapman might be able to support the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Chapman has provided access to notes and materials he has collected over the years on Boots' international operations and is open to being contacted in future to support research and/or the upcoming project exhibition. |
| Impact | Pending |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive, Boots UK |
| Organisation | Boots UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Greenwood, Hornsey, and Ingram meet regularly with Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) as part of monthly project management meetings. Ingram has worked closely with Clapp to explore relevant archival collections within the Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) Archive to identify material for research production, the exhibition, and the project website. Ingram has been able to support the WBA catalogue, flagging edits to catalogue entries when additional information is located. Ingram has also produced thematic lists relevant to the project research areas, drilling down to individual files and images, that, in turn, provide WBA staff with finding aids that can support more detailed international histories and inform decolonising strategies for the archive. Greenwood, Hornsey, and Ingram have all collaborated on project-oriented engagement workshops and talks alongside WBA staff. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) and her team at the Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive have been close research and engagement partners since the project commenced. Clapp is a part of all monthly project management meetings and has supported Ingram in sourcing relevant research materials within the Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive (WBA), notifying of new finds and additions when relevant. The WBA team has helped scan and secure permissions for archive images to be viewed on the project website. The WBA staff have been integral partners in developing and supporting the upcoming project exhibition. Clapp continues to advise on all aspects of the project exhibition and is a key support for initiatives like the Counter Culture exhibition, Business Archive Roadshows, and workshops with Boots brand managers. Greenwood, Hornsey, and Ingram have all collaborated on project-oriented engagement workshops and talks alongside WBA staff. |
| Impact | Collaboration has been frequent and diverse, encompassing a wide range of activities, including but not limited to: -- Exhibition planning meetings with Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive staff (12 Sep 2023, 21 Sep 2023, 1 Nov 2023, 15 Dec 2023, 9 Jan 2024, 16 Jan 2024, 17 Jan 2024, 22 Jan 2024, 13 Feb 2024, 15 Feb 2024, 11 Mar 2024, 13 Mar 2024, 14 Mar 2024, 2 Apr 2024, 9 Apr 2024, 10 Apr 2024, 12 Apr 2024, and 15 Apr 2024); planning meetings with representatives from the Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive, Neil Walker (Head of Visual Arts Programming, Djanogly Gallery), Martyn Johnson (Lima Studio), and Lindsey McGirk (Lima Studio) (14 Sep 2023, 20 Sep 2023, 13 Oct 2023, 7 Nov 2023, 6 Dec 2023, 4 Jan 2024, 12 Jan 2024, 5 Feb 2024, 6 Feb 2024, 8 Feb 2024, 21 Mar 2024, and 9 Apr 2024); planning meetings with Sophie Clapp and representatives from Boots UK's senior leadership (2 Oct 2023, 8 Jan 2024, 9 Feb 2024, 25 Mar 2024, and 23 Apr 2024) -- Roundtable discussion for Business Archives Council with Michael Anson, Sophie Clapp, Alix Green, Richard Hornsey, and Sara Kinsey, History and Archives in Practice, Senate House, London, 5 March 2025; -- A Telepresence Robot Tour at the Djanogly Gallery' video presentation at MuseumNext Digital Exhibition Summit co-presented with Richard Solly, Gisela Reyes Cruz, Richard Hornsey, and Sophie Clapp, 16-17 December 2024; -- Workshop presentation and discussion with Boots' US No7 brand team about the history of the No7 range, Richard Hornsey, Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive, Nottingham, 3 October 2023; -- 'The Foundations of 17', workshop for Boots' Retail Own Brand Cosmetics and Haircare team, co-designed and co-run with Jack Moss (CDA PhD student), Richard Hornsey, and Sophie Clapp, Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive, Nottingham, 16 February 2023; -- 'Boots from Local to Global', Beeston and District Civic Society, Anna Greenwood, Heritage Open Day, Nottingham, 14 September 2022; -- 'Chemists to the Nation, Pharmacy to the World: Boots the Chemists from Local to Global', half day event for Nottingham Local History Society, co-run by Anna Greenwood and Sophie Clapp, University of Nottingham, 12 March 2022; -- Support with WBA images for project website, overtheglobalcounter.com Additional outcomes pending. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | 'Meet Health Historian Anna Greenwood', The Heart of the Matter podcast, 2 May 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Anna Greenwood appeared on Heart of the Matter - A Health Humanities Podcast, with her episode launching on 2 May 2023. The episode discussed Greenwood's specialisation in health history, her advocacy for interdisciplinary collaboration in the humanities, and her tenure as a visiting fellow at the Humanities Research Centre at Australian National University (ANU) in February-March 2023. The podcast, affiliated in part with ANU, strives to enrich comprehension of cardiac health and wellbeing by fostering dialogue and innovation across various disciplines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/heart-of-the-matter-a-health-humanities-podcast/id1621000554 |
| Description | 'Over the Global Counter' social media account on 'X' (Twitter) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Launching an X/Twitter account in spring 2023 has amplified opportunities to connect with a broader audience and promote the project and website. Through this platform, regular updates are shared about website content, research highlights, calls for papers, and information about team members' research and engagement activities. The updates and subsequent reposts have helped spread the word about project events and gradually attracted new followers. This increased visibility has led to follow-up communications directly through the platform or via email, with contacts referencing posts. We have also used the platform, alongside the project website, to facilitate introductions while traveling, resulting in valuable opportunities to interview former employees from international subsidiaries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024,2025 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/OTglobalcounter |
| Description | 'The Foundations of 17', workshop for Boots' Retail Own Brand Cosmetics and Haircare team, co-designed and co-run with Jack Moss (CDA PhD student), Richard Hornsey, and Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots), Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive, Nottingham, 16 February 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This workshop, based on Jack Moss's research for his PhD, was an experiment in how to use the Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive's objects and images to open up a mutually beneficial discussion between Boots beauty brand managers and academic researchers. The idea was to move beyond the normal dissemination model, whereby Jack would have delivered his findings through a conventional presentation. Instead, object and images from the launch of the '17' cosmetic range were the focus of an open dialogue between current branding practices and historical findings, allowing the two to inform and develop each other. There is opportunity for additional sessions with Boots brand leaders, targeted to '17' specifically (i.e. Jack Moss to conduct oral histories with former '17' dedicated shop assistants), as well as international histories of Boots (i.e. product, brand, company operations). Quote from Philippa Norris, Product Manager - Retail Own Brand Cosmetics and Haircare: 'The session with Jack was really insightful and great to see how 17 has evolved through the years. It was also great to see it vs 17 today and that they aren't too dissimilar, which could be one of the reasons why it's being shopped by that nostalgic customer! One thing that really stuck with me, which we have been having conversations about is the 17 salesgirls, we are really keen to get a 17 advisor in store and I think bringing that back would be amazing. There was a lot of food for thought for us as a product team for future projects and NPD, I hope we were as helpful to you as you were to us. Thank you ' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Anna Greenwood with Sophie Clapp 'Chemists to the Nation, Pharmacy to the World: Boots the Chemists from Local to Global', Nottingham Local History Society, University of Nottingham, 12 March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A public half day event co-led with project partner Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots). The event has led to further opportunities introduce the project and share early research findings locally. Greenwood was invited to give an associated talk with the Beeston and District Civic Society at the 2022 Heritage Open Day (14 September). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/history/news-and-events/local-history-seminars.a... |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'A Historian's Vision of the Applied Medical Humanities: History for Health and Wellbeing', Australian National University, 18-19 November 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Greenwood was invited to speak at the two-day interdisciplinary conference, 'Visualising the Medical Humanities: Reflections and Conclusions', hosted by the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra on 18-19 November 2024. Approximately 60 people, including academics, artists, clinicians, and public sector employees, attended her in-person talk, 'A Historian's Vision of the Applied Medical Humanities: History for Health and Wellbeing'. Her participation builds on her 2023 Humanities Research Centre Fellowship at ANU and her ongoing involvement with the ANU Health Humanities Network. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'A bit of a pickle really': Boots the Chemists in Fiji, 1944-1964', Department of History, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 31 March 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Greenwood delivered an invited research talk to an audience of 18 individuals, comprising faculty and students from USP, as well as members of the public. Following the presentation, conversations have continued. Several USP faculty provided valuable recommendations and advice on how best to support research efforts in Suva and Greenwood has remained in contact with members from the Department of History. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'Boots from Local to Global', Beeston and District Civic Society, Heritage Open Day, Nottingham, 14 September 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A research-led project discussion, with Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) assisting by providing objects and visuals from the Boots archive collections to encourage discussion. The event has increased public awareness for the project regionally and has led to several members of the public sharing their experiences with the project team of working at Boots in the 1960s-80s. Members of the public have signed up to our project mailing list and there is the possibility of conducting oral histories in future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://beestoncivicsociety.org.uk/heritage-open-days/ |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'Over the Global Counter: Boots and the British Empire', Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 2 July 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | At the third of four public talks linked to the Counter Culture exhibition, Greenwood spoke to 142 registered attendees, exploring how Boots engaged with the Empire through its home stores, international wholesaling, and research networks. The talk was followed by an audience Q&A. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/over-the-global-counter/ |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'Over the Global Counter: Boots the Chemists in New Zealand and Fiji, 1936-1964', Australian National University and online, 1 March 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The invited research talk drew an attendance of approximately 60 individuals, mainly comprising ANU staff and students, along with a few members of the public. The event was also broadcast online via Zoom, attracting online attendees from Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Engaging discussion ensued, and after the talk, several attendees shared personal memories related to shopping and working with the Boots branch in Fiji. Three individuals have agreed to be interviewed for the project as a result. Efforts to follow up with these contacts and requests for additional interviews with members of the public are ongoing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://rsss.cass.anu.edu.au/events/over-global-counter-boots-chemists-new-zealand-and-fiji-1936-196... |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, 'Western medicine in the modern age', The Nottingham Mechanics, 27 January 2023. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Anna Greenwood spoke on 'Western medicine in the modern age' for the Nottingham-based adult education charity, Nottingham Mechanics Institute, on 27 January 2023. The event was in-person only, with approximately 40 people attending. Greenwood spoke, in part, about the project and there is potential for further collaboration with the organisation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, Global Histories of Drugs: Why, and what next?, British Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and via Zoom, 6 October 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 40 members of the public, students and academics attended from London (UK), Madison (Wisconsin, USA), and via Zoom. Ongoing discussion and continued collaboration with Dr Lucas Richert and his team at Wisconsin-Madison followed afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://pureportal.strath.ac.uk/en/activities/global-histories-of-drugs-why-and-what-next |
| Description | Anna Greenwood, Head judge for Historical Association's Great Debate Competition (East Midlands heat), 15 January 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Greenwood was invited by the Historical Association to serve as head judge for the East Midlands heat of their Great Debate Competition, hosted at Nottingham High School. The event involved 18 student participants (aged 16-19) representing four regional schools. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Article in The Conversation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Greenwood, Hornsey and Ingram co-authored an article for The Conversation about the history of the hot water bottle. The article was published online on 28 December 2023 and, as of March 2024, has been engaged with just over 8500 times. Half of the article readership is based in the UK, and the rest are international. Following the publication, Ingram was invited speak more about the article in a radio interview for ABC's 'Overnights' show (Australia). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-britains-obsession-with-the-hot-water-bottle-219852 |
| Description | Exhibition, Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots, Boots 'Away Day' workshops (4 July, 9 July, and 18 July 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Current Boots employees were a key audience for the Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots exhibition at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. Many staff members made their way from Boots' headquarters at Beeston to visit the exhibition. Sophie Clapp, Tom Bell, and Judith Wright from the Boots Archive regularly facilitated gallery tours for departmental teams and visiting affiliates. Additionally, Helen Foster (IAA PDRA) coordinated three away days (4 July 2024, 9 July 2024, and 18 July 2024) for department teams. Boots staff from Digital Marketing (20), Operations (5), and In-Store Marketing (15) explored the exhibition at their own pace before participating in a series of creative and team-building exercises led by Foster that were inspired by the exhibition. Staff members who attended the away days shared positive feedback, highlighting how the experience encouraged reflection, creativity, and a deeper connection to Boots' history and heritage. 'Had a great day with the team today', one away day participant wrote: 'We tapped into our creativeness - which we didn't even know we had! We spent some time looking around archives too so all in all a really informative and creative day!' Others shared how they left 'reflecting on retail and how it's changed over the years', 'feeling proud of our brand', 'taking loads of creative ideas away', while enjoying time spent together as a team. A member of the Operations team described the day as 'brilliant', commenting that the team 'bravely immersed ourselves in a creating writing workshop.who said that Operations people can't be creative!'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Exhibition, Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots, Gallery Tours (18 May, 6 June, 6 July, 18 July 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Lakeside Arts advertised four gallery tours for members of the public over the duration of the Counter Culture exhibition residency (18 May, 6 June, 6 July, and 18 July 2024). These ticketed events were offered alongside private tours led by project team members and/or the Boots Archive team partners to accommodate interest groups and support specialised events. Tour numbers ranged from 20 participants (18 May) to 35 (18 July), totalling approximately 100 attendees across all four tours. Each tour introduced visitors to key objects, themes, and stories within the exhibition, with a different team member leading each session to provide varied perspectives. The tour sparked many questions, discussion, and shared reminiscences both during and following the gallery walkthrough. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/counter-culture-gallery-tours/ |
| Description | Exhibition, Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots, Make-Up Challenge, 12 June 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Helen Foster (IAA PDRA) helped organise a half-day 'Make-up Challenge' event in collaboration with the Hair and Beauty Department at Nottingham College. Approximately 20 students participated, meeting at Lakeside Arts to recreate historical looks inspired by the Boots Archive within the gallery space. As part of the challenge, students were also tasked with designing a second look that was more future-forward while still drawing inspiration from their chosen time period. Students described the experience as 'positive', and 'exciting', while also noting the pressure of having visitors observe their work-in-progress as they walked through the gallery. A couple students commented that the archive pictures inspired further research into earlier periods, to better understand the differences in the make-up and how it was used. The tutor praised the event, stating, 'It was a really good experience for the students... They all prepared for it, did their drawings, and researched images to create their looks. I'm really pleased.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Exhibition, Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots, Talking Shop workshops (22 May, 28 May, 29 May, 20 June, 10 July, 13 July 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Helen Foster (IAA PDRA) led a series of 'Talking Shop' workshop events. Most sessions took place at Lakeside Arts in the Djanogly Gallery or the adjacent Learning Studio (28 May 2024, 29 May 2024, 20 June 2024, 10 July 2024). Two Talking Shop events were held off-site (22 May 2024 at Age Concern Carlton and 13 July 2024 at QMC Specialist Dementia Ward, Nottingham). Each session welcomed between 4 and 20 participants, with a total of 65 people taking part. The workshops encouraged participants to share personal stories, reminisce, and reflect on how high street shopping has evolved over time. Participants were also invited to imagine the 'shop of the future' and what it might look like. For the off-site sessions, reminiscence kits provided by the Boots Archive helped spark connections and facilitate discussions about the past. These were well received and highlighted the valuable role that the Boots Archive - and similar archival collections - can play in supporting people with dementia. Most participants at the Lakeside Arts sessions were locally retired seniors, many of whom had worked for Boots in some capacity during their lifetime, offering valuable firsthand insights. Several agreed to be interviewed by the project team to support future research. Talking Shop provided a meaningful space for reflection, conversation, and community, with some participants expressing surprise at how deeply connected they felt to Boots as a trusted and familiar store, as well as a local institution. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/talking-shop/ |
| Description | Exhibition, Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots, Writing Shop (1 June, 8 June, 16 June, 22 June 2024) and Writing Apothecary workshops (29 June, 6 July, 14 July, 21 July 2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Helen Foster (IAA PDRA) facilitated a series of 'Writing Shop' (1 June 2024, 8 June 2024, 16 June 2024, 22 June 2024) and 'Writing Apothecary' workshops (29 June 2024, 6 July 2024, 14 July 2024, 21 July 2024) during the Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots exhibition at the Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. The workshops were open to all but required advance registration, with attendance ranging from 1 to 10 participants per session and a total of 38 attendees across all sessions. Both Writing Shop and Writing Apothecary encouraged participants to engage in creative writing through spontaneous exercises inspired by prompts from the Boots Archive. These prompts drew from a variety of sources, including quotes, images, and historical objects. Writing Shop sessions were structured around a specific theme (e.g., Beauty, Tonic, Everyday), while Writing Apothecary supported a more free-form approach, allowing participants to explore free-writing techniques while reflecting on writing as a restorative practice to promote well-being. Several participants noted that they had never used archives or artefacts as inspiration for writing before and expressed interest in further exploring this approach. One workshop attendee shared in their feedback: 'I'm amazed and delighted by how powerful the artefacts have been in revisiting memories and emotions-a perfect way to spark creativity fascinating to see the exhibition and observe how much Boots has influenced cosmetics and pharmaceuticals'. Another commented: 'The exhibition and prompts brought back a lot of memories of seeing Boots products on my mother's dressing table-No7 creams, etc. I enjoyed playing with words and learning new ones'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/the-writing-apothecary/ |
| Description | Hilary Ingram, 'Dispensing Down Under: Shopping at Boots in New Zealand and Fiji', Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 4 June 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Ingram presented the second of four public talks for the Counter Culture exhibition at Lakeside Arts, telling the story of Boots' retail ventures in New Zealand and Fiji. 126 registered attendees came to the mid-day session, which concluded with a Q&A discussion. The audience was friendly and interested in the history, waiting around to talk and ask further questions one-on-one following the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/dispensing-down-under/ |
| Description | Hilary Ingram, 'Exploring the International History of Boots the Chemists', Nottingham History Festival, May 2022 (and ongoing online) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Ingram provided an invited online introduction to the project that continues to be featured on the University of Nottingham's History Festival website. The University of Nottingham's History Festival is for meant or anyone interested in history including students (undergraduates and postgraduates), families and the general public. This video has directly led to members of the public reaching out to the project team, interested in being placed on our project mailing list and participating in future events. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/history/news-and-events/history-festival.aspx |
| Description | Interview on BBC Nottingham radio, 3 May 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey was interviewed on BBC Nottingham Radio to discuss the opening of the Counter Culture exhibition at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. The segment aired at 17:00 on 3 May 2024 to an audience of 59,000, with shorter clips subsequently repeated to promote the exhibition and encourage public attendance. Several visitors later commented that they became aware of the exhibition and decided to visit after hearing the radio segment or seeing the related television feature on BBC News. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Interview/exhibition features in print and online media |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey, alongside project partner and Boots Company Archivist Sophie Clapp, was interviewed for a BBC Nottinghamshire website article about the opening of the Counter Culture exhibition at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. As the exhibition progressed, additional media outlets requested information and commentary. The exhibition was featured in several print and online publications, including: -- University of Nottingham (3 May 2024) - Counter Culture Exhibition: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots (https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/counter-culture-exhibition-175-years-of-shopping-at-boots?utm); -- The Notts Edit (4 May 2024) - Counter Culture at Lakeside Arts (https://www.thenottsedit.com/p/counter-culture-lakeside-arts-boots); -- Chemist and Druggist (17 May 2024) - Counter Culture: Boots Launches Exhibition to Celebrate 175th Birthday (https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD138192/Counter-culture-Boots-launches-exhibition-to-celebrate-175th-birthday); -- Global Media Centre (17 May 2024) - The Evolution of High Street Health and Beauty: 175 Years of Boots (https://www.globalmediacentre.com/news/evolution-high-street-health-and-beauty-175-years-boots); -- The Mirror (19 May 2024) - The Boots Chemist That Gave Us Ibuprofen and No7 (https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/boots-chemist-gave-ibuprofen-no7-32845182); -- ITN Business (24 May 2024) - Boots Celebrates 175 Years of Service and Innovation in the UK (https://business.itn.co.uk/boots-celebrates-175-years-of-service-and-innovation-in-the-uk/); -- Nottingham Post (26 May 2024) - Boots Exhibition Celebrates Shoppers' Iconic Retailer (https://www.nottinghampost.com/whats-on/boots-exhibition-celebrates-shoppers-iconic-930631); -- Nottingham Post (27 May 2024) - Inside the Boots Exhibition Exploring 175 Years of Retail (https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/history/gallery/inside-boots-exhibition-exploring-175-9306348); -- CBJ Magazine [Nottingham Trent] (31 May 2024) - Helping 'Peer and Peasant' Alike: The 175-Year Legacy of Boots (https://cbjmagazine.co.uk/2024/05/31/helping-peer-and-peasant-alike-the-175-year-legacy-of-boots-as-celebrated-at-lakeside-arts-nottingham/); -- Ireland Live (13 June 2024) - Boots' Longest-Serving No7 Adviser, 84, Reflects on 55 Years in Retail (https://www.ireland-live.ie/news/quirky/1528185/boots-longest-serving-no7-adviser-84-says-customers-did-not-understand-how-cream-worked-when-she-started-55-years-ago.html); -- Voice Magazine (14 July 2024) - Review of 175 Years of Boots Exhibition: Counter Culture (https://www.voicemag.uk/review/13836/review-of-175-years-of-boots-exhibition-counter-culture) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68936424 |
| Description | Jack Moss, 'Boots the chemist, shoplifting and the Bristol Experiment: cutting retail crime in the post-war era, 1960-1971', Regional History Centre, University of the West of England, Local History Talks, 16 November 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Jack Moss delivered an online talk on "Boots the chemist, shoplifting, and the Bristol Experiment: cutting retail crime in the post-war era, 1960-1971" as part of the local history series organised by the Regional History Centre at the University of the West of England (UWE), in partnership with Bristol Museums. The event was free and open to all, with students as well as members of the general public attending. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://regionalhistorianuwe.org/seminar-series/ |
| Description | Jack Moss, 'The Story of Boots' 17: Selling Cosmetics to the Post-War Teenager', Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 9 May 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Jack Moss (CDA PhD student) delivered the first of four public talks at the Djanogly Theatre as part of the Counter Culture exhibition. The mid-day talk attracted 113 registered attendees and featured an engaging Q&A session with active audience participation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/the-story-of-boots-17/ |
| Description | Project website, overtheglobalcounter.com |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The website is one of the primary ways we publicly promote the project, used in conjunction with our growing 'X'/'Twitter' social media profile, with project and event information regularly added and updated. Visually engaging and archival focused 'stories' are targeted towards general readers, with additional stories to be added over time. The website was launched in summer 2023 and, as of March 2025, has received over 1600 views to date. The team has used the project website and social media to support introductions while travelling for research and have received positive feedback about the website stories section. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | http://overtheglobalcounter.com |
| Description | Radio interview for ABC 'Overnights' (Australia) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Following the publication of a joint-authored article on the history of the hot water bottle in The Conversation, Ingram was invited to participate in a radio interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's national 'Overnights' show in January 2024. Hosted by Ashwin Segkar, the live conversation aired nationwide and internationally online. Although precise listener numbers are challenging to determine, Hannah Severyn (Media Relations Manager, University of Nottingham) confirmed that the interview was broadcast three times across 15 ABC regions. Listener data was only available to Nottingham for two of the 15 ABC regions, where over 10,000 listeners tuned in. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Richard Hornsey, 'The Coming of the Chains How 'Multiple' Stores Changed the Way we Shop', Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, 16 July 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey delivered the final talk in the public lecture series at the Djanogly Theatre in support of the Counter Culture exhibition at Lakeside Arts. 158 people registered to attend the session and concluded with an engaging Q&A. Attendance grew with each talk, with some audience members returning for all four. Audience feedback throughout the series was highly positive, and follow-up discussions with the project team provided valuable insights that has helped shape publication outputs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/event/the-coming-of-the-chains/ |
| Description | Richard Hornsey, co-presentation with Michael Anson, Alix Green, Sophie Clapp, and Sara Kinsey, History and Archives in Practice, Senate House, London, 5 March 2025 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | In November 2024, following individual meetings with Tamara Thornhill (Corporate Archivist, TfL) and Michael Anson (Archive Manager, Bank of England), and as part of an ongoing research collaboration with Alix Green (University of Essex), Hornsey was invited to participate in the Business Archive Council's roundtable, 'Telling Stories In and For the Business', at the History and Archives in Practice event at Senate House on 5 March 2025. Hornsey co-presented alongside Anson, Green, Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots), and Sara Kinsey (Head of Historical Archives, Nationwide Building Society). History and Archives in Practice is an annual event that brings archivists and historians together to explore shared interests, including collection access, archival interpretation, and dissemination. The session was attended by 40 people, primarily academics and professional archivists. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Richard Hornsey, video presentation with Richard Solly, Gisela Reyes Cruz, and Sophie Clapp, MuseumNext Digital Exhibitions Summit, Online, 16-17 December 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Following a successful collaboration to introduce robot-guided tours to the Counter Culture: 175 Years of Shopping at Boots exhibition in July 2024, Richard Solly (Robotics for Good), Dr. Gisela Reyes Cruz (Computer Science, University of Nottingham), Hornsey, and Sophie Clapp (Company Archivist, Boots) participated in the MuseumNext Digital Exhibitions Summit in December 2024. Their video presentation, 'A Telepresence Robot Tour at the Djanogly Gallery', was featured at the conference, which attracted 948 registered attendees representing museums and exhibition spaces worldwide. Reflecting on the event, Solly expressed enthusiasm for the presentation, emphasising that the 'video footage presented is a valuable asset for Robotics For Good CIC to use as part of a case study, demonstrating the type of robotic solutions we can create as a company. We hope this will lead to further projects of a similar nature in the future and support our growth as a company'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.museumnext.com/events/digital-exhibitions-summit/speakers/profile/dr-richard-hornsey/ |
| Description | Television interview in exhibition story, BBC1 East Midlands - BBC London News, 6 May 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey, alongside Boots Company Archivist Sophie Clapp, was interviewed for a segment on BBC1 East Midlands - BBC London News to mark the opening of the Counter Culture exhibition at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham. The segment aired at 18:56 on 6 May 2024, reaching a total viewership of 687,000. Several visitors later mentioned that they became aware of the exhibition and decided to visit after seeing the television feature or hearing the related BBC radio clip. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | University of Nottingham/University of Adelaide Health Humanities showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey presented the project to 25 colleagues from the University of Adelaide and the University of Nottingham as part of a collaborative showcase highlighting Health Humanities initiatives at both institutions. The presentations, conducted via Teams on 11 Oct 2023, revolved around the theme of 'Health Humanities / Intelligent Health,' with colleagues sharing insights into their recent research endeavours to foster opportunities for cross-collaboration. Greenwood, Hornsey and Ingram are building connections with colleagues in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, paving the way for potential future project-oriented collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit to Unilever (Business Archive Roadshow) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In August 2023, Hornsey and Dr. Alix Green (University of Essex) met with Claire Tunstall, Helen Unsworth (Archives and Records Manager, Unilever) and other UARM staff at Port Sunlight. They toured the 'Discovery Centre' and explored UARM's new website and online catalogue. Later, Hornsey, Green and Tunstall discussed ways UARM supports audience engagement and academic collaboration while balancing the demands of an active corporate archive. They discussed prospective thematic strands for the 2025 Business Archive Study Day, such as curation for the future, increasing archive visibility (internally/externally), developing an audience engagement strategy, collaborating with external stakeholders, and engaging local communities. Tunstall reaffirmed her willingness to support the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Workshop 1: Everyday Rituals in the British Empire and After, University of Nottingham, 2 June 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The first of three academic workshops organised by the project was held on 2 June 2023 at the University of Nottingham. While the focus was primarily research-driven, with participants sharing new and developing research, the event also aimed to foster connections, support ongoing work, and identify potential opportunities for future collaboration. 15 people attended in-person and 1 online, with attendees ranging from postgraduate students, early career, and established academics. Feedback following the event was positive, with Dr. Ellen Smith from Leicester commenting via 'X'/'Twitter': "It was such a productive day... so many connections made on ideas and concepts of 'the everyday'." Similarly, Dr. Peter Yeandle from Loughborough shared via 'X'/'Twitter': "Excellent day today at Nottingham #RitualsEmpire workshop... Got to hear & discuss some fascinating research in progress, and speak about new project (with @elhistorioso) on #BBC and #decolonisation." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/departments/history/news-and-events/events/events-archive/20... |
| Description | Workshop 2: Selling Health, Hygiene and Beauty in the Long Twentieth Century, University of Nottingham, 14 June 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The project's second workshop in a series of three took place on 14 June 2024 at the University of Nottingham. Goals for the day were similar to the first project workshop. While the event was largely research-focused, the team hoped to gather researchers working in similar fields to build connection, support new and ongoing research, and explore future collaboration opportunities. A total of 22 participants attended in person, including postgraduate students, early career researchers, and senior academics. Feedback was positive, with strong support for a follow-up online workshop in December 2024, allowing participation from researchers/interested public who were unable to travel to Nottingham in June. Several participants from the June workshop also joined the December event, continuing discussions and expanding on key themes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://networks.h-net.org/group/announcements/20022172/call-papers-selling-health-hygiene-and-beaut... |
| Description | Workshop 3: Selling Health, Hygiene and Beauty in the Long Twentieth Century, online, 12 December 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The third and final project workshop took place online on 12 December 2024. The half-day event, free and open to all, expanded on themes and discussions from the June 2024 in-person workshop. Being fully online allowed for broader international participation, with presenters joining from the USA, Canada, Russia, and India. A total of 28 people registered, with 22 attending on the day. Participants included members of the public, independent researchers, and both early career and senior academics. Following the event, collaboration has continued, with some participants engaging in follow-on writing projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-workshop-selling-health-hygiene-and-beauty-in-the-long-twentie... |
| Description | Workshop presentation and discussion about No7's history with Boots' US brand team for the No7 range |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Hornsey conducted a small workshop presentation and discussion about No7's history and social and cultural impact with Boots' American brand team for the No7 range at the Walgreens Boots Alliance Archive on 3 October 2023. In feedback received following the event, the brand team shared that the presentation and discussion helped advance their understanding of No7's image in Britain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |