WILLIAM ROSS HEDGES
Chemist and Druggist
1829 – 1922
William Ross Hedges was born in Brocklesby, Lincolnshire and baptised there on 3rd May 1829 the son of William Hedges and Margaret nee Ross.
At the time of the 1851 Census William was working at 7 Dale End Birmingham as assistant Druggist to John Yeomans a Chemist and Druggist. The 1861 Census has William, still at 7 Dale End, but now head of household, a Chemist employing 1 apprentice and 1 porter. In 1911 William at the age of 81 is still working as a Wholesale Chemist.
William married on 11th July 1867 at St. Mary’s, Warwick to Barbara Phoebe Ashwin and the following year they baptised their first son William Ross. William Ross junior followed his father into the business concentrating on the retail side.
William Ross junior died on 22nd February 1922 aged 53 years and, less than a month later, on 16th March, William Ross senior died aged 92 years.
The Patent Medicines Stock Book 1881-96 of Hedges and Son, chemists of Birmingham is held at the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine. Hedges and Son manufactured or produced many medicines and tinctures and also Hedges Snuff, which is still in production today.
