| Number | AMHAM:OBJECT.944 |
|---|---|
| Date | Late nineteenth / early twentieth century |
| About this object | Haddon’s the Chemists was at 38 High Street, Old Amersham. It was run by Albert Haddon and then later by his son, Laurie. A photo of the shop front taken in the 1800s shows that it sold spectacles, alongside stationery, Bibles, prayer books as well as pure drugs and chemicals, patent medicines and mineral waters. The pharmacy was run during this period as a friendly, personal business, very much being there to serve the local population and wider community. When founder Albert Haddon died in 1936, the company included ‘opticians’ in its name and its manager, Laurie Haddon, qualified as an optometrist. These are his optical instruments. In many respects, the equipment used by optometrists has not changed much in the last century. The large case of lenses here is essentially the same as that used today. |
| Made In | Germany |
| Physical Description | The wooden box is 32cm in height, 52cm wide and 7cm in depth. It is understood to have been made in Germany at the end of the nineteenth or early in the twentieth century. There is no maker’s name on the box but the hinged lid has an inscription in fraktur font. |
| Inscription | Brillenkasten 1 |
| Transcription | Translated from German this is “glasses case 1” |
| Find Out More | The Old Pharmacy - Amersham Museum 32-38 High St - Amersham Museum |