Papers of H. P. French, Wellcome Foundation Sales Representative

The following is an interim description which may change when detailed cataloguing takes place in the future:

Material collected by H. P. French during and relating to his employment at the Wellcome Foundation Ltd as a medical sales representative, comprising:

Letters from the company to H. P. French relating to his appointment in Dec 1945, and subsequent annual salary increases and promotions. Also includes French's letter of application to the company dated 19 Aug 1944, when French was 35 years old.

Memoranda to French relating to Mrs French's difficult child birth and congratulations on the new arrival, Oct 1948.

Annual Medical Sales / Medical Representatives Conferences 1946-1968 dinner menu cards, group photographs and some additional related ephemera (not inclusive, but most years covered). Includes one menu with photograph of H. P. French identified.

Wellcome Historical Medical Library booklet 'A brief account of its history, scope and purpose', 1951.

'Spoof' Daily Mail London edition, 13 Oct 1952, containing fitted, pasted-on articles which mention Wellcome Foundation products, production sites and people, including H. P. French.

Letters from the company to H. P. French relating to his long service attainment of 21 years and the company long service dinner in Dec 1966. Plus, two photographs of Long Service Dinner Oct 1966, one group photograph including French and one of the dinner; two photographs of Pensioners Dinner Apr 1970 in the Wellcome Building, Euston Road, one of French and another, one of a group including French, with accompanying letter from F. Kilburn to French, May 1970; Pensioners and Long Service Dinner signed menu card and list of attendees, 15 Apr 1975, (held in the Wellcome Building Auditorium, Euston Road).

Memorandum comprising a list of Burroughs Wellcome & Co. / Wellcome Foundation representatives and Area Managers' addresses, 16 Jun 1969, which includes H. P. French.

'The Wellcome Foundation' illustrated colour brochure, undated but c.late 1960s.

Headed personalised notepaper of Burroughs Wellcome & Co. sales rep H. P. French's (with his personal address in Edenbridge, Kent).

1944-1975

3 files

Donated to the library at Wellcome Collection by J. H. French, 16/12/2012 and 06/02/2013.

Horace Percival French was born 13 June 1909, in the Market Hotel, Edenbridge, Kent. He was schooled in Edenbridge and Towbridge 1914-1926 and in 1926 apprenticed to Hocken (Chemist) Redhill, Surrey, until 1931. He atteneded the London College of Pharmacy 1931-1936.

After the death of his mother in about 1936 he had to wind up the hotel business and went on to manage a chemists in Woldingham, Surrey, until his employment by Burroughs Wellcome in 1945. He worked for the company until retirement in about 1969.

H. P. French died 21 February 1976.

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