Thomas Bell
Boots, the health and beauty retailer, was founded in Nottingham in 1849.
But amid the fast pace of retail consumerism that dominates perceptions in 2019, it's easy to forget the rich history that the high street chain has lived through and represents.
During the wars, 700 Boots employees lost their lives while serving in the military. It's a stark figure that the retailer continues to remember and commemorate with every passing year.
Here, Boots’ Assistant Archivist and Records Manager Thomas Bell remembers the fallen and shares the retailer’s wartime history with Cosmetics Business.
What does your role involve as Assistant Archivist and Records Manager?
I’m part of a team that’s responsible for caring for a vast collection of items and objects that tell the story of how Boots has grown and developed since it was founded in Nottingham 170 years ago.
We use the collection for a