“It’s Faulding’s, it’s pure”
There are thousands of pharmaceutical brands on the market today. One company began right here in Adelaide. Faulding’s & Co began in 1845 and continues 181 years later. Many Faulding’s & Co products can be found in the CALHN Health Museum collection.
Faulding’s have played an integral part in medical history in Australia.
F.H Faulding
Francis Hardey (F.H) Faulding was born in 1816 Swinefleet, Yorkshire to surgeon Francis Faulding and Mary Hardy. Upon his arrival in South Australia in 1842 FH opened a pharmacy in Rundle Street. As the business flourished his assistant left for Melbourne and discovered the value of eucalyptus oil as an antiseptic. Bringing this knowledge back to Faulding’s the business flourished.
FH purchased a warehouse in Clarence Park where the manufacturing and wholesale arm of the business moved, all the while continuing the pharmacy in Rundle Street.
Partnership
In 1861 he went into partnership with Luther Scammell (1826-1910). Scammell a fellow Yorkshireman arrived in Adelaide in 1849 after receiving medical training at Guys Hospital. Having set up a medical practice in the Burra mines he moved to Adelaide and set up business in Port Adelaide.
Luther Scammell Snr was involved in politics as well as being a pioneer in South Australia’s olive oil industry, producing the states first olive oil in 1864.
FH Faulding passed away 19th November 1868 aged 52 at his home near Glen Osmond. After Faulding’s death Luther Scammell became the sole owner of the company. In 1876 Scammell built a warehouse on King William Street and later expanded to James Place (this would become the company’s office address). They also owned a factory Thebarton that was used as the eucalyptus oil distillery.
1889 saw Luther Scammell retire due to threatened foreclosure by the bank. Two of Scammell’s sons, Luther Robert (LR) Scammell Jnr and William J (WJ) Scammell acquired the manufacturing and wholesaling operations of the business as well as the F H Fauldings business name, in 1888. The retail shops were sold to recoup money that was owed.
Expansion
The company expanded under the brothers and in 1890 they branched out into Western Australia with a branch in Perth. The business thrived and was expanded, later a warehouse and laboratory was set up in Murray Street.
As the business was thriving in South Australia as well as Western Australia it was decided to set up a branch in Sydney in 1899. Another branch in Newcastle was run by JPF Gwynne. Later WJ Scammell took charge and a factory was built in the in Campbell Street, Redfern. 1931 saw the company expand to build a warehouse in Brisbane. Fauldings & Co owned the warehouse until 1957 when the building was sold.
Alfred and Robert Scammell (sons of LR Scammell) and Rupert Scammell and George Scammell (sons of WJ Scammell) became directors of the company. Rupert and George were in charge of the Sydney branch.
“It’s Faulding’s, it’s pure” became their slogan in 1921 and continued for many decades and was known around the world.
Future
In 1971 Faulding’s purchased Jasol Chemical Products (An Adelaide manufacturer of cleaning and sterilising solutions).
By 2001 the company expanded its operations and was acquired by the Mayne Nickless Group (commonly known as Mayne Pharma). Mayne Pharma was eventually brought out by Pfizer in 2015. In 2016 Pfizer announced plans to invest in the Thebarton manufacturing facility. February 2017 saw Pfizer announce the intention to close the Thebarton facility.
Fauldings products are still used around the world including in our hospitals.
Want to know more about Fauldings take a look at https://www.faulding.com.au/our-story/
Written by Kellie Branson, CALHN Health Museum
