Page 11 - Pharmacy History 29 July 2006

This is an appendix to the previous story about Frederick Sloper as his memory lingers on....
The first pharmacy in Macquarie St, Sydney
By Geoff Miller
Macquarie St in the heart of Sydney has long been renowned as the street of medical specialists akin to the famous Harley St in London.
As the number of medical practices grew, it is no surprise that considerable interest was shown by pharmacists in establishing themselves as close to the ‘mother lode’ of prescribing doctors as they could.
The first pharmacy in Macquarie St was opened
in 1910 or 1911 by a Sydney pharmacist, James Dixon, trading under the name of FE Sloper, even though Sloper had died in 1903.1
James Dixon was apprenticed to Mr James Moore of Oxford St, Sydney at the age of 13 years, and with a salary of £12 a year ($25) and a rise of £3 per year to £24 ($48) in the fifth year. There were no examinations for apprentices at the time and after five years an apprentice was ‘supposed to know his trade’.
After he had served his apprenticeship with James Moore, Dixon was employed as an assistant pharmacist by Frederick Sloper, and when Sloper died in 1903, Dixon carried on the business in partnership with Frederick Sloper’s daughter.
The first Pharmacy in the Queen’s Club Building Macquarie Street Sydney
Mr James Dixon
The property at 92-96 Oxford St was resumed when Oxford St was widened, and the pharmacy was forced to close. This was when James Dixon made his move to open the business in Macquarie St.
The premises were only small and appear to have been fitted out as an ‘ethical’ pharmacy, only dispensing prescriptions.
Eventually the pharmacy was transferred to a site in King St opposite the Supreme Court and when James Dixon died in 1919, the business was carried on by his widow under the managership of a Mr Allan Grieg who had married one of James Dixon’s daughters, herself a qualified pharmacist. Eventually the business was bought by Hallams, an early Sydney chain of pharmacies.
References
1 Blaxland FJ. Medical Journal of Australia, Feb 11 1967;304-5.
volume 3 ■ no 30 ■ NOVEMBER 2006
Pharmacy History Australia ■ 11