Brisbane Chemists 1850-1930s

WILKINSON, Leslie A. (1912-51) Cnr George & Queen Streets.
Became known as L A WILKINSON (Northern) in 1915 with branches in Rockhampton, Cairns and
Townsville. Long-running chemists that went into voluntary liquidation in 1951.

 Rectangular-based medicine, clear glass embossed L A Wilkinson Ltd with “LW” monogram inside
panel. 3, 4, and 5 oz sizes.

 Rectangular-based medicine, clear glass embossed L A Wilkinson Ltd (Northern) with “LW”
monogram inside panel. 3, 4, and 5 oz sizes.

 Rectangular-based poison, amber glass, embossed L. A. Wilkinson / Brisbane. 3 and 5oz sizes.
 Small Dose glass embossed L. A. Wilkinson / Chemist / Made in USA / Brisbane with W. T. &

Co. USA on base.
 Bitters/sarsaparilla style bottle, clear glass embossed at base with L A Wilkinson in badge. Possibly

used for Lows Sarsaparilla. 20oz size.
 Bulk disinfectant bottle, clear glass embossed at base with L A Wilkinson in badge. Possibly used

for disinfectant or similar. 20oz / 24cm high, 6cm wide.

WILKINSON, Robert J. (1925-28) Melbourne Street, South Brisbane.
WILL, C. S. W. (1926) Indooroopilly.
WILLIAMS, James (1876-1885) Stanley Street, South Brisbane.
WILSON, James A. (1920-34) Jane Street, West End.
WILSON, NAFFS & CO (1920-25) 99 Wharf Street.
Listed as Manufacturing Chemists.

Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)

WOODS, Francis B. (1920-22) C/- L A Wilkinson; then (1922-27) Stanley Street, South Brisbane; then (1927-
34+) Roma Street.
WOODWARD, __ (1930s)
No further details, apart from the following bottle – possibly attributed to the Woodward who operated a
pharmacy in Townsville.

 Machine-made rectangular-based medicine, clear glass embossed Woodward Chemist. 4oz size.
WRIGHT, A. J. S. (1910-16)
Later moved to Mackay where he worked for Holyoake’s Pharmacy.
WRIGHT, A. W. J. (1905-07) South Brisbane.
WRIGHT, W. E. H. (1940s) Ashgrove.

 Later medicine bottle, clear glass embossed Chemist / W E Wright (script) / Phone F9340 Ashgrove.
Two sizes 5oz, 15cm; and 3oz, 12cm.

X
X-TAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD (1913-17) 353 George Street.
Listed as manufacturing chemists – also listed in trades directories as aerated water manufacturers.

Y
YANDELL, J. G. (1884) Ann Street, Valley.
Listed as a herbalist.
YEO, C. H. F. (1878-92) 118 Edward Street; later Queen Street with a branch established at Toowong.
Listed as chemist as well as aerated water manufacturers operating from Charlotte Street in 1883-85 – no
embossed/branded bottles.
Yeo was an active and influential member of the pharmaceutical fraternity in Brisbane and was the
president of the Queensland Pharmaceutical Society for many years.

 Rectangular-based, clear-aqua bottle embossed C. H. F. Yeo / Brisbane. 5oz size.
 Rectangular-based, long-necked clear-aqua bottle embossed C. H. F. Yeo / Chemists on front Panel

with Brisbane on rear panel. 4oz size.

YOUNG, Arnold D. (1924-32) Coorparoo.
 Machine-made rectangular-based medicine, clear glass embossed Chemist / A D Young (in script) /
Coorparoo. 3oz size.
Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)

Z
ZOELLER, Carl & Co. Ltd. (1901-15) Courier Building, 296 Queen Street.
Zoeller & Company Limited was formally registered in Queensland in February 1901 and were listed as
manufacturing and wholesale chemists; Zoeller also operated a Veterinary Depot.
Carl Zoeller operated a business from the Courier Building in Queen Street, Brisbane for surgical
instruments, veterinary supplies/cattle inoculation, etc. In 1897, Zoeller were also listed as sole Queensland
agents for 'Zealandia' brand condensed cream which was imported from New Zealand.
He was an indent merchant for a short period in the late 1880's but in 1899 left that employment and
travelled to New Zealand and then back to Germany returning to Australia in 1896, where he established a
store for surgical instruments in Brisbane with D H Ross who operated the Sydney branch. In 1901, Zoeller
patented a plier for ear-marking of pigs; he also registered several trademarks during the 1897-1910
period, for use on cutlery, surgical and medical equipment as well as two for beer/lager!
Zoeller with his friend Dr Euchariste Sirois established and built a hospital in Marburg, west of Ipswich in
1912 [Sirois / Marburg used a chemist bottle, found in 2 sizes]. Even though Zoeller was naturalised as a
British subject in 1908, he was charged with 'trading with the enemy' for importing German-made medical
instruments from a Stockholm firm and subsequently interned in the Holdsworthy Camp in NSW.
Zoeller & Co established a branch in Lismore in 1911, and in 1915 the Northern Star reports a donation to
the Australia Day Fund. But following his internment, the Zoeller store along with other German businesses
was trashed by a 'detachment' on Christmas Eve, 1915.
Despite appeals, Zoeller remained in the camp until after the war and was then deported back to Germany
in October 1919 - the Defence Department recommended his 'denaturalisation' - his wife Minnie and family
remained in Sydney and attempted to have Carl re-admitted to Australia. This was refused so Minnie and
the children left Sydney for Hamburg in June 1922. The conditions in Germany were quite harsh and Carl
decided to send his family back to Australia - his daughter Mary stayed with him and later went to England
for schooling.
Zoeller's applications for return to Australia were refused - he was also denied residency in New Zealand. In
1926, Carl Zoeller was granted resident status for South Africa, sailing from London in June 1926 on the
Bendigo. In November 1926, 'believing that his continued existence to be a liability to his family and
overwhelmed with despair', Carl Zoeller committed suicide in Cape Town.

 Round stoneware jar – off white with black transfer Lisle Luttrell Patent Cattle Brand. Plain
permanent. Non-injurious to hides. Thoroughly stir the composition before pouring into pan. Clip
the surface to be branded. Dip the branding into the pan and press firmly against the clipped part
for five seconds. Sole agents: Carl Zoller & Co Ltd The Veterinary Depot Brisbane Australia in 8 lines
across the bottle.

 Round-based embrocation style bottle, clear-aqua glass embossed Zoeller’s / for /man /or /beast /
Embrocation in 6 lines across the bottle. 6 oz / 15 cm high.

Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)

Whitall, Tatum & Co.
The majority of Brisbane chemist bottles were made overseas; notably the Philadelphia-based glass
manufacturer Whitall, Tatum & Co who specialised in containers for druggists, chemists and perfumers. By
the 1900s Whitall, Tatum had a branch established at Barrack Street, Sydney to received orders and meet
the demands of the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry in Australia.
The company traded from 1857 to 1938 when they were taken over by the Armstrong Cork Company –
examples of Whitall, Tatum’s catalogues provide rich content on the range and design of bottles available
to chemists.

Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)

References & Further Reading
A range of sources were drawn upon for the compilation of information, particularly references to bottles
and containers used by the various Brisbane chemists, druggists and pharmacists. The most valuable and
knowledgeable source being the Australian Antique Bottle Forum and members who generously shared
their knowledge and photos of Brisbane chemist bottles.

Publications
Keil, Robert (1981) Collecting Australian Pot Lids. Port Pirie: Automatic Printing.

Australian Antique Bottle Collector
Australian Antique Bottle Review
Australian Bottle and Collectables Review
Queensland Historical Bottle Club Newsletter
Australian Journal of Pharmacy
Chemist and Druggist of Australasia
Pharmaceutical Journal of Australasia

Online Sources
 Australian Antique Bottle Forum
 Australian Electoral Rolls: Queensland 1859-1950 [Sourced online from Ancestry]
 NLA Trove Newspapers: particularly Brisbane newspapers, e.g. Moreton Bay Courier, etc.
 Pugh’s Almanacs 1859-1927 [Sourced online from TextQld website]
 Queensland Post Office Directories 1861-1934 [Sourced online from Ancestry website]

NOTE: This information is provided for personal use/research for Forum Members - it is not to be used for
commercial purpose or re-use with permission from the Forum Administrator and Compiler.

If you have any new bottles, size or colour variations please contact me to let me know and add to the
listings: [email protected]

Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)

Brisbane Chemists: A Listing of Chemists & Druggists 1850-1930s. Desmond Crump © (2022)