Nelsons (homeopathy)
Encyclopedia
Nelsons is an alternative medicine
company based in the United Kingdom
, with subsidiaries in Germany
and the United States
. It is a market leader for homeopathic remedies
. The head office and manufacturing facilities are located in Wimbledon, London
, with retail pharmacies in Central London
and Dublin, Ireland
. Spatone is manufactured at the Trefriw Wells
Spa in Snowdonia
, Wales
.
who founded Homeopathy
, moved to London
where he opened a homeopathic pharmacy in Ryder Street so as to put into practice the principles learned from his teacher. Ernst married Charlotte Nelson in 1866 and soon after began trading as Armbrecht, Nelson & Co., later to be abbreviated to A. Nelson & Co.
In 1890, Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy moved to Duke Street
and is still trading there today. For most of Nelsons history all manufacturing was done in the basement of the Duke St site, but in the 1970s it was moved to Brixton
and later Wimbledon
. In the 1990s a second pharmacy was opened in Dublin.
The company was owned by the same family for more than 100 years, but the remaining descendants of the founding family were killed in the Staines air crash
in 1972. The remaining management team approached Dick Wilson, who had a long-standing passion and commitment to complementary medicine, to take over the company.
Under Dick's management Nelsons began production of their first range of over the counter homeopathic medicines in 1981.
for sale. The Bach Centre, founded by Dr Bach to continue his work, continued its relationship with Nelsons on and off for many years. In the 1980s, when increasing worldwide sales and new regulatory requirements made it impractical for the Bach Centre to continue producing the remedies in-house, the Centre invited Nelsons to take over full distribution. This was initially through a dedicated bottling plant in Abingdon
and later moved to Wimbledon.
Nelsons continue to use plants from the gardens at Dr Bach's former home, Mount Vernon in Oxfordshire
, to make remedies.
Nelsons acquired the Bach Centre's remedy-making business for 4.3 million pounds in 1993.
It is sometimes claimed that the Bach Centre itself was sold to Nelsons. Evidence for this appeared in a court judgement that listed the sale as including the company Bach Centre Mount Vernon Ltd, whose "principal present activities are making the tinctures for the Remedies, selling the Remedies in or from Mount Vernon, writing and distributing written and cassette material about the Remedies, organising and running educational programmes, providing free public advice and information on the Remedies, and maintaining Mount Vernon including artefacts which belonged to Dr Bach and historical records." This is, however, an error. The Centre itself is owned by the Dr Edward Bach Healing Trust, a registered UK charity. Two companies operate out of the Centre, Bach Centre Mount Vernon Ltd, and Bach Visitor and Education Centre Ltd. Both are privately owned, and Nelsons has no stake in either.
's oldest and the UK's largest manufacturer of homeopathic preparations.
Nelsons has expanded their range beyond the original Homeopathic family of products and into other areas of complementary and Natural medicine. The most obvious example of this is the Bach flower remedies
and in particular Rescue Remedy, which is sold all over the world. More recently the company has acquired other natural health businesses such as the Trefriw Wells Spa
in Wales
, which produces a mineral water
naturally high in Iron
called Spatone that is used as a dietary supplement
, and Nice 'n Clear, a natural head lice lotion. Nelsons also produce some traditional herbal remedies such as Arnica
creams.
With the exception of the Spatone well, all Nelsons products are manufactured in Wimbledon
in south west London
and from there exported to countries around the world. The company has opened subsidiary offices in Boston
in the USA and Hamburg
in Germany
. The company is run today by Dick's eldest son, Robert, and his brother Patrick.
In December 2008 during a visit to the factory in Wimbledon, Charles, Prince of Wales
announced a partnership between Nelsons and his Duchy Originals
brand to produce a line of herbal remedies. He watched the first batch of products being produced and afterwards gave a speech to staff where he said he had great admiration for the company and had been brought up with their products.
In 2009 Nelsons was named ‘Best UK Family Business, £25m+ turnover category’ in the Coutts
Prize for Family Business 2008/2009.
2010 was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Nelsons, which was celebrated with a float at the Lord Mayor's Show
in London
as encouraging patients to take a homeopathic anti-malaria
l tablet, without also advising them to visit their general practitioner for an anti-malarial medicine. Scientists said that companies doing this could be putting lives at risk. "There is no scientific proof that homeopathic remedies are effective in either preventing or treating malaria." Nelsons said they reiterated to their staff that this should be done.
Bach Original Flower Remedies
The Bach Original Flower Remedies is the set of 38 flower essences as created by Dr Bach.
Nelsons Arnicare
The Arnicare (Arnileve in the US) range of products are topical creams based on the Arnica
herb, which is traditionally used in the treatment of bruises.
Nelsons Pure and Clear
Pure and Clear is a set of related skincare remedies.
Nelsons H+Care
H+Care is a range of herbal remedies claimed for Haemorrhoids
Nelsons Homeopathy
A range of homeopathic preparations in a variety of forms including tablets and topical creams.
Nelsons Teetha
A homeopathic preparation claimed without evidence to sooth and calm the symptoms of teething.
Spatone
Spatone is a mineral water containing iron.
Nice 'n Clear
Nice 'n' Clear is a head lice solution.
Boots the Chemist own label homeopathy products and teething granules.
Tesco
own label homeopathy.
Duchy Originals
herbal remedies
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
company based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, with subsidiaries in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a market leader for homeopathic remedies
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
. The head office and manufacturing facilities are located in Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, with retail pharmacies in Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
and Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Spatone is manufactured at the Trefriw Wells
Trefriw
Trefriw is a village in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Conwy in North Wales, a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. The parish population in 2001 was 924....
Spa in Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
History
In 1860 Ernst Louis Armbrecht, a student of Samuel HahnemannSamuel Hahnemann
Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician, known for creating an alternative form of medicine called homeopathy.- Early life :Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was born in Meissen, Saxony near Dresden...
who founded Homeopathy
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
, moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he opened a homeopathic pharmacy in Ryder Street so as to put into practice the principles learned from his teacher. Ernst married Charlotte Nelson in 1866 and soon after began trading as Armbrecht, Nelson & Co., later to be abbreviated to A. Nelson & Co.
In 1890, Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy moved to Duke Street
Duke Street, Marylebone
Duke Street is a street crossing the western half of Oxford Street, London and connecting Wigmore Street and Grosvenor Square. It is best known as the setting for the TV series The Duchess of Duke Street and as the headquarters of the Artists' Rifles.It is often confused with the relatively...
and is still trading there today. For most of Nelsons history all manufacturing was done in the basement of the Duke St site, but in the 1970s it was moved to Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
and later Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
. In the 1990s a second pharmacy was opened in Dublin.
The company was owned by the same family for more than 100 years, but the remaining descendants of the founding family were killed in the Staines air crash
British European Airways Flight 548
British European Airways Flight 548 was a Hawker Siddeley Trident 1C airliner, registration G-ARPI, operating as a British European Airways scheduled commercial passenger flight from London Heathrow Airport to Brussels, Belgium...
in 1972. The remaining management team approached Dick Wilson, who had a long-standing passion and commitment to complementary medicine, to take over the company.
Under Dick's management Nelsons began production of their first range of over the counter homeopathic medicines in 1981.
The Dr Edward Bach Centre
In the 1930s Dr Edward Bach, a doctor with a keen interest in homeopathy, supplied the Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy with mother tinctures so they could make up stock bottles of his increasingly popular Bach flower remediesBach flower remedies
Bach flower remedies are dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an English bacteriologist, pathologist and homeopath, in the 1930s. Bach believed that dew found on flower petals retain healing properties of that plant...
for sale. The Bach Centre, founded by Dr Bach to continue his work, continued its relationship with Nelsons on and off for many years. In the 1980s, when increasing worldwide sales and new regulatory requirements made it impractical for the Bach Centre to continue producing the remedies in-house, the Centre invited Nelsons to take over full distribution. This was initially through a dedicated bottling plant in Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
and later moved to Wimbledon.
Nelsons continue to use plants from the gardens at Dr Bach's former home, Mount Vernon in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, to make remedies.
Nelsons acquired the Bach Centre's remedy-making business for 4.3 million pounds in 1993.
It is sometimes claimed that the Bach Centre itself was sold to Nelsons. Evidence for this appeared in a court judgement that listed the sale as including the company Bach Centre Mount Vernon Ltd, whose "principal present activities are making the tinctures for the Remedies, selling the Remedies in or from Mount Vernon, writing and distributing written and cassette material about the Remedies, organising and running educational programmes, providing free public advice and information on the Remedies, and maintaining Mount Vernon including artefacts which belonged to Dr Bach and historical records." This is, however, an error. The Centre itself is owned by the Dr Edward Bach Healing Trust, a registered UK charity. Two companies operate out of the Centre, Bach Centre Mount Vernon Ltd, and Bach Visitor and Education Centre Ltd. Both are privately owned, and Nelsons has no stake in either.
Recent history
Today Nelsons is EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's oldest and the UK's largest manufacturer of homeopathic preparations.
Nelsons has expanded their range beyond the original Homeopathic family of products and into other areas of complementary and Natural medicine. The most obvious example of this is the Bach flower remedies
Bach flower remedies
Bach flower remedies are dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an English bacteriologist, pathologist and homeopath, in the 1930s. Bach believed that dew found on flower petals retain healing properties of that plant...
and in particular Rescue Remedy, which is sold all over the world. More recently the company has acquired other natural health businesses such as the Trefriw Wells Spa
Trefriw
Trefriw is a village in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Conwy in North Wales, a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. The parish population in 2001 was 924....
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, which produces a mineral water
Mineral water
Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value, generally obtained from a naturally occurring mineral spring or source. Dissolved substances in the water may include various salts and sulfur compounds...
naturally high in Iron
Human iron metabolism
Human iron metabolism is the set of chemical reactions maintaining human homeostasis of iron. Iron is an essential element for most life on Earth, including human beings. The control of this necessary but potentially toxic substance is an important part of many aspects of human health and disease...
called Spatone that is used as a dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
, and Nice 'n Clear, a natural head lice lotion. Nelsons also produce some traditional herbal remedies such as Arnica
Arnica montana
Arnica montana, known commonly as leopard's bane, wolf's bane, mountain tobacco and mountain arnica, is a European flowering plant with large yellow capitula....
creams.
With the exception of the Spatone well, all Nelsons products are manufactured in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
in south west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and from there exported to countries around the world. The company has opened subsidiary offices in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in the USA and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The company is run today by Dick's eldest son, Robert, and his brother Patrick.
In December 2008 during a visit to the factory in Wimbledon, Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
announced a partnership between Nelsons and his Duchy Originals
Duchy Originals
Duchy Originals from Waitrose is a brand of organic food sold mainly in Waitrose stores in the United Kingdom, but also in Booths supermarkets and small independent stores. The Duchy Originals company was originally set up by Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1990 and named after the Duchy of Cornwall...
brand to produce a line of herbal remedies. He watched the first batch of products being produced and afterwards gave a speech to staff where he said he had great admiration for the company and had been brought up with their products.
In 2009 Nelsons was named ‘Best UK Family Business, £25m+ turnover category’ in the Coutts
Coutts
Coutts & Co. is one of the UK's private banking houses, now wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland . RBS acquired Coutts and all of its overseas subsidiaries when it bought NatWest. On 1 January 2008, Coutts' international businesses were renamed RBS Coutts, aligning them more closely with...
Prize for Family Business 2008/2009.
2010 was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Nelsons, which was celebrated with a float at the Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
in London
Controversy
In 2006, Nelsons was one of several companies to be exposed by BBC NewsnightNewsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
as encouraging patients to take a homeopathic anti-malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
l tablet, without also advising them to visit their general practitioner for an anti-malarial medicine. Scientists said that companies doing this could be putting lives at risk. "There is no scientific proof that homeopathic remedies are effective in either preventing or treating malaria." Nelsons said they reiterated to their staff that this should be done.
Products
Rescue Remedy Rescue Remedy is a combination of five Bach flower essences and is sold around the world in a variety of formats, including liquid, cream, pastilles and a night formulation.Bach Original Flower Remedies
The Bach Original Flower Remedies is the set of 38 flower essences as created by Dr Bach.
Nelsons Arnicare
The Arnicare (Arnileve in the US) range of products are topical creams based on the Arnica
Arnica montana
Arnica montana, known commonly as leopard's bane, wolf's bane, mountain tobacco and mountain arnica, is a European flowering plant with large yellow capitula....
herb, which is traditionally used in the treatment of bruises.
Nelsons Pure and Clear
Pure and Clear is a set of related skincare remedies.
Nelsons H+Care
H+Care is a range of herbal remedies claimed for Haemorrhoids
Nelsons Homeopathy
A range of homeopathic preparations in a variety of forms including tablets and topical creams.
Nelsons Teetha
A homeopathic preparation claimed without evidence to sooth and calm the symptoms of teething.
Spatone
Spatone is a mineral water containing iron.
Nice 'n Clear
Nice 'n' Clear is a head lice solution.
Licensed ranges
Nelsons produces a number of 'own label' products on behalf of other companies, including.Boots the Chemist own label homeopathy products and teething granules.
Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
own label homeopathy.
Duchy Originals
Duchy Originals
Duchy Originals from Waitrose is a brand of organic food sold mainly in Waitrose stores in the United Kingdom, but also in Booths supermarkets and small independent stores. The Duchy Originals company was originally set up by Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1990 and named after the Duchy of Cornwall...
herbal remedies