Historical information

This bottle was made by Whitall Tatum and Co. of U.S.A. It was used in the pharmacy business of R. F. Kennedy and Co. of Warrnambool and it has the well-known Kennedy symbol of a lighthouse on a rocky face on a coastline with ships in the distance. Richard Frank Kennedy (1826-1903) was born in England and came to Warrnambool in the early 1880s where he quickly established a large pharmacy business in Timor Street. In 1891 he built new premises with the shop described as one of the most elegant and best-stocked chemist’s shops in Victoria. He was a retail, wholesale and manufacturing chemist. Kennedy was active in community affairs in Warrnambool and was a foundation member of the Warrnambool Bowls Club, being the first Vice-President and an early President. The pharmacy business continued after Kennedy’s death, trading as ‘R.F. Kennedy and Co’.

Significance

Richard Frank Kennedy was one of the most significant businessmen in Warrnambool in the late 19th century. The products of his chemist shop and factory were distributed all over Victoria and beyond. This bottle is a very good example of a Kennedy chemist bottle.

Physical description

This is a clear glass bottle used in the pharmacy of R. F. Kennedy and Co of Warrnambool. The bottle has a rectangular-shaped body with rounded edges, a circular shaped neck and a moulded top that extends over the neck. The top has a piece missing and there is no stopper. The chemist’s logo and name are embossed on the side of the bottle and the maker’s name is on the base of the bottle.

Inscriptions & markings

‘R.F.Kennedy & Co, Chemists Warrnambool’
‘W.T. & Co, U.S.A.’
‘Pat. Dec 11 1894’