Historical information

These labels come from the Warrnambool chemist business of John Sambell/Sambell and Son/Sambell, Son and Granddaughter. John Sambell opened the Hall of Pharmacy in Fairy Street, Warrnambool about 1890. He was a chemist and dentist with previous business experience in Great Britain and Victoria. By 1919 John Sambell’s son, Herbert had joined the business, trading as Sambell and Son (though John Sambell died in 1906) and the shop was located at 151 Fairy Street. In the late 1930s Sambells moved to 90 Fairy Street and was known as Sambell, Son and Granddaughter. Herbert Sambell died in 1943.

Significance

These labels show some of the many products sold by the Warrnambool chemist business of John Sambell/Sambell & Son/Sambell, Son and Granddaughter, a prominent 20th century Warrnambool business. The labels also remind us that this business was unusual in that in the 20th century it acknowledged a female proprietor along with the male proprietors (Sambell, Son and Granddaughter)

Physical description

.1A sheet of paper pasted on to a thicker card. It has a red border and a red cross and blue printing
.2 A sheet of paper pasted onto another sheet with red and blue printing and a red and blue border
.3 A sheet of paper with a red border, a red cross and blue printing
.4 A sheet of paper with red lines, a red cross and blue and red printing
.5 A sheet of paper with a red decorative border and blue and red printing
.6 A sheet of pink paper with a black border and black printing
.7 A sheet of paper with a gold border and blue and gold printing
.8 A sheet of paper with blue printing and a red cross

Inscriptions & markings

.1 Sambell’s Chest and Lung Mixture
.2 Sarsparilla Blood Purifier
.3. Sambell’s Restorative Tonic
4. Sambell’s Balsamic Salve
5. Sambell’s Emulsion of Cod Liver Oil
6. Sambell’s White Diarrhoea Mixture
7. Sambell’s Elixir Strengthening Tonic
8. Sambell’s Red Cross Dairy Ointment