The names that made the High Street (2)

You've never heard of John Harston? That's because in 1849 he made a colossal mistake! His good friend, John Boot, decided to launch a herbal medicine shop in Nottingham. Boot invited Harston to join in the venture, but Harston said it wasn't worth his while.

Boot died at the young age of 45, and his son, Jesse, who was 10 took over the business with his mother in 1860. In 1920 Jesse sold out to an American company. But when the Great Depression came along, and economic times in the States were poor, the Americans sold the company back to Jesse's son.

In 2010-11 the company's revenue world wide amounted to £23.3 billion. Wrong call, John Harston!