Person

Nicholas, George Richard Rich (1884 - 1960)

Born
19 May 1884
Majorca, Victoria, Australia
Died
20 September 1960
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Pharmacist

Summary

George Nicholas made the first Australian acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), which was registered in 1917 as "Aspro". He qualified as a pharmacist in July 1912 and after synthesising aspirin formed Shmith, Nicholas & Co., in 1915 with Henry Woolf Shmith, to commercialise the product. The name "Aspro" was adopted and registered in April 1917 and George's brother, Alfred, joined the company as business manager. The company was initially unsuccessful and Shmith pulled out, but throughout the 1920s it extended its operations into New Zealand (1923), England (1924), Europe (1925) and Asia (1927). George was managing director of the company 1937-1947. During this time the company diversified into production of vitamin supplements, veterinary goods and pharmaceuticals.

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Details

Chronology

1912
Education - Qualified as a pharmacist in July
1915
Career position - Formed Shmith, Nicholas & Co
1917
Career position - The name "Aspro" adopted and registered in April
1923
Career position - Company expanded to New Zealand
1924
Career position - Company expanded to England
1925
Career position - Company expanded to Europe
1927
Career position - Company expanded to Asia
1937 - 1947
Career position - Managing Director of the company

Partner

Related People

Published resources

Books

  • Smith, Robert Grenville and Barrie, Alexander, Aspro:how a family business grew up (Melbourne: Nicholas International Ltd., 1976). Details

Book Sections

  • Wall, John M., 'Nicholas, George Richard Rich (1884-1960), Pharmacist and Philanthropist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 11: 1891 - 1939 Nes-Smi, Geoffrey Serle, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1988), pp. 18-20. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110693b.htm. Details

Resources

See also

Rosanne Walker

Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 2 March 2018

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