Jesse Boot, 1st Baron Trent

His father John opened the Nottingham herbalist's shop; Jesse turned it into Boots by buying in bulk, cutting prices on medicines and employing qualified pharmacists so cheap did not mean risky. Making his own products gave him control over quality, and by his retirement there were over a thousand branches. His wife Florence deserves equal credit for adding stationery, books and gifts, which turned a chemist into the high-street fixture most British towns still have.