Society of Apothecaries of London

The word Apothecaries is derived from apotheca, which means  a place where wine, spices and herbs were stored together. During the thirteenth century it came into use in the London  to describe a person who kept a store of these supplies, which the person sold from the shop or street stall. The association formed in 1180. Later on 1316, Pepperers had been joined by the Spicers.London apothecaries were originally members of another livery company, the Grocers', and together these tradesmen can be mark out back to the Union of Pepperers, an association formed in the City in 1180. By 1316, the Pepperers had been joined by the Spicers.The London apothecaries with their expert pharmacy skills appealed for several years to secede from the Grocers' Company. The organization is an innovative and progressive institution, firmly established at the forefront of modern-day medicine and a leading player in the development  of medical research.