Bottle of Fennings Fever Mixture, cost 1/6d, by Alfred Fennings, 1950-1960

One wineglassful of the clear ‘Fennings' Fever Mixture’ was recommended to be drunk by adults to help ease fevers; young children drank a quarter of a glassful. This particular bottle originally cost 1 shilling and sixpence.

Alfred Fennings (d. 1900) opened his first shop in 1840 in London and produced a large and popular range of ‘over the counter’ treatments. On his death, trustees took over running the business and the profits went to a children’s charity. Among some of Fennings' earlier products were ‘cures’ for diseases such as cholera. As with all such products, some treatments were more effective than others.