This formula book comes from the Kyle Pharmacy collection and was compiled by Duncan Macpherson (1882-1966), who came to Kyle to set up a chemist’s shop in 1911. The railway extension from Strome Ferry was then only just over a decade old. The formula book contains recipes for pharmacy products prepared in the shop, ranging from indigestion mixture to furniture polish.
Duncan Macpherson combined photography with his pharmacy business, selling postcards and illustrating local guide books. Situated near the rail head and steamer pier, his shop provided easy access to the busiest part of the village. Macpherson also travelled widely in the local area. The resulting photographic archive contains over 1000 images of South West Ross and Skye, mainly dating from the 1910s to the 1930s.
Digitised images from the Macpherson Collection are available to view at www.ambaile.org.uk. Copies can be purchased direct from the Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
‘Chemist’s Corner’, Kyle, with Duncan Macpherson’s shop
