A BLUE plaque outside Bank House in Dukes Brow, today remembers one of Blackburn’s famous sons.

It is dedicated to John Noel Nichols, who was born there in 1883 and went on to invent Vimto.

A pupil of Blackburn Grammar School – now Queen Elizabeth’s – Noel, as he was known, set up in business as a wholesale druggist and herb importer in 1908, with the help of £100 loans from his brother Samuel and brother-in-law, Jim Stothert.

He experimented with different herbs and spices and eventually came up with the unique Vimto flavour, which also contains the juice of grapes, raspberries and blackcurrant.

It was originally called ‘Vim Tonic’ as it was intended as a healthy pick-me-up drink which would give energy (vim) and vigour. On December 14, 1912, the famous Vimto name was registered as a ‘beverage for human use, not alcoholic, not aerated and not medicated.’ The secret recipe and brand name have had to be defended against competitors – in fact, as early as 1915, a business in Glamorgan was served with a writ for selling an imitation.

The order books for 1916 showed that Vimto was selling well to herbalist and temperance bars in the North West, North Wales, Yorkshire, Glasgow and the Lancashire Temperance Bar in Warminster.

A Blackburn herbalist, Mr Jackson, of Entwistle Road, wrote to Noel: “I am more than pleased with your Vimto.

“My customers have just raided me for it.

“Would you please send me another lot as this is nearly all done.”

In 1919 Vimto’s first export sales were sent to Guyana and in 1924 the product was registered as a trademark in India.

The firm became a public company in 1961 and is still in the family.

Noel died, aged 82, in 1966. Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School headmaster Simon Corns commented: “It is fascinating to think that this worldwide company, which began with a herbal drink created in a warehouse, was invented by a former QEGS pupil.”