278.

John X was born in Birmingham to Richard Tapper X, who was from a wealthy Quaker family that moved to the area from the west of England. As a Quaker in the early 19th century, he was not allowed to enter a university, so could not pursue a profession such as medicine or law. As Quakers are pacifist, a military career was also out of the question. So, like many other Quakers of the time, he turned his energies toward business and began an apprenticeship as a tea dealer in Leeds in 1818.

Returning to Birmingham in 1824, X opened a small one-man grocery shop at 93 Bull Street. In 1831, he switched his business and rented a small factory (an old malthouse) in Crooked Lane to begin the manufacture of Y.

X was influenced in his choice of trade by his temperance beliefs – he felt alcohol was a major cause of poverty and other social ills, and saw Y as alternatives. As a social reformer, he also led a campaign to ban the use of child labour for sweeping chimneys and campaigned against animal cruelty, forming the Animals Friend Society, a forerunner of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Today, X’s business has grown to become international and Y manufactured by X’s company has achieved immense popularity.

Identify X and Y.