Ian Mitchell Thomas, the businessman credited with revitalizing the iconic Culpeper herbal shops, has died at the age of 93. Thomas passed away on October 16, 2026, due to complications related to dementia.
Born in 1933 in Whitley Bay, Northumberland, Thomas was the son of John Bythell Thomas, a Woolworth’s employee and Arctic expedition veteran. After completing National Service as an army captain in Japan and South Korea, Thomas studied history at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He then pursued a career in the corporate world, including a role as the first graduate trainee at Wrigley’s, before moving into advertising, where he worked with James Goldsmith. Their partnership eventually led Thomas to acquire Culpeper in 1972.
Culpeper, a pioneering herbal shop named after the 17th-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, was founded in 1927 by herbalist Hilda Leyel. Under Leyel, the company and the associated Society of Herbalists flourished, but after her death in 1957, the business declined due to limited commercial expertise. By the early 1970s, the two remaining London stores were losing around £10,000 annually on revenues of £60,000.
Thomas, alongside Goldsmith, worked to rebuild the company. After buying out Goldsmith in 1978, Thomas expanded Culpeper steadily over the next two decades. By the 1990s, the company operated 19 outlets, including locations in Japan, with annual revenues reported at £4 million and profits of £250,000. Thomas emphasized that the company grew without external investors, relying on internal cash flow and strategic bank loans.
Known for maintaining the traditional character of the stores—with antique chemists’ cabinets and distinctive aromas—Thomas also republished several of Nicholas Culpeper’s 17th-century works, including titles focused on herb cultivation and historical perspectives on childbirth. His dedication extended beyond business; Thomas personally cultivated herbs on a 20-acre farm in Suffolk, striving to grow every herb listed in the British herbal pharmacopoeia.
Thomas’s family played an active role in the company and in testing new products. He married twice and had four children from his first marriage—James, Emma, Mark, and Victoria—as well as two stepchildren from his second marriage. Several family members were involved in the business, with Emma and Mark working at Culpeper.
After selling Culpeper, which later became part of the Napier group, Thomas retired to Ramsgate, Kent. He pursued interests in sailing and gardening and made frequent visits to India. Known for his modesty and a mischievous streak, Thomas remained an advocate for herbal remedies throughout his life, often expressing skepticism about the pharmaceutical industry’s stance on herbal medicine.
Ian Mitchell Thomas was awarded an OBE in recognition of his contributions. His legacy includes not only the commercial resurgence of Culpeper but also a lasting influence on the herbal medicine community in the United Kingdom.