John Boot (1815–1860), born in Radcliffe on Trent in Nottinghamshire, England, was the founder of Boots the Chemists. His son Jesse Boot transformed the company into a retailer known throughout the world.Boot was born in Radcliffe on Trent in 1815 and was a farm worker until illness forced him to change career. Boot moved to Hockley Village.From the herbal remedies his mother made, Boot started up a trade of making and selling herbal remedies.