Pest controllers past and present attended a reception at the House of Commons on Monday 9th November to mark the 90th anniversary of Rentokil and the release of The Pest Detectives, a book which charts their 90-year history.
British pest control business Rentokil Ltd was founded by Professor Harold Maxwell-Lefroy in 1925 after he created a fluid to control Deathwatch Beetles, saving Westminster Hall from infestation. Maxwell-Lefroy wanted to call it Entokil from the Greek word for insect, entomon. Unfortunately, it had already been trademarked so he added an R to create Rentokil and the rest is history.
On Monday night, Rentokil donated a cheque for £30,000 to the charity Malaria No More. Rentokil pledged to donate £500 to the charity for every MP who took part in their bush tucker trial style ?Pestaurant Challenge?. Funds were also raised by colleagues across the company as well as £1 being donated for every copy sold of The Pest Detectives.
The Pest Detectives tells the true story of a great and innovative brand over its 90-year history. It is a book about how leading businesses are built and run, and much more. It?s a story about the people at the frontline of Rentokil ? the pest detectives.
The Pest Detectives: The Definitive History of Rentokil by Rob Gray, published by Harriman House, is available online now as a hardcopy and eBook.
