An American explorer who reached the North Pole in 1909, another who died in the Antarctic and a Polar explorer are all set to have roads named after them in Dartford.

What links the names Peary, Scott and Shackleton is their use of the Burroughs Wellcome Tabloid – a pill, the name of which came from “tablet” and “alkaloid”, and was manufactured in Dartford.

The company’s drugs were a big success in Britain, and Silas Burroughs and Henry Wellcome bought the Phoenix Paper Mills site at Dartford to cope with demand.

They used Thames barges for transport and the site remained the firm’s production centre until the 1980s.

The section of land, known as Mill Pond, was used by Burroughs Wellcome from 1889 onwards.

It produced a wide range of pharmaceutical products, including medicine chests, which were supplied to explorers, expeditions and royalty in the early part of the 20th century.

For his employees, Wellcome established the Wellcome Club and Institute in 1898, in Acacia Hall.

After Wellcome’s 1995 merger with Glaxo, and then a merger with SmithKline Beecham in 2000 to form GlaxoSmithKline, the site in Dartford was granted outline planning permission for the development of new homes in 2011.

Dartford council said there will be “at least” 11 new roads and names will be chosen from the shortlist seen below.

The masterplan shows 650 new homes on the eastern parcel of land alongside landscaping, public and private open space, and up to 860 car parking spaces.

It includes the construction of 12 two-bedroom, 59 three-bedroom and 23 four-bedroom houses, alongside 24 one-bedroom and 56 two-bedroom flats.

It is bounded by Mill Pond Road, Temple Hill and Central Road.

Ultimately, about 1,000 homes are likely to be built in the area, including on the neighbouring Mill Pond site.

GlaxoSmithKline announced in November 2008 that its manufacturing plant in Dartford would be wound down with production transferred to other facilities.

The names (below) are expected to be approved by cabinet members tonight (Thursday).

Burroughs - Silas M Burroughs. One of the founders of Burroughs Wellcome which came to
Dartford in 1889.

Dale - Sir Henry Dale. Trustee of the Wellcome Foundation and Chairman of the Trust
for 22 years. Close associate of Henry Wellcome.

Foster - Dr Graham Foster. Chief Analyst at Wellcome. Prominent part in the compilation
of the first British Veterinary Codex in 1936

Jowett - Head of Experimental Department in 1905

Sydney - Sydney Smith. Undertook outstanding research work in 1930 on treatment for
Congestive Heart Failure

Oakes, Wheeler and PerrinStanley - Explorer who famously looked for David Livingstone

- Managing Directors of the company from the 40s & 50s
Richmond - Family name of three generations who worked at the company from the 1920s

Henry Morton

Robert Peary - Explorer who claimed to reach the North Pole in 1909

Robert Falcon Scott - Explorer known as Scott of the Antarctic

Ernest Shackleton - British Antarctic Explorer

John Alcock - Aviator who made the first non-stop transatlantic flight

Charles Lindbergh - Aviator who flew solo non-stop across the Atlantic