Thanks for the Chloralieve recommendation Blossoming, the young lady offered me Strepfen or a throat spray.
You are right FannyCornforth, Tyrozets contained benzocaine which numbed the pain, very welcome when I could hardly swallow. The name Tyrozets is taken from the antibiotic aspect of Tyrothicin.
I had acute tonsillitis throughout my childhood/teens and don't know where I'd have been without these. I was working at the BBC at 18 and had such a lot of time off sick with it I agreed to have my tonsils out, I know they don't do this nowadays. I still get very very sore throats even without them but do keep honey in the house now and will get some lemons too. Don't think I could bear the onions MerylStreep but thank you for the remedy.