{"id":11447,"date":"2022-05-30T09:45:20","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T07:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=30342"},"modified":"2022-05-30T09:59:10","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T07:59:10","slug":"the-history-of-fortnum-mason","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/the-history-of-fortnum-mason\/","title":{"rendered":"The history of Fortnum & Mason"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Poppy Benner\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 30 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

F<\/span>ortnum & Mason\u2019s association with the monarchy is nestled somewhere in the subconscious \u2013 it\u2019s an intrinsic part of the company\u2019s history that has helped to establish its reputation as a luxury brand. The relationship goes right back to the company\u2019s foundation over 300 years ago, when William Fortnum was a footman at the court of Queen Anne. One of the perks of Fortnum\u2019s job was to empty the half-burned candlesticks and take the leftover wax home, where he remelted them and resold them to ladies of the court. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hugh Mason, meanwhile, had already started up his small grocery store in Duke St, St James\u2019s Market, when he met William Fortnum and became his landlord. With William\u2019s palace connections, Mason found himself in an excellent position to sell commodities to the gentry and aristocracy and, by 1707, Fortnum & Mason had been established. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 1840, William\u2019s great-grandson, Richard Fortnum, ploughed the company\u2019s profits into the new building at 181 Piccadilly, where the shop stands today. With its elegant fanlights and decoration, \u2018the designers of the building were deliberately inviting women customers inside to look at the wares on show,\u2019 says Dr Andrea Tanner, Fortnum & Mason\u2019s archivist.<\/span><\/p>\n