The curious history of Fortnum & Mason, from supplying Shackleton to inventing Scotch eggs
For a brand most closely associated with luxury hampers, myriad blends and varieties of indulgent tea (around 200), and lovely bone china desk sets, Fortnum & Mason has a remarkably rugged history.
After being founded at 1707 - the too year large Britain was formed - selling second-hand wax essentially pilfered from the Royal household by footman William Fortnum, the upmarket department rescue has because supplied food ought some of the most ambitious and highly regarded expeditions at history.
In the figure of hampers, Fortnum & Mason was gift when Stanley met Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika, above numerous Everest attempts, including the ill-fated travel of 1924 during which George Mallory and Sandy Irvine were lost, and when archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the intact tomb of boy king, Tutankhamun at 1922.
“One of my most valuable artefacts,” says Dr Andrea Tanner, Fortnum & Mason’s in-house historian, “Is the creative shopping roll although Shackleton’s patience expedition.”
Today, the department - in spite of selling numerous gift boxes and baskets that climax £500 (the dearest is £1,075) - has remained right ought its roots. at 2012, Fortnum & Mason shipped 15,000 United Services Tins ought British army nearly the world, from Afghanistan ought the Falklands, within them its historic Queen Anne combine tea (created although the monarch at 1707) too although the “super digestive” biscuit, developed ought hold its figure flat when dunked at hot tea.
Fortnum’s habitation above Piccadilly at central London, where it has sold groceries although its 312 years, could no feel farther from the battlefields of the middle East - silent maybe when it was inundated with UK Uncut protesters at 2011. Beginning above the climax floor, at the shop’s board room, which has hosted the large and good of the last three centuries (Churchill had his birthday here once), I am being given a major ought toe history voyage by Dr Tanner. A red carpet ago us, immaculately groomed, flows down the central staircase, and continues ought conduct hence until the front door.
“It tells our customers that they are our VIPs,” she says. “But it too slows you down. You can’t change into Fortnum & Mason and take something and dash out. We absence you ought confess your time, and dine a look.” confess your time and you’ll note that flat the bannisters dine been dressed at red velvet.
There’s too artwork above each wall, from recent prints by Adam Dant ought 19th century depictions of Epsom derby appointment (replete with Fortnum hampers) by Dutch painter Pierre Tetar van Elven. Montague Dawson’s learn of a tea clipper is of especial note.
But of course, this is silent a shop. The floors are rip at first by gender - men, with a bar, barbers and more climax trait socks and ties than you can shake an expensive umbrella at, then gifts although women; where the smell counter lives, along from the jewelry section, which I’m told is at the center of “Champagne o’clock” nearly 3pm each day. no forgetting, above the fourth floor, the “tea salon”, where lives, according ought Tanner, the world’s most played Steinway piano (six hours a day, 363 days a year).
With each step, fresh history reveals itself. Fortnum’s was the first UK department ought sell tins of baked beans at 1886 after purchasing the full stock from H J Heinz, neutral at from America. It too claims ought dine invented the Scotch egg at 1738. during the First world War, the department shipped its equip hampers ought army above the Western Front. at the Second, it catered although rations silent during too opened a special Officers’ Department, where the Commissioned mankind could acquire exotic cigarettes, germ powder and other high-brow essentials.
Moving among the china sets, wicker hampers and tourists, it’s difficult ought conceive that Fortnum & Mason serves run-of-the-mill, daily customers, silent during Dr Tanner says it does. “We silent dine nation that change ought us although their groceries,” she says, “but we too trouble ought present that little something you won’t detect anywhere else.”
In the tea and coffee department, which bustles maybe more than any other floor, samples are sniffed and sipped although shoppers scrutinise the scores of different blends. There are plenty with historic pedigree, of course, including my favourite, the Cabinet coffee, developed ought hold politicians at Downing street although sharp although feasible although during absence although possible. although I’ve no doubt, they’re onto harder material now.
The department is a living, breathing archive, dressed greatly at the inimitable eau de Nil hue. Its more bizarre days can exist after it - mature of Everest expeditions, royal candles and sporting departments that featured small ski slopes - silent during there is no doubt a sensation of the past within (and indeed, upon) its walls. This is no more clean than at the crypt, above the basement floor, which feels a little alike a Tudor king’s utility room.
But the affair is surprisingly progressive, too. It houses bees above its roof as robust although moss ought mitigate the pollution from the busy streets below. It has placed social duty at the middle of its ethos, reducing single-use flexible and encouraging re-use of its packaging such although hampers and boxes.
It's too proudly British, sourcing where it can from UK suppliers.
Despite complete the grandeur, regal heritage and expensive hampers, Dr Tanner says, it tries ought retain its identity although a “surprising little phase shop”, virgin where at days gone by you force dine bumped into Mallory, Stanley or Shackleton.
Dr Andrea Tanner runs Delicious History tours at Fortnum & Mason above selected dates, at £40 per person (with tastings). Check here although availability.
