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Fortnum & Mason facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1707 |
| Founders | William Fortnum Hugh Mason |
| Headquarters | |
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Number of locations
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5 (2019) |
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Area served
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United Kingdom Hong Kong Worldwide (via stockists and online) |
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Key people
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| Products | Luxury goods |
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Number of employees
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708 (2016) |
| Parent | Wittington Investments |
Fortnum & Mason, often called Fortnum's, is a famous department store in London, England. Its main store is at 181 Piccadilly in London. It was started in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason.
You can also find Fortnum's stores at The Royal Exchange, St Pancras station, and Heathrow Airport in London. There is also a store in Hong Kong. Fortnum & Mason is owned by Wittington Investments.
Fortnum's began as a grocery store. It became known for selling high-quality food. The store grew quickly during the Victorian era. Even though it became a department store, it still focuses on special and exotic foods. It is very famous for its food hampers, which are gift baskets filled with delicious items.
The main store now has other sections, like a gentlemen's department. It also has a tea shop and several restaurants where people can eat.
Contents
Fortnum's Story: A Look Back in Time
Fortnum & Mason has a long and interesting history. It started with William Fortnum, who worked for Queen Anne. The royal family used new candles every night. William Fortnum would collect the half-used wax and resell it. He also had a small business selling groceries.
He teamed up with his landlord, Hugh Mason. Together, they opened the first Fortnum & Mason store in 1707. It was in Mason's small shop at St James's Market.
Royal Connections and New Foods
In 1761, William Fortnum's grandson, Charles, worked for Queen Charlotte. This connection to the royal family helped the business grow even more. Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the Scotch egg in 1738. This is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and breadcrumbs.
The store started selling special ready-to-eat meals. These included luxury items like poultry or game served in a jelly called aspic.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Fortnum's supplied dried fruit, spices, and other preserves to British army officers. In the Victorian era, the store often provided food for important royal events. Queen Victoria even sent Fortnum & Mason's concentrated beef tea to Florence Nightingale's hospitals during the Crimean War.
A Famous Clock and Modern Times
In 1886, Fortnum & Mason became the first store in Britain to sell baked beans. They bought the entire stock of a new product from H. J. Heinz.
The main store building on Piccadilly was rebuilt between 1926 and 1927. It has a classic Neo-Georgian design.
In 1951, a Canadian businessman named W. Garfield Weston bought the store. In 1964, he had a special four-ton clock put above the main entrance. This clock honors the founders, William Fortnum and Hugh Mason. Every hour, models of William Fortnum and Hugh Mason come out and bow to each other. Music from the 1700s plays in the background.
Since Garfield Weston passed away in 1978, his granddaughters, Jana Khayat and Kate Hobhouse, have run the store. Tom Athron became the Chief Executive Officer in December 2020.
In 2007, the store had a big renovation that cost £24 million. This was part of its 300th birthday celebrations.
In March 2012, Queen Elizabeth II, Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall), and Catherine (then Duchess of Cambridge) visited Fortnum & Mason together. They each received their own special gift hampers. The Queen also opened the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon on the fourth floor.
Fortnum & Mason has opened more stores in recent years. In November 2013, a store opened at St Pancras International station. Other stores and restaurants followed at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 in 2014 and at The Royal Exchange in 2018.
The first Fortnum & Mason store outside Britain opened in Dubai in March 2014. In April 2019, Fortnum & Mason announced a new store in Hong Kong at K11 Musea, which opened in September 2019. This large space includes a shop and a restaurant.
Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards
Fortnum & Mason hosts yearly awards for food and drinks. These awards celebrate the best achievements in the food and drink world. They honor writers, publishers, presenters, photographers, and other people working in the industry.
In 2018, the awards ceremony was hosted by Claudia Winkleman. Winners included famous names like Nadiya Hussain, Nigel Slater, and Jay Rayner.
Royal Warrants: A Mark of Quality
Fortnum & Mason holds three royal warrants. These are special honors given by the royal family. They show that the company supplies goods or services to the royal household. Fortnum's has warrants from Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla.
Their first royal warrant was given in 1910 by Queen Alexandra. Later, King George V also granted them a warrant. Fortnum & Mason briefly lost their warrant for King George VI in 1948 because of food rationing after the war. However, the warrant for King George VI was given back in 1951.
Both King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (who became The Queen Mother), also granted Fortnum & Mason royal warrants.
Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
In 2022, Fortnum & Mason helped sponsor the Platinum Pudding Competition. This was part of the official celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. The Jubilee marked 70 years of her reign.
Fortnum & Mason was also one of the partners for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. This big event took place on June 5, 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Fortnum & Mason para niños