Person    | Male  Born 11/1/1858  Died 8/5/1947

Harry Selfridge

Categories: Commerce

Countries: USA

Born Wisconsin. Too small to join the navy he became a clerk in a department store, where he rose to manager and then set out on his own. Very successful, he "retired" in 1906, moved to London and employed a Chicago architect, Daniel Burnham, to design his new store in Oxford Street, opened in 1909. He brought new ideas to British retailing; he is said to be the originator of "The customer is always right". Made his personality felt, touring the shop floor every day, formally dressed in a top hat.

After his wife's death in 1918 he continued his extravagant life-style with a liaison with Syrie Wellcome (see Barnardo, her father, for some info about her) and with a series of well-known ladies of the theatre, including a pair of identical twins the Dolly Sisters, entertaining lavishly at his home, Lansdowne House at 9 Fitzmaurice Place. Through poor financial management he gradually lost control of the business, finally departing in 1941. When he died 6 years later he had lost his fortune and, owning no property, was living with his daughter at 2 Ross Court, Putney Heath, where he died.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Harry Selfridge

Commemorated ati

Harry Selfridge at Selfridges

The feet of all the customers visiting "this house" have, over the years, sof...

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Harry Selfridge plaque

Harry Gordon Selfridge, 1858 - 1947, department store magnate, lived here, 19...

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Sun Public House

Sun Public House

This pub was destroyed in a WW2 air raid shortly before closing time on 25th September 1940. The plaque says that 20 people were killed; Pubwiki puts the number at 16. The site stood empty for many...

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1 memorial
Richard D'Oyly Carte

Richard D'Oyly Carte

Theatre impresario. Born Greek Street. Suggested that Sullivan should work on Gilbert's "Trial by Jury" and staged the first performance in 1875. In 1879 D'Oyly Carte's Opera Company was formed and...

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5 memorials
Futurecity

Futurecity

From their website: "We add value to the built environment. We create alliances & build bridges. We put new places on the cultural map. We create distinct, memorable, marketable identity.

Group, Art, Commerce, Sculpture

1 memorial
Shell UK

Shell UK

The Shell Ball is a lovely piece of modern sculpture that's not a memorial so we can't 'collect' it for London Remembers.  But Ornamental Passions (bless them) have posted it  and we want to provid...

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2 memorials