Fortnum & Mason

This guide to Fortnum & Mason in London starts with a royal footman named William Fortnum, whose humble sideline in Queen Anne's household led him to open a Piccadilly shop with his landlord Hugh Mason. You'll hear how the royal connection kept feeding the business for generations, from a grandson's post in Queen Charlotte's service to Wellington's officers stocking up before Waterloo. The guide also follows the shop's provisions on stranger journeys, including a famous polar expedition's supply list. Listen for what William was quietly selling on the side before the shop ever existed.