Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-05-08
Il. Gordon SeIfridge Dies at 90;
fought British Merchandising
Bronchial ? Pneumonia
FotoI to Owner Of
Big London Store

LONDON, May 8s-H. Gordon Sell
fridge, so, who brought American
merchandising methods to Britain.
died at his Putney home today of
bronchial pneumonia.
Mr. Selfridge, native of Wis
consin, began his spectacular bust
ness career with Chicago's Marshall
Field & Co., and retired with a for
tune in less than Is years He re-.
sumed his career in London with a
store which became the largest in
all Europe.
Mr.. Selfridge joined Marshall
Fields at the age of % and advanced
until he had an interest in the firm.
In 1904 he retired, but later the
same year bought out the Chicago
firm of Schlesinger and Mayer,
changing its name to H. G. Selfridge
& Co. He sold the company shortly
afterward to Carson, Prize, Scott d
Co.
In 1906 he came to London to pur-
sue his hobbies. collecting art OBJ
jects, reading and travelling.
In London the Wisconsin, born
merchant organized Selfridge 81 Co.,
Ltd, and opened the store in the
spring of 1909. The American
methods he introduced ran counter
to traditional British methods, but
the establishment attracted crowds
of curious Londoners, and the store
became huge success.
Became British Subject.
Mr.. Selfridge became a British
subject in June, 1887. and retired
for the last time in 1899.
Mr.. Selfridge once remarked that
he attained business success by a
bare quarter of an inch. 1t was his
mothers ambition-and his own at
the time-that he go to the United
States Naval Academy. A naval
doctor rejected him because he was
a quarter of an inch under the mini
mum regulation height.
For three years after Mr.. Selfridge
opened his London store, he had an
uphill climb. Frequently his COM
petitors predicted his efforts to
"Americanize" British merchandise
ing methods would fail. But the
criticism redounded to his benefit as
publicity, and Londoners focked to
the only store In which they could
buy pin or gramophone. A few
years later Mr.. Selfridge was lead
ing member of the Merchants As
ISOLATION, which at first had barred
him.
Harry Gordon Selfridge was the
Marshall Field of London. The anal
ogy is particularly appropriate be-
cause it was from the Chicago mer-
chant that Mr.. Selfridge learned the
secrets of merchandising.
Later those teachings enabled him
to found on American business meth
DDS the first department store in
Europe and eventually to become
the greatest merchant prince of
Britain, If not the whole of Europe.
The death of his father made it
necessary for Mr.. Selfridge to begin
at the age of 10 to help support
himself. He worked at various odd
jobs until 1879, when he entered
the employ of Field, Letter 81 Co. in
Chicago, which afterward became
Marshall Field g. Co.
He advanced steadily with the
latter firm until he acquired an
interest in it and which he dis
posed of in 1904. He had made a
fortune and intended to retire so
that he could enjoy it by indulging
in his hobbies of travelling, reading
books and collecting art objects.
Fascinated by Business.
However, he soon learned that he
could not bear to be out of the game,
for to the author of 1.-The Romance
of Commerce" business always was
the most fascinating, romantic and
satisfying game in the world.
During his travels Mr.. Selfridge