Ancestry of
Harry Gordon Selfridge

Founder, Selfridges & Co.

Harry Gordon Selfridge

View famous kin of Harry Gordon Selfridge

• • 1st Generation
  • Ahnentafel No:
  • 1 
  • Father:
  • Robert Oliver Selfridge 
  • Mother:
  • Lois Frances Baxter   
  • Birth Date:
  • 11 Jan 1858 
  • Birth Location:
  • Ripon, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 
  • Christening Date:
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  • Christening Location:
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  • Death Date:
  • 8 May 1947 
  • Death Location:
  • Putney, London, England 
  • Burial Date:
  •  
  • Burial Location:
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  • Notes: 

  • Gravestone for Harry G. Selfridge incorrectly inscribed with a birth year of 1857.

    Harry Gordon Selfridge, born on January 11, 1858, in Ripon, Wisconsin, was a visionary American-British retail magnate best known for founding Selfridges, one of London's most iconic department stores. Selfridge's career began at Marshall Field's in Chicago, where he worked his way up from stock boy to junior partner. His innovative ideas, such as creating a more customer-centric shopping experience, laid the groundwork for his future success.

    In 1906, Selfridge moved to London with the ambitious vision of revolutionizing the British retail scene. He founded Selfridges on Oxford Street in 1909, introducing several pioneering concepts, including window displays, open merchandise, and in-store entertainment, which transformed shopping into a leisure activity. His famous phrase, "The customer is always right," became a cornerstone of modern retail.

    Despite his early success, Selfridge's later years were marred by financial difficulties. During the years of the Great Depression, Selfridge's fortune rapidly declined and then disappeared. He lost control of Selfridges in 1941, and his lavish lifestyle left him in financial ruin. Harry Gordon Selfridge passed away on May 8, 1947, in London.

    Selfridge's legacy endures through his lasting impact on retail, influencing department stores worldwide. His innovative approach to customer service and marketing continues to shape the industry, making him a pivotal figure in the history of modern retailing.

• Marriages for Harry Gordon Selfridge

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  • Spouse:
  • Rosalie Amelia Buckingham
  • Marriage Date:
  • 11 Nov 1890
  • Marriage Location:
  • Chicago, Cook, Illinois

• Sources for Harry Gordon Selfridge

  • ¹ Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920, Marriage record for Harry G Selfridge and Rose A Buckingham.
  • ² England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995, Probate record for mother Lois Frances Selfridge.
  • ³ England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995, Probate record for Harry Gordon Selfridge.
  • ⁴ England Census, 1911, London, St George Hanover Square, Mayfair and Knights Bridge, ED 3, Image 176 of 721.
  • ⁵ Federal Census, TX, Liberty County, 1860, p. 21, Image 6 of 39.
  • ⁶ Gravestone image at FindAGrave.com, (accessed 11/25/2022).
  • ⁷ The Evening Mail (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada), 26 FEB 1924, p. 1, Obituary for mother Lois Selfridge.
  • ⁸ U.S., Consular Registration Certificates, 1907-1918, Record for Harry Gordon Selfridge.
  • ⁹ U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925, 07 MAR 1918, Application for spouse Rose Buckingham Selfridge.
  • ¹⁰ U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925, 05 JUL 1921, Application for son Harry Gordon Selfridge Jr.
  • ¹¹ Soucek, Gayle, Mr. Selfridge in Chicago: Marshall Field's, The Windy City and the Making of a Merchant Prince, Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press (2015).
  • ¹² Wikipedia, "Harry Gordon Selfridge", (accessed 11/25/2022).