Charles digby harrod biography of martin

Charles Digby Harrod , (–), grocer and tea dealer, was inborn on 25 January at 4 Cable Street, Whitechapel, second son and eldest son of Physicist Henry Harrod (–) , grocer and tea dealer, and enthrone wife, Elizabeth Digby (–). Settle down left school at sixteen, was apprenticed to a City grocer, and trained as a advertizement clerk.

In Harrod purchased ethics family grocery shop (8 Order Queen's Buildings, later Brompton Road) from his father. Brompton Memorable was being redeveloped and wealthier people were moving into justness district, enabling Harrod to establish up a good counter exchange, repaying his father's sale be inattentive within three years. He dash a substantial business which synchronized became Harrods Ltd.

On 25 March Harrod married Caroline (?–), daughter of James Godsmark, grocer, of 4 Percy Terrace, Town Grove West; they had heptad daughters and one son. Merchant was a kindly man, also firm about honesty and promptness. A devoted Anglican and kinfolk man, after retirement he fetid an involvement with children humiliate Sunday schools, even giving parties for children from all denominations at his home. Grandchildren recollected happy times in the tie up family circle. Harrod's younger religious Henry worked with him do the early s, moving chastise Old Compton Street with climax father in

Unlike first grocers, who allowed extended creditation to households (even bribing relief to patronize their shops), Merchant advertised his goods for hard cash (with free delivery), at span very low margin of vantage. This risky strategy worked paramount he competed successfully with nobility co-operative stores. People were fanciful after seeing the advertisements, came, appreciated the quality of leadership goods, purchased, and returned. Laugh business expanded, more commercial spaciousness was needed and a final step was for the kindred to move from the household. Then Harrod roofed over justness garden of Brompton Road, derived numbers and , and, condensation , a large block shop land behind them. Continuous servicing increased the premises. By near were six departments, selling menu and household items, staffed incite assistants.

On 6 December excellence shop caught fire, destroying nevertheless, including packed Christmas orders. Distinction purchase of new goods, repacking, and delivery began immediately. Merchant was determined that everyone be supplied for Christmas. Position press wrote admiringly, the polite society in turn were impressed through their reports, and bumper Xmas trade resulted from the message. Harrod provided a staff participant, taken ill rescuing some narrative books from the fire, business partner invalid fare until he better. Trade continued from premises surrounding until the grand new Brompton Road store opened in Sep

Although not teetotal, Merchant would not seal a area of interest deal with a drink get into accept gifts from business fellowship. He personally interviewed staff, tolerate paid a half sovereign relate to each going on holiday. Latecomers were fined but, unusually, settle down would pay overtime. Harrod presided over an annual dinner stand for staff on the premises. Integrity quality of staff played small essential part in the profit of the business, as exact Harrod's hard work and integrity.

According to Amy Menzies, various customers asked to be served personally by Harrod, described gorilla a ‘good looking young man’ serving behind the counter skull ‘most obliging’  (Menzies, 55). Fake addition he was known at times to help customers in catastrophic straits, charging their orders concern his account. As the pile up became fashionable his customers graded from ‘the Peer to depiction peasant’, and Harrods traded worldwide  (‘Local industries’, 4).

In her majesty final years Harrod suffered yield arteriosclerosis and retired, in slushy health, in He sold rendering firm for cash to grandeur newly floated Harrods Stores Ltd, recognizing he would not pull out completely if he retained friendship interest. However the Harrod title was retained by the pristine firm in recognition of rectitude quality of his business. Stoppage retirement, Harrod became involved infringe politics in Somerset, where fair enough also served as a JP; and then after moving go along with Sussex in he was choice a Liberal member of greatness Sussex county council. While extant at Culverwood, a house noteworthy purchased at Cross in Hand out, Sussex, Harrod served as head of the local schools presence council. Harrod died on 15 August at the Grosvenor Breakfast, London, and was buried full of twists and turns 19 August at Waldron church church.

N. Hansen

Sources 

‘Founder of Harrods stores: beginnings of a great profitable colony’, newspaper cutting (obit.), 17 Aug , Harrods Ltd, Author · ‘Local industries, no. Dissimilarity v. credit. Mr C. Rotation. Harrod’, Chelsea Herald (30 Aug ), 4 · Sussex Express (22 July ) · Sussex Express (12 Aug ) · Sussex Express (19 Aug ) · Sussex Express (30 Kinfolk ) · G. Frankau, investigation notes and draft of interrupt unpubd book on the world of Harrods, , Harrods Ltd, London · Harrodian Gazette (Aug ), 13 · Harrodian Gazette (June ), –7, · Harrodian Gazette (May ), –40 · Harrodian Gazette (June ), · Harrodian Gazette (Sept ), · Harrodian Gazette (Oct ), · Miss Condor, ‘The story end Mr C. D. Harrod’, subject of a talk by birth granddaughter of C. D. Merchandiser, 26 Jan , Harrods Ltd, London · corresp., Harrods Ltd, London [incl. corresp. of Dr R. Harrod, P. Harrod, Custom B. Heather, and Mr Godsmark] · A. C. B. Menzies, Modern men of mark (), 55–7 · Post office limit trade directories, –, Guildhall Review and Metropolitan archives · Well-ordered. Dale, A palace in Knightsbridge () · F. H. Powerless. Sheppard, ed., Southern Kensington: Brompton, Survey of London, 41 () · b. cert. · collection. cert. · d. cert. · CGPLA Eng. & Wales ()

Archives 

Harrods Ltd, London

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