MAN WHO MADE HARROD'S.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17066, 20 August 1917, Page 7

MAN WHO MADE HARROD'S.

SUDDEN DEATH OP SIR RICHARD BURBIDGE.

VILLAGE BOY'S RISE.

.. LONDON, JUNE 2 bir .Richard Burbidge, Bt., the head ot the great house of Harrod's, died on ihursday night. In the morning h e attended a meeting in connection with "Baby Week/ 1 and in the afternoon oii,e in aid of disabled soldiers. He returned to Harrod's for half an hour, and went to his house m Hans iMansions at six o'clock. Ho retired at his usual time, 8.30. At ten o'clock he rang his bell, said that h.» felt faint, and sat down by the open window. A doctor was called in, and was present.when, a little later, Sir Richard died while still sitting by the window. Sir Richard Burbidge, who w as one of the leading business men in the land t came cf Wiltshire family which has held land in the country for 600 years. He left his native village of South Wraxail at the age of thirteen, and, coming to London to seek his fortune, became an assistant in a grocer's shop in Oxfordstreet. Here, in W. S. Gilbert's words,' he " cleaned the windows, and swept the floor, and polished up the handle of the big front door."

That was fifty-six years ago, and he "slaved,"' as he called it, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. He never forgot that experience, and when he became manager of Harrod's he began cutting down the working hours, which were then from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with 10 and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. In iecent years he closed Harrod's at 5 p.m., and at 1 p.m. one day a week. He was one of the wariaest supporters of the Early Closing Association.

HIS OWN SHOP

For five years the Wiltshire lad "t-laved" in the grocer's shop; then, quite a youth, lip opened a grocer's shop or" his own. Soon, however, he took a job at the Civil Service Stores, then in. Oxford-street, and next 'lie became head of- the Army and Navy Auxiliary Stores. He was so successful here that Mr. Whiteley ma-dc him manager at West-boiirite-grove. Eight years later he transfeired to a new business at West Kensington but before long he made his last move, and became in 1890 managing director of Harrod'Sj which had just been taken over by a company. It was a business which had grown out of a greengrocer's shop.

Under Sir Richard Burbidge Harrod'a leaped ahead. The profits grew from £13,000 in 1890 to £235,000 in 1916-17, when the business had a turnover of bftween £1,000,000 and £5,000,000. The stores were rebuilt, and extended from a front of 35 ft. in Bromption-road to 350 feet. The staff rose from 200 to C,OOO, apart from those' serving in the war.

Sir Richard Burbidge became a diI'ector of the Hudson Bay Company, went to Canada, and reorganised the business. He acquired, for Harrod's a controlling interest in Messrs. Dickins and Jones, Regent-street, where it is intended to spend £1,500^000 on a new "'temple of fashion" for women

PUBLIC SERVICE.

Apart from his great devotion to business, Sir Richard 'Burbidge in receut years gave much time to public affairs. He was chairman of the committee which inquired into the Royal Aircraft Factory, and a member of various other committees appointed by the Government during th,e war. Khj was one of the iirst to help with his advice in the Miuinitions Department. He rose always at 5.30. a.m., rode on. horseback from 6to 6.45. arrived at Harrod's at 7.30. breakfasted at 8, and left- business about 6.30 p.m., when lie motored to Littleton Hall, his house in Middlesex. He went to bed ao 8.30.

A few years ago Sir Richard told a "Daily. Express" . representative th*t his success was due to a few simple rules, 'and he offered this advice to others: B« persevering; be moderate (in smoking, drinking, etc.) ; be prompt and punctual; be courteous: don't shift about from one firm to another j don't look down on any one; don't fail to make your employer's interest your own; don't pester visitors to buy.

From a village boy Sir Kichard became owner of 1,000 acre? in Middlesex, 52.000 acres in West Australia, and an estate in Canada. He was made a baronet in 1916. His heir is Mr. Woodman Burbidge, general manager of Harrod's.

MR. SELFRIDGE'S TRIBUTE,

The following splendid tribute from the pen of Mr. Gordon Selfridge, Sir Kichard Burbidge's greatest business competitor, will be read with, special in,terest:—

A man among men has gone from us. and death, which will finally enter the name of every living person upon his tally sheet, has suddenly taken one whom London and Britain can ill affovd to spare. He has taken one who.i& place his intimate friends cannot fill: one who, knowing him as I did, not intimately, but always pleasantly—one of whom we, members of the greater outer circle 'of his friends and acquaintances, will in his absence feel ourselves much poorer in that supreme asset of seiramentj that friendship of good >• fellowship. „ We know with a certainty which has no possible exception that the same tally sheet will contain our names some day, but we close our * eyes to this certainty and rush on through* life. It is only aftni* some sudden shock, such as the hast I' iy spoken word of this morning's early hour telling us that death has entered the home of our friend and neighbour,, that we allow ourselves to look through the narrow window and se© how near death really is or may be.

It is much harder for those who remain than those who go, and to his family and those whom Sir Richard leaves to carry on his splendid and many works public, charitable, commercial, to them will go the full sympathy of his host of friends.

This man was respected and beloved. Ho, was broad of mind, kind in manner, quick in thought and action. He was a builder of character, and all of thos c who were fortunate enough to live within the radius of his close influence for their good, for their greater happiness: And one of the truest tests of a man's real qualities is that shown^ the words and innermost feelings of tnose with whom he is closely thrown. Sir Richard was honoured and revered by his great army of happy employees, and this sentiment does not come to any man unless earned by his good works. We who are still liere—we who are each day living hours of. great anxiety during these terrible years—cannot nfford to Jose this man. His wise counsel,, his cheery presence, his force and energy will be greatly missed. It is too bnd and it makes one almost wonder why those who are so needed are chosen by "the Great Reaper, and why, with years not great in number, -with health .seemingly pood, with friends in multitudes, with success to Ms credit, with ■t\]\ much to do and spirit nnd des»re to do it, why ssuch a one should have to go. But Sir Richard Buvbidge lias e;one, and T. with many, many others, deeply regret it * GORDON BELFHJDGE.