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The Burlington Arcade in one of Britain's longest shopping arcades — 196 yards long to be precise. It was built in 1818/19 at the request of Lord George Cavendish, later Earl of Burlington, for his wife so that she could shop safely amongst other genteel ladies and gentleman away from the busy, dirty, and crime ridden open streets of London.
Unofficially, the reason for the arcade's existence was said to be for use as a buffer zone as the Cavendishes were at their wits' end with the poorer folk who kept throwing rubbish — particularly oyster shells — onto their property.
The area was very female-centric, and as per the rules of the time, even the male milliners and corsetmakers who worked there were addressed as "Madame"..
The oldest and smallest private police force in the world can be found at the arcade. The Burlington Beadles were employed by Lord Cavendish from his regiment The Royal Hussars to protect his wife and friends from pickpockets. To this day they are easy to spot dressed in their uniform of Victorian frock coats, gold buttons and gold-braided top hats.
There are several old rules that you must abide by if you visit the arcade, as they are still enforced by the Beadles. Make sure once you enter that you aren't in a hurry to get somewhere, and you haven't got a tune stuck in your head that makes you want to burst out in song, for in the Burlington Arcade there shall be no humming, whistling, singing, running or even fast-paced walking, riding bicycles, opening umbrellas or behaving boisterously.
It's well known that Sir Paul McCartney is the only person in the world exempt from the ban on whistling apparently he was looking in a shop window and a Beadle went to confront him but recognized who it was and gave him an exception for life.
However, the Spectator suggests that there are in fact two exemptions. The second is an 11 year old boy from the east end who was going through some tough times. The Beadles 'took a shine to him, and said that if he got a good report from school they'd issue him a permit to whistle.' And apparently they did.
Singing and whistling are banned due to the part that prostitution played in the arcade's history. The upper floors were at times used as brothels that even a respectable gentleman might find himself frequenting. But of course it wouldn't do to be caught there. Prostitutes and their pimps used songs and whistling as signals that the police or the beadles were around. The prostitutes would also use these signals to warn the pickpockets down below when they were in danger of being spotted.
As a quintessentially British venue, the arcade has seen fame in the form of celebrity visitors and as the backdrop to major Hollywood films, including Patriot Games starring Harrison Ford, and 101 Dalmatians.
Fred Astaire had received some uniquely designed gold and striped slippers from a fan or admirer, and came to the arcade to seek out the source. The designer of the slippers pointed them out, and Astaire bought several pairs at once.
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Photo 4 will try and make this one shorter doh
Fortnum and Masons which is opposite the arcade, .Fortnum & Mason is named after its two founders, William Fortnum and Hugh Mason. The famous brand has always had a royal connection. Starting at it’s beginning with William Fortnum. Prior to starting his own gourmet grocer, he was the footman to Queen Anne. In 1707 he partnered with grocer Hugh Mason. Together the two set up a grocer in St. James. A few facts about the store.
.They were also the store that bought baked beans to the UK. In 1886 Mr Heinz lugged five cases of samples from the USA, Fortnum's saw the potential of the product and took them all.
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They invented the scotch egg! Yep, you can thank Fortnum's for that delicious ball of goodness, after the team came up with the idea of wrapping a hard-boiled egg in sausage meat as the perfect snack for travellers.
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.Their roof is buzzing with activity, literally. The Fortnum's Piccadilly roof has been home to its famous bees since 2008. Each year, the bees produce delicious honey to sell in-store.
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..Fortnum & Mason currently holds royal warrants from Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince of Wales. A warrant was also held from the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, which lapsed in 2007, five years after her death.
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.Charles Dickens was a fan too, ‘Look where I will…I see Fortnum & Mason. All the hampers fly wide open and the green downs burst into a blossom of lobster salad!’
A day of reflection