24 Facts About Rose Selfridge

Rosalie Amelia Selfridge was a property developer before becoming the wife of department store magnate Harry Gordon Selfridge.

Rose Selfridge's story was portrayed in the television series Mr Selfridge, where she is shown as the patient wife of the famous retailer during their early years in England.

Rose Selfridge's father was Benjamin Hale Buckingham, and her mother was Martha Euretta Potwin.

Rose Selfridge's grandfather was Alvah Buckingham, who had founded the firm Buckingham and Sturges.

Unfortunately, he died in 1864 when Rose Selfridge was only four years old.

Between the ages of 13 and 19, Rose Selfridge acquired an education by traveling through Europe with her mother, studying languages and music.

Rose Selfridge was said to be a very gifted harpist and was described by a Chicago socialite in the following terms.

Rose Selfridge Buckingham, belonging to a distinguished family, was as lovely in mind as she was in body.

Rose Selfridge loved her art and was always willing to help others.

Between the ages of 24 and 28, Rose Selfridge traveled through Europe, Russia and the Middle East with several members of the Buckingham family.

Rose Selfridge appears to have been sensitive about her age, as in some of her travel documents she subtracted up to six years from her true birth date.

Rose Selfridge met Harry Selfridge when she was about 28 and married him in 1890 at the age of 30.

Rose Selfridge, meanwhile, was already a 30-year-old successful property developer in her own right; she had inherited both money and expertise from her family.

In 1883, Rose had purchased land on Harper Avenue between 57th Street and 59th Street in Hyde Park, Chicago and hired architect Solon S Beman to create a row of elegant homes, which came to be known as the Rosalie Villas.

Rose Selfridge was particularly fond of growing orchids and was said to be an expert in this field.

Rose Selfridge then decided to retire and for the next two years pottered around his properties, mainly his mansion, Harrose Hall on Lake Geneva.

Rose Selfridge bought a steam yacht, which he rarely used, and played golf.

Rose Selfridge was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Alliance francaise, the Fortnightly of Chicago and the Colonial Dames.

Rose Selfridge attended numerous social functions, many with the English aristocracy, while she lived in London either accompanied by Harry or alone.

Rose Selfridge was badly cut and sustained a concussion of the brain being rendered insensible.

Mrs Rose Selfridge was cut about the face and two bones in her forearm were broken.

Rose Selfridge missed her home and family in Chicago and returned there to see her sister Anna three or four times a year.

In May 1918, Rose Selfridge suddenly contracted pneumonia during the Spanish flu pandemic and died.

Rose Selfridge's funeral was conducted at the nearby St Mark's Church at Highcliffe, and she was buried in the church cemetery.