When Rose Selfridge meets Roderick Temple at the National Gallery, she fibs and tells him her last name is Buckingham. In fact, the real Rosalie Selfridge was named Buckingham before her marriage to Harry Gordon Selfridge. The Buckingham family was very prominent in Rosalie's native Chicago, and relatives of Rosalie gave the funds for the enormous Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, which is still one of Chicago's best-known public landmarks.
In 1890, Selfridge married Rosalie "Rose" Buckingham of the prominent Buckingham family of Chicago. Her father was Benjamin Hale Buckingham, who was a member of a very successful family real estate business established by her grandfather, Alvah Buckingham. At 30, Rose was a successful property developer, having inherited money and expertise from her family. Rose had purchased land in Harper Avenue, Hyde Park, Chicago and built 42 villas and artists' cottages within a landscaped environment.
Rose Selfridge actually died in 1918 from the great influenza epidemic.
In earlier seasons, the Selfridges have four children. Gordon Selfridge (Adam Wilson), Rosalie Selfridge (Poppy Lee Friar), Violette Selfridge (Freya Wilson), and Beatrice Selfridge (Raffey Cassidy). In order to show proper age progression in later seasons, actors were replaced. Gordon Selfridge was now played by Greg Austin, Rosalie & Violette were played by real life sisters Kara & Hannah Tointon. Beatrice is not mentioned at all in season 4, even though it seems all of the Selfridge family is now residing back in London.
When Mr. Selfridge says "nice hat, son" to Gordon in season one, the actual line was meant to be "nice Toby, son," but the young actor didn't understand the reference and so the dialogue was changed.
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