Sir Thomas Lipton was born 1851 in Crown Street, Gorbals, Glasgow. His parents coming from an Irish background. At the young age of 10 years he was employed as a message boy at stationers Messrs. A&W Kennedy then later with Tillie & Henderson shirt manufacturers. Next he was a cabin boy and aged 15 he crossed the Atlantic to America arriving there at the time of the countries recovery from the civil war. Then soon finding employment as an assistant in a grocery store.

But it wasn't long until he grew homesick and returned to Glasgow where he started a small provision shop in Crown Street.

With his unique style of shop keeping and imaginative advertising Lipton soon expanded his grocery empire into many corners of the United Kingdom.