Paxton & Whitfield : gourmet cheeses

Last modified on 2014-09-25 11:58:38 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Paxton and Whitfield are cheesemongers of the highest quality produce, with a long and distinguished history as suppliers to the Royal family. HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales are both current grantees of Royal Warrants. The company has also held Royal warrants of appointment from:

HM Queen Victoria, HM King Edward VII, HM King George V
HM King George VI and HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Paxton and Whitfield supply cheeses to some of the most regarded retailers such as Harvey Nichols, John Lewis Food Halls and Harrods.

Paxton and Whitfield have been established for over 200 years, the name being first recorded as a partnership in1797, but the origins are even earlier as the founder  Sam Cullen set up a market cheese stall in Aldwych , London in 1742.

As London grew in affluence,  he moved his burgeoning business nearer to his best clients in the wealthier west of London, near to Jermyn street where there is still a shop today.  Soon after, Sam Cullen took on two partners, Harry Paxton and Charles Whitfield whose names now identify the business.

Over the following years the business grew and in 1850, their excellence was officially recognised by the award of  a first Royal warrant of appointment by HM Queen Victoria. However, in the 1860’s, English farmhouse cheeses were increasingly being overlooked in favour of the increasingly available and novel continental cheeses.

At this time many artisan made cheeses were lost, as farmers sent their milk for industrial processing to central creameries. This process continued through the two world wars and with dairy products in short supply throughout, the Jermyn street shop became a general grocery store carrying only small supplies of  (rationed) cheeses. However, shortly after they resumed their normal activities and Sir Winston Churchill famously said of them: “…a gentleman only buys his cheese at Paxton and Whitfield.”

Paxton and Whitfield continue to source and supply the finest artisan cheeses through their shops, via mail order and also their novel educational gourmet ”Cheese Society’.

Paxton and Whitfield hampers are available here

Visit  Paxton & Whitfield