A short Wimbledon inspired piece this week.
But it’s not about what’s happening on the grass… no, our eyes are already on the trophy.
In particular, the pineapple on top of the men’s trophy
Source: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
It seems to have captured attention this year, with lots of people asking about its meaning and history.
But actually, it’s not just Wimbledon. If you keep your eyes open in London, you start to see evidence of a bit of an obsession with the fruit:
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The pillars at the ends of Lambeth Bridge… topped by pineapples.
… golden pineapples on the railings in Devonshire Square…
… and if you look closely at the top of the south towers of St Paul’s Cathedral*… yup. Pineapple*.
Not just London of course – head up to Dunmore on the River Forth in Scotland to see the most spectacular of all https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-pineapple
So what gives?
In the 1700s, pineapples were the ultimate luxury good. They were basically impossible to import from the “New World” without them rotting – only one or two might make the journey across the Atlantic in a fit state to be eaten.
The surviving specimens ended up on the royal tables of Europe, where they had the double win of being unusually delicious and rare as to be priceless. And of course, once a king has something… the lords and ladies want it too.
So they started building greenhouses (called “pineries”) to grow their own – at Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace and Kensginston Palace. In 1764, it cost about £80 to grow a single pineapple – roughly £12,000 in today’s money.
Rich families would ostentatiously serve pineapples at dinner parties. Slightly less rich ones would simply have the pineapple on the table (often re-using it multiple times). And there was even a roaring trade in pineapple rental for a single evening; it really was the ultimate status symbol.
And like all symbols, it spread everywhere. Pineapple = wealth and luxury.
But technology changed everything – steamships, canning and refrigeration meant that by 1822, a pineapple could be bought for about 25p in today’s money… the rare becomes the everyday.
Or does it…
Del Monte currently have this “special” red pineapple available for $395! Tastes just like being back in the 17th century (I assume).
*In fact, London may have dodged a bullet there - architect Sir Christopher Wren allegedly wanted the main dome of St Paul’s to be a pineapple 60ft high!
Please feel free to share this with anyone you think might find it interesting.
As always, if you have any questions about this piece or any other finance-related matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Graham Ponting CFP Chartered MCSI
Managing Partner
