People are only now learning what “HP” in HP Sauce stands for, and the bottle contains the answer.
The meaning of the initials “HP” on bottles of HP Sauce has astounded Brits, as it turns out there has been a clue on the bottle the entire time.
You’ve probably been prompted to choose between ketchup and brown sauce when purchasing a bacon or sausage bap to start your morning. And if you enjoy brown sauce, you probably know a lot about the well-known HP brand.
Do you know where the sauce got its name from? HP Sauce is the most well-known brand of brown sauce in the UK and has been on store shelves since it was first introduced back in 1895.
The HP initials could initially appear to be those of the person who invented the sauce, but that would be Frederick Gibson Garton, who most definitely does not match the bill. You could also be excused for believing that Heinz, who has owned the sauce brand since 2005, had something to do with it, but that is also incorrect.
The truth, however, is much simpler than either of those options because HP Sauce is actually named after the Houses of Parliament, which has been shocking online users who were unaware of the brand’s etymology.
Frederick Gibson Garton, a Nottingham-based grocery store owner, registered the brand HP Sauce in 1895 after learning that a restaurant inside the Houses of Parliament had started serving it, according the Museum of Brands.
The Houses of Parliament is also depicted on the label of a bottle of HP Sauce, so if you’ve ever glanced at one, the secret of the significance behind the letters has been staring you in the face the entire time.
The truth, however, is much simpler than either of those options because HP Sauce is actually named after the Houses of Parliament, which has been shocking online users who were unaware of the brand’s etymology.
Frederick Gibson Garton, a Nottingham-based grocery store owner, registered the brand HP Sauce in 1895 after learning that a restaurant inside the Houses of Parliament had started serving it, according the Museum of Brands.
The Houses of Parliament is also depicted on the label of a bottle of HP Sauce, so if you’ve ever glanced at one, the secret of the significance behind the letters has been staring you in the face the entire time.
HP Sauce commemorates 160th birthday of Big Ben with scaffolded Houses of Parliament label
Although the connection between the image and the initials may seem obvious once you do, many online users were unaware of the name’s origins until the name’s etymology was addressed in a Reddit post submitted to the Casual UK community, where one user provided a photo of the sauce bottle with the caption: “Who knew that ‘HP’ from HP sauce stood for Houses of Parliament? I mean it does have it on the front.”
The announcement stunned commenters, many of whom admitted they were unaware of what HP stood for before coming across the message.
“I can honestly say I NEVER knew that!”
