[1] He was born on 22 July 1835 in Ross-on-Wye, the eldest son of Charles John Gordon, who established himself as a decorator and paperhanger in the City of London.

[2][better source needed] Gordon turned in his thirties to the promotion of elegant restaurants, hitherto not fully developed in Victorian London.

Illustrated brochures depicted a series of richly decorated saloons embellished with marble, fresco work and stained glass.

[1][5] He bought the Apollinaris mineral water business in 1897 from its founder Edward Steinkopff and his co-partners for nearly £2,000,000 (approximately £2–4 billion in 2016).

His body was brought back to Britain and buried in the family grave at the church of St John the Evangelist, Great Stanmore.

Frederick Gordon's sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) married his business partner Horatio Davies in 1867, who bought Pimms from its original owner/founder.