19th Century Ebonised & Gilt Faux Bamboo Folding Table By William Whiteley, London.A 19th century ebonised & gilt faux bamboo folding table by William Whiteley, London, c. 1880. The original Whiteleys department store was created by William Whiteley, who started a drapery shop at 31 Westbourne Grove in 1863. By 1867 it had expanded to a row of shops containing 17 separate departments. Claiming that he could provide anything from a pin to an elephant, William Whiteley dubbed himself "The Universal Provider". Dressmaking was started