Hepburn went into business with Lilias Christie and they were trading by 1749., together they sold or hired goods associated with funerals. They were known as grocers. Later these would have been supplied by an undertaker but at the time no one was employed in that role. Lilias Christie is thought to have been one of Hepburns relatives as her maternal grandparents were Thomas and Emelia Fenton and Emelia's father was James Lister, Cmamberlain to the Earl of Moray. All of James Lister's daughters were involved in confectionary and in particular funereary biscuits.
