Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1911-2006 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.52 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Designed by architects Henry Tanner, F.J. Wills and W.J. Ancell, the Regent Palace Hotel was built in 1914 on Glasshouse Street, Piccadilly Circus, and at the time of its opening on 16 May 1915 was the largest hotel in Europe with 1028 bedrooms. Initially the responsibility of Morris Salmon, the hotel later came under the remit of Douglas Gluckstein and Rex Joseph, with Mr Frederichs and Mr Delaloye forming part of the management team.
At its height, the hotel employed more than 1000 staff, some of which were accommodated in the adjacent Annexe and its 160 bedrooms. This building also contained a complete laundry service for all of the Strand group hotels in London, and was linked to the main building by a bridge and underground passage constructed in the 1930s. The Regent Palace Hotel additionally supplied meat to all the Strand hotels and Cornerhouses in the form of pre-cut steaks which were butchered onsite in specially designed kitchens in the basement of the hotel.
During the First World War, the hotel's accommodation was requisitioned by the government, and later in the Second World War, two separate bombs caused minor damage to the building, including the staff Annexe.
The hotel was owned and operated by Strand Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of J. Lyons and Company Limited, until 1977 when the Stand Hotels group was acquired by Trusthouse Forte. It was subsequently run by Grenada, Compass and Travel Lodge, and finally closed in December 2006.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4549 1911-2006 Collection 0.52 linear metres Regent Palace Hotel, London , 1915-2006
Designed by architects Henry Tanner, F.J. Wills and W.J. Ancell, the Regent Palace Hotel was built in 1914 on Glasshouse Street, Piccadilly Circus, and at the time of its opening on 16 May 1915 was the largest hotel in Europe with 1028 bedrooms. Initially the responsibility of Morris Salmon, the hotel later came under the remit of Douglas Gluckstein and Rex Joseph, with Mr Frederichs and Mr Delaloye forming part of the management team.
At its height, the hotel employed more than 1000 staff, some of which were accommodated in the adjacent Annexe and its 160 bedrooms. This building also contained a complete laundry service for all of the Strand group hotels in London, and was linked to the main building by a bridge and underground passage constructed in the 1930s. The Regent Palace Hotel additionally supplied meat to all the Strand hotels and Cornerhouses in the form of pre-cut steaks which were butchered onsite in specially designed kitchens in the basement of the hotel.
During the First World War, the hotel's accommodation was requisitioned by the government, and later in the Second World War, two separate bombs caused minor damage to the building, including the staff Annexe.
The hotel was owned and operated by Strand Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of J. Lyons and Company Limited, until 1977 when the Stand Hotels group was acquired by Trusthouse Forte. It was subsequently run by Grenada, Compass and Travel Lodge, and finally closed in December 2006.
Records donated to the Archive in 2007.
Records of the Regent Palace Hotel, London, including:
-
Operational records, including Works Manager and Electricians Supervisor files, memorandum books, customer bills and feedback reports, and restaurant menus.
- Staff handbooks, conditions of employment, and staff attendance statistics.
- Marketing material, including photographs of the building, guests, staff, and the opening of the Stetson Saloon, newspaper cuttings and advertisements.
- Plans of the Island Site and Regent Palace Hotel and Annexe, together with copy leases.
- Historical material compiled by Mr Leigh Smith, Managing Director, including copies of book and journal extracts relating to the hotel, newspaper articles, and original menus from related restaurants.
These records are arranged as follows:
LMA/4549/01 OPERATIONS;
LMA/4549/02 STAFF;
LMA/4549/03 MARKETING AND ADVERTISING;
LMA/4549/04 PREMISES;
LMA/4549/05 HISTORY.These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
See J Lyons and Company Limited collections (ACC/3527, ACC/3811,LMA/4004, LMA/4018, LMA/4183, LMA/4258, LMA/4271, LMA/4306).
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
August to October 2010. Hotel industry Communication process Advertising Architecture Buildings Commercial buildings Hotels Management Business management Service industries Business administration Regent Palace Hotel , London , 1915-2006 Business
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Records donated to the Archive in 2007.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Regent Palace Hotel, London, including:
- Operational records, including Works Manager and Electricians Supervisor files, memorandum books, customer bills and feedback reports, and restaurant menus.
- Staff handbooks, conditions of employment, and staff attendance statistics.
- Marketing material, including photographs of the building, guests, staff, and the opening of the Stetson Saloon, newspaper cuttings and advertisements.
- Plans of the Island Site and Regent Palace Hotel and Annexe, together with copy leases.
- Historical material compiled by Mr Leigh Smith, Managing Director, including copies of book and journal extracts relating to the hotel, newspaper articles, and original menus from related restaurants.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
These records are arranged as follows:
LMA/4549/01 OPERATIONS;
LMA/4549/02 STAFF;
LMA/4549/03 MARKETING AND ADVERTISING;
LMA/4549/04 PREMISES;
LMA/4549/05 HISTORY.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See J Lyons and Company Limited collections (ACC/3527, ACC/3811,LMA/4004, LMA/4018, LMA/4183, LMA/4258, LMA/4271, LMA/4306).
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English