11.00 – 12.00 Brown’s Hotel: London’s oldest luxury hotel – a secret history of rulers, writers and rascals – TALK
Brown’s Hotel in London’s Mayfair has grown from a single, simple townhouse in 1832 to today’s luxury abode. Stepping through the hotel's doorway is a cast of characters more intriguing than a novel by frequent guest Agatha Christie. In this talk you’ll meet Rudyard Kipling pacing his room while he dictates another letter; multiple exiled monarchs from Haile Selassie to King George II of Greece; Mark Twain in his bathrobe; the Dutch prime minister declaring war on Japan; head waiter Thomas Holmes, with over 40 years’ service, proffering advice to the prime minister, Stanley Baldwin; Fingers Fricker stealing jewellery meant for a royal wedding; Mahatma Gandhi dropping in for tea with Frank Buchman; and Peter Wright on the hunt for spies.
12.00-13.00 – A buffet lunch
13.00 – 14.30 Luxury living and fine dining: hotelkeepers at Kensal Green – GUIDED TOUR
Andy Williamson will take us on a walk visiting the final resting place of James Brown and his family, other famous hoteliers and fascinating personalities, who ended up in Kensal Green Cemetery. Learn the connection of Lady Byron with the Brown’s Hotel and many other fascinating stories.
Andy Williamson is an historian and author of Brown’s Hotel: A Family Affair, the official history of London’s oldest luxury hotel. He has written about everything from ocean liners, West End clubs and fine dining to cars, royalty and the Thomas Cook family of pioneering travel agents. He is a leading expert on historic hotels and the golden age of travel, popping up with words of wisdom on radio and TV, including documentaries Inside the World’s Greatest Hotels and Jay Blades: The West End Through Time.
After the tour there will be time for questions and hot drinks.
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