“A fashionable resort of London society” That’s how they described The Star and Garter Hotel in its heyday. Right here on Richmond Hill stood a grand hotel. It wasn’t always so grand though.
The Star and Garter’s story begins much humbler. A small inn built in 1738. It grew. It expanded. Through various ownerships and fires it transformed. The 1860s saw a magnificent chateau-style addition designed by E M Barry. The view over the Thames was simply breathtaking.
The Victorian era was The Star and Garter’s golden age. Charles Dickens was a regular guest. He celebrated birthdays and anniversaries there. He even held dinners marking the births of his sons and publications of his novels. Exiled royalty graced its halls. King Louis-Philippe and his wife sought refuge at The Star and Garter. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert even visited to meet them. The hotel hosted lavish banquets for societies and charitable causes. The Times newspaper often reported on these grand events.
Fires ravaged the hotel. In 1870 a major fire killed the hotel manager. The old building was destroyed. The rebuilding was extensive. A grand concert hall replaced the old banqueting hall.
But times changed. The rise of the motor car altered travel patterns. The Star and Garter’s fortunes declined. It was sold several times. Attempts to revitalize it failed.
World War I brought a dramatic change. The Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute bought The Star and Garter. They donated it to Queen Mary. She intended to create a home for disabled soldiers. The hotel was demolished. A new building rose in its place. In 1924 it opened as the Women of the Empire’s Memorial of the Great War. This later became the Royal Star and Garter Home.
The Royal Star and Garter Home served its purpose for many years. It eventually closed. The building was sold in 2013. It’s now luxury apartments. Yet the memory of The Star and Garter Hotel lives on. Its legacy of grandeur and hospitality endures. Its place in history is secure. A testament to a bygone era.