Bust

Grosvenor Hotel - head 07 - Queen Victoria

Erection date: 1862

Site: Grosvenor Hotel - 14 heads (14 memorials)

SW1, Buckingham Palace Road, Grosvenor Hotel

This 1860 building, by architect James Knowles Snr, is studded with many portrait busts of which we believe only these 14 are representations of particular individuals. Given their facial features and rather exaggerated head-gear the others seem more to represent types: racial, or national, etc.  The 14 are on the central section of the Buckingham Palace Road elevation, facing to the right in our photo, in the first floor window spandrels.

However we have failed to identify most of these heads. Victoria was easy and she gave us Albert, on her left, but the 6 on each side are tough. The costumes help - a few indicating military men, and the togas presumably indicating politicians but the two with loose-collared shirts - artists? We wonder, did the Victorian populace of the 1860s enjoy this 'spot the celebrity' game? If you have an eye for faces please have a go and let us know who you find.

2018: Via a lead we've nominated one of the heads as Palmerston. 3 down, only 11 to go.

2023: We've noticed that the south elevation which is barely visible also has some roundels, certainly at the fourth floor. We can't see the first floor at all but that could also have some heads. Perhaps when the hotel was first erected this elevation was more visible. Since those on the north elevation are generic, we trust these are too.

One of the more interesting visitors to this hotel was Emile Zola.

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Grosvenor Hotel - head 07 - Queen Victoria

Subjects commemorated i

Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duk...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Grosvenor Hotel - head 07 - Queen Victoria

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Kilburn head - 4 - Beethoven

Kilburn head - 4 - Beethoven

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We've numbered these heads left to right and identified them ourselves. Do let us know if you think otherwise. The building is very plain...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Linacre bust

Linacre bust

NW1, St Andrew's Place, Royal College of Physicians

This bust is fixed to the wall of the building in the garden seen in the picture.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Earl Russell bust

Earl Russell bust

W1, Mortimer Street, 22, Earl Russell

This used to be "mystery bust" in Puzzle Corner but our colleague, Alan Patient, has done some research into the appropriately squiffy-...

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Hyde Park Barracks - Hill

Hyde Park Barracks - Hill

SW7, Kengsinton Road, Hyde Park Barracks - Officers' Mess

Inside this building on the upper-ground floor there are 4 busts - 2 in the foyer area at the entrance from the pavement (at the west) an...

1 subject commemorated
Colonial Office - B06 - Bacon

Colonial Office - B06 - Bacon

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators