Hotelier.
Born Switzerland, son of a peasant farmer. Started work as a waiter and worked his way up, in Paris, Vienna, Lucerne, etc. Came to London in 1889 as the manager of Richard D'Oyly Carte's Savoy Hotel from which he was sacked in a financial scandal which was hushed up. He left to set up his own chain of hotels, starting in Paris. Called "hotelier to Kings and King of hoteliers" by Edward VII, a regular customer.
In 1902, having planned elaborate festivities to coincide with the coronation of Edward VII, he suffered a serious breakdown when this event was indefinitely postponed due to the King's ill-health. Died in hospital in Switzerland.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
César Ritz
Commemorated ati
Other Subjects
John Morley
Manufacturer with premises in Nottingham and a warehouse and offices in London. Father of Samuel Morley. Our Picture Source gives much information about his life and confirms that he was born in ...
J. T. Pedder
John Thomas Pedder was born in 1823 in Romford, Essex, the second of the eighteen children of Daniel Pedder (1799-1876) and Mary Ann Pedder née Dunnings (1801-1869). His father was a leather currie...
John Spedan Lewis
Retailer and industrial reformer. Born in Marylebone, the son of John Lewis. His second name was derived by reversing the names of Ann Speed, the maiden aunt who raised his father. He was given con...
Tea Trade in London
The following text is taken from the Shoreditch plaque: This plaque commemorates 350 years of the tea industry in the City of London. The industry was spread over Plantation House (now Plantation ...