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
Rupert D‘Oyly Carte
Son of Helen and Richard D‘Oyly Carte. Chairman of the company 1901 - 1948 - through both World Wars. Father of Bridget. Wodehouse supposedly based Psmith, one of his characters, on Rupert, or p...
1 memorial
Covent Garden Market
The piazza, created in 1630 by Inigo Jones for Francis the 4th Earl of Bedford, attracted stalls and hawkers so in 1670 the 5th Earl decided to formalise and profit from the situation and obtained ...
2 memorials
Morris Singer Foundry
Founded by John Webb Singer as the Frome Art Metal Works. Cast many of the best known sculptures in London, including the statue of Justice on the Central Criminal Court, 1906. Merged with the Morr...
22 memorials
Sir Jack Cohen
Businessman. Born Jacob Edward Kohen in Whitechapel. He worked as an apprentice tailor to his father, but after WW1 he became a market stall holder in Hackney. In 1924 he created the Tesco brand us...
1 memorial
Devil Tavern
2, Fleet Street. Demolished 1787. Full title was the Devil and St Dunstan, the sign being the Devil's nose being tweaked by pincers wielded by the saint. It appears in a Hogarth illustration. T...
1 memorial