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
Royal Exchange
The Royal Exchange was established by Thomas Gresham in 1566, following his, and his father's, favourable experiences of the Antwerp Bourse as a place where merchants could arrange credit and loans...
Pollock's toy theatre shop
This was started by John Redington, selling printed sheets of characters and scenery for toy theatres. He ran it until his death when his family took over. 1877 his daughter Eliza married Benjamin ...
Great Exhibition
From the V&A website: "The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations was held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London. It was the first international exhibition of manufacture...
Downs Hotel
The Pickwick Bicycle Club was founded here on 22 June 1870. At that first meeting, it was decided that the Downs Hotel should be the general rendezvous for bi-weekly excursions on Wednesdays and Sa...
Jonathan’s Coffee House
Founded by Jonathan Miles in Exchange Alley around 1680. In 1698 John Castaing posted a list of prices for stocks and commodities. And so traders who were expelled from the Royal Exchange used Jona...