Princes Restaurant, Piccadilly, London
The Princes Restaurant and Hotel at 190-195 Piccadilly, London was created in the late 19th century and in 1924 became a Limited company retitled New Princes (Ltd). It combined a hotel with an entertainment hall or restaurant, galleries and other function rooms. In the Jazz Age of the 1920s it was one of the most popular social rendezvous in London and one of London’s major cabaret venues for the New Princes Frivolities.
Constructed between 1881 and 1883 for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, the building was in a prime location opposite the road from the Royal Academy and was opened by Prince and Princess of Wales (the future Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) in April 1883.
The architect was E. R. Robson and the builders were Messrs. Holland and Hannen, and Messrs. Peto Brothers of Pimlico. The classic stone building had busts of great painters in the ovals that ornamented the Piccadilly façade.
On the ground floor of the Piccadilly front were six shops and each had a basement and mezzanine. Behind the shops was the Prince’s Hall, a large room used for public functions that was two stories in height. On the top, upper floor, the Institute itself had three galleries, with a handsome staircase leading up from the main entrance in the centre of the Piccadilly front.
In May 1896 the Hall itself was turned into a restaurant and had an entrance and façade on Piccadilly replacing at least two of the shops. Seemingly this space was changed into a palm garden or vestibule.
Venant Benoist, who was French and owned a famous charcuterie shop on the opposite side of Piccadilly, had always thought that the hall was eminently suitable as a dining room. He endeavoured to make this a reality and was responsible for creating the Princes Restaurant. Benoist was the moving spirit, his brother-in -law M. Fourault was the manager and M. Azema, a chef of fame from the Café Anglais, Paris became head of the kitchens.
The Princes Restaurant, controlled by The Princes Restaurant and Benoist and Company was headed by Sir Arthur Jephson. It was viewed as being of the highest class that would be the most elegant and best-appointed establishment of its kind in London. A special feature was the serving of banquets, regimental dinners and ball suppers in the Royal Institute’s picture galleries on the top floor.
£40,000 was spent on converting the Hall into the Princes Restaurant with its palatial proportions enhanced by mirrors, gilding, delicate draperies and finished Arabesque moulding. The French taste of the Empire period was the main feature of the décor. The walls were white, broken at intervals with panels of red-russet silk, decorated in applique with fleur-de-ls of rather lighter red tone and a centre piece of a wreath of laurels in gold. The ceiling was panelled in white with decorations of gold. There were ‘special apartments’ (presumably alcoves) for private lunch, dinner or supper.
The Prince’s Restaurant company next acquired the lease of Rawlings Hotel at 36-38 Jermyn Street (hence called Princes Hotel) which was located immediately behind the Piccadilly building in late 1897. The company planned renovations to join the two buildings, construct an entrance to the restaurant from Jermyn Street and create a number of private dining rooms and a general enlargement of the entire premise. Eventually, a rather sumptuous Grill Room was opened in May 1900, presumably utilising some of the new space. It was described as being one of the few cool places in London as it was ‘somewhat subterrranean’ and had a perfect system of ventilation. This would imply that it was somewhere in the basement below the restaurant. The Grill Room had a decorative scheme of white enlivened with red that was perceived as conveying a sense of coolness and quiet.
Business was good and in 1903 an excellent dividend was given out to the shareholders. Perhaps as a result of this good business in 1905 it was decided to renovate all the rooms in the main building and make some adjustments to the rooms themselves. Prince’s Restaurant was known for being bright and cheery and renowned for its tasteful decoration, its excellent cuisine and good management. But it did need some updating. The restaurant was re-opened at the beginning of May after 6 weeks of re-decoration by a team of French artists. The Dining Hall and the Winter Garden was seen to provide a perfect Fairy Scene and a charming transformation had taken place.
The directors utilised artists from the Societe d’Entreprise et de Fournitures of Paris under M. Martinet and the structural alterations were made by London architect Mr W Emden. It was believed that the new décor would provide a revelation to London and it would become one of the most beautiful places of its kind in Europe.
From Piccadilly there was a vestibule, richly upholstered and furnished and from here was access into a new Winter Garden (which must have been on one side of the old Princes Hall). The Louis XV1 style of décor was rich in beauty and delicacy. There were splendid rose marble pillars, lovely flowers, comfortable lounges, carpets displaying branches laden with delicate flowers and even the table lamps represented graceful stems ending in soft blooms.
In the restaurant flowers rose in graceful lines along the edges of the ceiling and descended in a fascinating manner down the chandeliers. The idea was thought to be quite modern in conception and execution. There were beautiful paintings embellishing the various portions of the ceiling. The central one was painted by Maitre Lequesne and called the Apotheosis of Flora. It represented Apollo dwelling amongst the flowers before the temple of the sun. He stood surrounded by figures of women representing the Queen of flowers – the roses. Surrounding this image were every kind of flower gathered in bouquets and children made merry in the radiance of light and the luxuriance of the flowers. In the room were four statues created by M. Ducuing, representing spring summer autumn and winter. A clever lighting effect was obtained by hiding electric lamps inside the cornices framing the various paintings on the ceilings so that they appeared as if bathed in perpetual light. White décor was the predominant colour tempered with shades of rose and ivory
At the same time the Royal Institute’s rooms were rearranged. The former central gallery and parts of the east gallery and vestibule were combined to make a large south gallery that could be used for social functions. The west gallery remained, and a new north gallery was formed on part of the site of the former vestibule and staircase. A new staircase was inserted in the north-east corner, and the entrance in Piccadilly was moved three bays to the east. The façade was altered to suit these alterations. Both the Grill room and the galleries were all re-decorated following the same theme in the restaurant. As a result the galleries provided some of the handsomest suites of banqueting rooms in London.
Sometime in 1906 Benoist resigned as Managing Director of the company in consequence of differences on the board but remained a shareholder. After this the company was re-organised and re-named simply Princes Hall Restaurant Ltd with a Mr G.M. Chamberlin as Chairman. At the annual general meeting of shareholders in March 1909 Chamberlin expressed pleasure in the trading results for previous year. On previous occasions – since the departure of Benoist, he had asked the shareholders for patience so the company could be pulled around. With the reconstruction of the company he had foreshadowed prosperity for Princes if properly managed.
It was revealed that during the period 1910-1914 business was on the increase: in 1910-1911 profit was £8,952 and a dividend of 5% was issued with £4,052 carried forward; in 1911-1912 profit was £9,215 and a dividend of 6% was issued with £7,814 carried forward; in 1912-1913 profit was £11,569 and a dividend of 6% was issued with £13,273 carried forward and in 1913-1914 profit was £11,525 with a dividend of 7.5%.
By 1913 a new part of the hotel had been built and revenue was expected to increase thereafter as a result. During the period 1910-1914, the figures had not only been progressive good but exceedingly satisfactory. Mr G.M. Chamberlain claimed the success was because there was no concern in London where there was the same amount of attention, civility and quick service – plus the very best food, the very best wine and the very best value.
Another significant change in social activity was the advent of the tango craze and the desire to see exhibition dancers that had emerged in 1912 and 1913. It was made clear in one report that ‘the dancing tea was first introduced in America where the smart set took it up with enthusiasm and recently it has been the vogue in Paris.’ Following this trend Princes’ Restaurant staged a Thé Dansant or dancing tea that was described as the latest fashionable, society, novelty at the beginning of June 1913. It was observed that the dancing tea had been first taken up by the smart set in America and was then in vogue in Paris as the ‘Tango tea’. The new tea dance was inaugurated by Maurice Mouvet and his wife Florence Walton.
The internationally famous dancer Maurice Mouvet was unquestionably the first star of ballroom emerging in Europe dancing first in Paris, then Vienna, Budapest and Monte Carlo during the period 1905-1908. Born in America of Belgian descent, he made his debut at the Cafe De Paris in 1908 and danced in Europe until 1911. In Late 1911 he went to New York and caused a sensation. During this time he gained a wife and a new partner in the form of Florence Walton and returned to Europe in April 1912 appearing once again in Paris and then in a revue at the Alhambra in London. After spending the winter back in America the couple once again returned to Europe in 1913.
While appearing in the Alhambra revue 8d-a-mile, Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton doubled at the Prince’s Restaurant in a The Dansant held daily between 4.30-5.30pm and starting at the beginning of June 1913. It was noted that society people were constantly in search of new forms of entertainment and that this was the ‘latest novelty.’ Not content with just afternoon teas, Mouvet and Walton also began dancing at suppertime. They were also featured at the costume ball held at Selfridges Roof Garden on 1st July 1913.
Given the controversy over modern dancing at the time, one thing that the couple did do was to disarm the critics of ‘decadent’ dancing by giving a practical demonstration showing how the Argentine tango should be danced so that it was not in the least objectionable. The Tatler observed graciously ‘the modern dance, properly performed is really a thing of beauty and a joy for ever.’ The Sketch called them ‘the Nijinsky and Karsavina of the Drawing room’ who were teaching blasé Londoners how to dance the tango.
Dancing Times observed that ‘it was quite Parisian to see the big open space in the centre of the room in which this graceful couple floated in a mazy valse or danced the languid tango’ and added ‘it was a stroke of genius on the part of the management to engage Mouvet and Walton to dance at tea and supper. I am wondering if this was the first time that such a thing has been done in London.’
After the departure of Mouvet and Walton in late 1913, Princes Restaurant replaced them with the dancing couple Mr Hodgkins and Miss Hammond.
Nathaniel Newnham-Davis in 1914 described the restaurant by saying that it had a great height and that its ceiling was a beautiful example of decorative art with concealed lighting. There were creamy coloured walls and curtains of soft pink and the tall windows south and east were reflected in mirrors looking like other windows on the northern side A musicians-gallery (that formed a way to the ballrooms and galleries upstairs) ran along the western side and the doors into the kitchen were below this. There were some fine marble statues of nymphs on pedestals and palms and banked up plants and flowers in the restaurant. The carpets and upholstery of the chairs carry on the harmony of deep rose and pink. At night the lights were shaded so as to give a mixed golden and pink light.
During the war years between 1914-1918 business continued to flourish but seemingly at a lower pace than before. From 1915, the ballroom (one of the old exhibition galleries) was opened up for regular evening dances on Friday and Saturday nights. Profit for 1916-1917 had been £3,135 and a dividend of 2.5% was given but things picked up again and in 1917-1918 the profit was nearly £11,000 and a dividend given of 6%. During the period 1918-1919 profit rose sharply to £23,000 and a dividend of 15% was given.
In October 1920, Princes Restaurant created a new innovation and at 8pm the carpet was rolled up in the centre of the beautiful dining room so dancing could take place on the polished floor until 11pm. Although only reported in January 1921, it was clear that a Jazz Orchestra played every night from 8.30—12.30pm in the dining room for diners who liked to dance. At the same time, Ninette and Jean Astral, two clever Australians, gave exhibition dances every afternoon and evening comprising acrobatic waltzes and other astonishing dances.
Toward the end of September 1921, the management of Princes Restaurant decided to stage a cabaret. This was partly due to the extension of licensing hours. The cabaret was a Russian inspired show presented by Boris Evelinoff as Le Charivari comprising 40 continental and English artists. Exact details of the show are not clear but it did comprise Russian gypsy choruses and a Russian vocal quartette all in Russian dress and make up with the addition of specific dancing acts such as Winifred O’Conner and Ellis Raymond.
The origins of this Russian themed show allegedly started in May when a number of Russia artists were stranded in London and gave a series of delightful entertainment for their own benefit and that of their fellow artists. A special stage was constructed at the end of a large salon with Russian futurist decorations with a red, blue and gold scheme. Theodore Komisarjevsky, the famous Russian producer created a programme that included Balalaika playing, singing, dancing with Russian folk songs, French ballads and pantomime sketches. This little show proved such a success that it was revived and adapted as an attraction at Prince’s.
For some this was regarded as ‘the first real cabaret in London’ which is not true. The first true cabaret show in London was staged in Ciro’s nightclub by Jack Haskell in 1917. Also, there already was a cabaret show called Murray’s Frolics being staged at Murray’s nightclub that had been launched in late 1920 and was still running in late 1921. Interestingly, the Midnight Follies at the Hotel Metropole launched in November 1921 was also erroneously described as the first cabaret show in London.
With the advent of the 1920s business appeared to have suffered and the accounts for the year 1922-1923 showed a loss of £8,612. Why this should be is a mystery. Business had continued well through the war and one would have thought that with the Armistice and a new beginning all would have been good so something must have gone awry. Perhaps because of the losses there were moves to sell the business in 1923 and at some point the Princes Restaurant and Hotel were sold for £80,000. The price of the sale after liabilities returned the shareholders 3-4 shillings per share.
The acquisition was by a syndicate and the moving spirit was a young Beaumont Alexander, an Australian who had learned quick business methods in America. He was at the time director of nine other companies and became Managing Director of a new company called New Princes (1924) Ltd registered 26th March 1924. The other directors were Mr L.T.M. Pennington, Mr C.D. Allen and Mr A.H. Caley. The new company had a plan to turn the business around by turning the restaurant into a night club with an up-to-date cabaret and membership was offered for a New Princes Club. The New Princes became known as one of the largest cabarets in London alongside the Piccadilly Hotel and the Trocadero. The hotel, grill room and banqueting rooms carried on as before.
The Princes restaurant staged the first of what was to become another fashionable entertainment in February 1924. The cabaret became known as ‘The New Princes Frivolities’ and each show was produced, managed and owned by Percy Athos who became known for staging ambitious spectacles, notable for their beauty and style with the glamorous and well trained ‘Athos Beauties’. The estimated cost of each show was between £3-4,000 and a new edition was launched every six months in March and September of each year. The show was usually presented in two halves for dinner at 10pm and for supper at midnight and the seat prices varied from between 21s to 30s depending on circumstances. The restaurant itself had a famous ebony dance floor and a vast mat had to be rolled out from the stage for member of the cabaret to perform on. Athos engaged four bands to play during the evening and the New Princes Toronto Band and Alfredo and His Band had the longest engagements during the 1920s.
The first edition of what was to become the New Princes Frivolities was initially called simply ‘Frivolities 1924’ and was launched on 2nd February 1924 for a few weeks before the Princes Restaurant became the New Princes. The new management took charge in March 1924 and the restaurant was closed for a complete redecoration and then re-opened sometime in April and the ‘Frivolities 1924’ show was re-staged. At the same time Archibold de Bear presented a tea time entertainment.
From the outset the costumes were largely designed by Gordon Conway, who had already made a name for herself in many cabaret houses for her sophisticated and elegant creations. According to Raye Virginia Allen, her biographer, Conway had met Athos whilst he was performing in a cabaret show at Rectors staged by Carl Hyson in 1923 which she had dressed.
The Stage provided a vivid description of the actual restaurant ‘the atmosphere at the New Princes possesses much that the producer or the lover of cabaret can desire. The room itself is huge, its size, however, hampering the enjoyment of the visitors at the rear of the floor, who cannot see much more than the bodies of the artists through the crowd of perpetually moving waiters and over the heads of more fortunate diners. The decorative scheme is beautiful, the huge hanging lanterns with their lighting effects, being particularly effective. Two galleries, one on either side of the stage, which has steps leading to the floor accommodate the different bands working with the cabaret, while the orchestra providing the ‘after-the-show’ dance music works on the stage itself.”
The ‘hey-day’ of the New Princes cabarets was in in the period 1924-1929 when the venue vied with its two big rivals – the cabaret shows at the Trocadero and at the Piccadilly Hotel. Apart from these big three, there were numerous other successful shows staged at the Metropole Hotel, the Queen’s Hall Roof, The Grafton Galleries, the Café de Paris and many others.
Percy Athos staged seven editions of the New Princes Frivolities through to September 1926. Thereafter, from late September 1926 Beaumont Alexander managed the cabaret. First, he engaged the American Harmony Kings for a 6-week season before he staged a cabaret show called What! on 10th November 1926. Then Beaumont Alexander left the management of New Princes and a new show was staged by Frank Masters on 20th January called After the Show.
Percy Athos returned to the New Princes and staged three further editions (8th, 9th and 10th) of the New Princes Frivolities from early July 1927 through to the summer of 1928.
In late 1928, the Grill room became a Russian restaurant known as Kasbeck under the direction of Captain Strelsky with a Russian entertainment after the fashion of Zaaloff’s Russian Players and Balieff’s Chauve-Souris, along with a Balalaika orchestra.
But once again Athos left the New Princes and a new cabaret called ‘Cabaret 1929’ was launched by Max Gartman in mid-1928 that ran through early 1929. However, at some point in 1929, the building itself was closed for about two years. The Stage actually reported that it had been known for some time that Princes had been condemned, which may explain the closure. It would appear that the building had been bought by the entrepreneur Harry Bradbury-Pratt (Henry William Pratt). The son of a Billingsgate fish porter, Pratt was a West End club, restaurant, and cabaret owner and business man. The entire building was completely gutted and remodelled and reconstructed. The entire ground floor that contained the restaurant was converted into a shopping centre, an arcade was constructed from Piccadilly into Jermyn Street, the basement was turned into a large restaurant and it would appear that the old Grill Room was converted into another restaurant with a separate entrance on Jermyn Street and this continued under the name Karbeck (or Kasbek) with a Russian entertainment and orchestra and choir. Somewhere there was also a little private theatre and a club, possibly created out of the galleries on what was ostensibly the second floor.
The new restaurant was called L’Hermitage and opened on the 23rd June 1931 with a special charity event that included a supper dance and cabaret by famous artists and thereafter a cabaret was presented with specific acts but no specatacle. The capacity was allegedly 1,000 and held a large dancing floor and a stage for cabaret artists. But a year later, in June 1932, the restaurant was once again redecorated and renamed The Golden Brasserie. All the décor was gold from the walls and chairs to the pageboys coats.
Harry Bradbury-Pratt then staged what was called a Non-Stop Cabaret held continuously from 6pm to midnight from August 1932 with Jack Padbury and his orchestra supplying the music. In late 1934, Pratt’s cabaret, staged with Beaumont Alexander was called Glorifying the British Girl with numerous headlining acts, 12 beauties in the chorus and six elaborate scenes. There were three dance bands – Rudolph Dunbar and his famous coloured cheer leaders, Stanley Barnett and the Ibeolians and Rex Blake and his New Princes Dance Band. After midnight Jack Haskell staged his cabaret melodrama entitled The Fallen Saved or The Drunkard that had been seen at the Garrick Theatre. This was thought to be the first time that a play had been produced as a cabaret entertainment.
At some point in 1935, Pratt renamed the restaurant simply Café Princes and in late 1935 staged another cabaret show called Paris in Piccadilly that was also seen at the other restaurant called the Cossack (previously the Karbeck). Several more editions of the cabaret were produced in 1936, 1937 and 1938, and after 1936 the restaurant itself was called the Blue Room. What happened during the war is not clear and eventually, much later, the building became the modern-day BAFTA.
All images (unless specified in the caption) and text © copyright Gary Chapman / Jazz Age Club and must not be re-used without prior consent
Sources
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http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40571
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