1913 postcard view, River Thames towards Hotels Cecil and Savoy, paddle-steamers at Savoy Wharf, Victoria Embankment, London, UK
This vintage 'Valentine's Series' postcard is postmarked '13 January 1913' and bears a green half-penny George V stamp. It is entitled 'Hotels Cecil and Savoy, London'. The Hotel Cecil (left background) was built 1890-96. When opened, with 800 rooms, it was the largest hotel in Europe. It was demolished in 1930 and replaced by Shell Mex House. Now known as '80 Strand' the block is occupied by various companies. The Savoy Hotel, with Union and American Flags flying, was built by impresario, Richard D'Oyly Carte, and opened 6 August 1889. It was the first luxury hotel in the UK, having electric lights throughout, electric lifts, bathrooms in most of its 284 lavishly furnished rooms, constant hot and cold water. It is now a Grade 2 Listed Building. Two London County Council (LCC) paddle steamers are moored at the Savoy Wharf in the foreground. This has been replaced by the modern Savoy Pier, dating to 1998. A double-decker electric tram and several horse-carriages are seen on the Victoria Embankment. The Victoria Embankment , designed by Joseph Bazalgette, was built 1865-70, to enclose a modern sewer from West London, a cut-and-cover tunnel for the Metropolitan and District Railway and to relieve congestion on the Strand and Fleet Street. It was described, at the time, as one of the finest boulevards in the world.
Size: 2068px × 1360px
Location: Savoy Wharf, Hotels Cecil and Savoy, from Waterloo Bridge, London, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1913, 20th, boats, boulevard, buildings, carriages, cecil, century, early, embankment, horses, hotel, hotels, kingdom, london, luxury, monochrome, paddle-steamers, postcard, river, savoy, thames, transport, united, urban, victoria, view, vintage, water, wharf
