Saturday, March 17, 2007

Ephemera - Trust Houses

Again a little ephemera found in an old book, the full text reading as follows: "Trust Houses, Ltd. / Registered Office: SHORTS' GARDENS, DRURY LANE, W.C.2 Telephone: TEMple bar 7741 / Date......19... / B.K.T. 1/54 Ref. Bin 34 / Breakfasts / Luncheons / Dinners / Teas / Coffee / Suppers / / / Ale and Stout / Wines / Spirits / Liqueurs / Minerals / Cigars / TOTAL / CU 54377 Waiter's Initials / No. of Persons.

A basic Google search gives no results of consequence for "Trust Houses" and "Drury Lane", the latter of course needing no introduction. It would be interesting to hear what these Trust Houses were, if anyone has any idea. The two leads of possible significance are the Graves Trust Houses in Sheffield, which appear to have been some sort of social bed and breakfast arrangement; and, the following line, "and inns in Great Britain under the control of Trust Houses Limited" that I am unable to reference. Again any help on this front would be much appreciated.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The origin of Trust Houses were Inns on the highways and byways of England that one could "trust" - i.e. by staying there you were unlikely to have your throat cut! THF (Trust House Forte became the biggest UK hotel group by the merger (in 1970) of two hotel and catering concerns:
Trust Houses Group Ltd and Forte Holdings Ltd. The origin of Trust Houses
Group was with the Hertfordshire Public House Trust Company Ltd, founded in
1903 to revive the standards of the old coaching inns. Forte was then sold off to different companies - some to Holiday Inn (Posthouses) and Le Meridien to Starwood.