July 2022
This presentation went through four generations of the D’Oyly Carte family through 200 years from the early 1800’s.
Richard Carte was the son of Richard Cart and Eliza Jones, born in the early 1800’s and from a very early age he was interested in music and as a youngster started to play the flute and eventually became a Flute Maker. He added an ‘e’ to his surname to distinguish him from his father as they had the same christian name. In latter years he became involved with the Boehm Flute system which came from Germany, Boehm being the literal translation of Bohemia. The Boehm system was a specialised system of keywork for Flutes, created by Theobald Boehm in 1831 -1847.
After Richard Clarke had married Eliza and she decided to add the D’Oyly to their name as her ancestors came originally from Pont-d’Ouilly in the Calvados region of Normandy. This would distinguish them from other Carte families, some of which were also musicians. Eliza was born in Greek Street, Soho and attended University College School studying Music and French. As Richard was an orchestra conductor, they set up a Theatrical Management Business in 1875. Through the business they became friends with Gilbert and Sullivan who were producing musicals. Richard managed the Royalty Theatre which was lit by gas and became very hot and stuffy.
In 1881 the Savoy Hotel opened a new theatre, the first to be lit by electricity which had steam powered generators outside, which also powered electric lifts which allowed the rich and famous to stay in the new apartments added above the existing floors and had bathrooms with every bedroom.
In 1901 Rupert, son of Richard D’Oyly Carte inherited the business from his father and he and his wife Helen became the new owners of the Hotel Empire and were keen to attract wealthy Americans to stay. They produced The Savoy Cocktail Book and French Style rooms with Harrods beds costing a lot of money per night!
Other interesting events from the war years at The Savoy Hotel were that Churchill and Mountbatten held cabinet meetings there and the first appearance of Philip with Princess Elizabeth was recorded at The Savoy Hotel. In the Swinging Sixties the Beatles, Cilla Black and many other famous people performed at the hotel and the QE2 liner and Claridges Hotel became part of the business also.