Manufacturer: W.H. Grindley, England
User: The Pump Room – Lord Simcoe Hotel
Distributor: Cassidy's Ltd.
Date: 1959 – 1966
Notes: Constructed in 1956-57, the Lord Simcoe Hotel was located at 150 King St. West and University Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 20-story concrete and glass post-modern building was designed by Henry T. Langston and Peter Dickson. The name of the hotel was a misnomer, as it was named in honor of John Graves Simcoe, who was not a lord, but was the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada (the Province of Ontario today). The Hotel Lord Simcoe was owned and operated by a public company, but the stock was closely controlled by the wealthy Webster family of Montreal, Canada.
A Sports Illustrated article dated June 10, 1957, titled "The Footloose Sportsman in Toronto," mentions the new Toronto hotel: "Still abuilding is the Hotel Lord Simcoe, named – there should be no hard feelings – for the head of the British expeditionary forces in the War of 1812. It will have 600 rooms and a replica of The Pump Room in Chicago's Ambassador East, which features meats served on the flaming sword fetched by waiters in tail coats and knee breeches." These restaurant ware pieces would have been used in The Pump Room replica at the Lord Simcoe Hotel.
The hotel actually opened in May 1957, based on news accounts from the Winnipeg Free Press. Upon opening, the Lord Simcoe Hotel was operated by the National Management, Ltd. of Montreal and affiliated with the Sherman Hotel and Hotels Ambassador of Chicago, as well as the Lord Elgin Hotel of Ottawa.
The 1965 Wrigley's Hotel Directory listed the Lord Simcoe Hotel with 900 rooms, a cafeteria, restaurant and lounge. The directory also has a half-page hotel advertisement confirming that the Lord Simcoe Hotel was "Affiliated with Albert Pick Hotels-Motels" at that time, but there is no mention of The Pump Room.
By 1974, based on an opening ad from the Dunkirk Evening Observer, the Lord Simcoe Hotel was operated by the Berkeley International Hotels, Ltd.
The Lord Simcoe Hotel closed in 1979 and the building was razed in 1981 to make way for the Toronto Stock Exchange Tower completed in 1983.
Sources:
Lord Simcoe Hotel, Wikipedia
"The Footloose Sportsman in Toronto," Sports Illustrated, June 10, 1957
1965 Wrigley's Hotel Directory
Scripophily History, Lord Simcoe Hotel Limited
URBANDB, Greater Toronto Canada Area
Larry Paul's 20th Century Hotel Research Database
The Hammond Times, 08/10/1956
Winnipeg Free Press, Canada, Advertisements, May 10, 1957, Oct. 4, 1947, Oct. 15, 1957
Dunkirk Evening Observer, Advertisement, Oct. 5, 1974
Duraline white body with a center well depiction of the 18th century actress Sarah Siddons in the foreground and the Royal Crescent of Bath, England in the background. The inscription on the back of the plate reads: "Sarah Siddons incomparable English actress, fused stage and society, frequented the Pump Room and hobnobbed with English aristocracy while playing stock in Bath."
Footnote: On August 10, 1956, Patrick H. Hoy, president of the Hotel Sherman and Hotels Ambassador, Chicago announced an equal interest in National Management, Ltd., of Montreal, Canada, along with its president, John C. Udd. At the time, the National Management, Ltd. operated the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa and was building the Lord Simcoe Hotel in Toronto.
A replica Pump Room was opened at the Lord Simcoe Hotel in 1957. This Sarah Siddons design appears to be identical to the Syracuse custom design (#DC-2600) manufactured originally for The Pump Room of the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago. Pieces with this design as manufactured by Syracuse China are believed to have been used exclusively in The Pump Room at the Ambassador East Hotel; whereas pieces with the Sarah Siddons design produced by Grindley (England) under their Duraline product line were used in The Pump Room at the Lord Simcoe Hotel.
The Lord Simcoe Hotel also used another Grindley Hotel Ware design, similar to this Ambassador Hotels plate by Syracuse China for its replica Pump Room, Beau Nash Lounge and Sentry Box venue (later known as the Sentry Box Bar/Lounge). Click here to see the other Grindley Hotel Ware design used by the Lord Simcoe Hotel.
For related info:
Lord Simcoe Hotel by W. H. Grindley
Pump Room – Ambassador East Hotel – Sarah Siddons by Syracuse China
Plate photos contributed by eBay seller china4cash2
Bowl and cream pitcher photos contributed by teabear
ID and other photos contributed by leontiev