The Grand Hotel

560 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

Interior view of the bar and buffet room. 1930s.

Mr J Fritz Rupprecht managed the Grand Hotel in 1903, he formerly managed various hotel in Glasgow including the Alexandra Hotel, Bath Street in 1887. He was assisted by his wife who followed him in his carrier in the hotel business.

Mr J Fritz Rupprecht.

Mr Rupprecht started out in the hotel trade in 1864, he was known for many years in the Banavie Hotel, where he was familiarly known as “Fritz,” he was also in the Edinburgh Hotel under the proprietorship of Mr Middlemass. In 1887 Mr Rupprecht took over the Alexandra Hotel, 148 Bath Street, Glasgow. He was assisted by his wife who had a wide knowledge in Culinary matters, and took charge of that department in the hotel. Several of the principal hotels in Glasgow benefited from his services. He died in 1905.

Another well known figure in the Grand Hotel was manager Mr H W Hayward in the 1890s. Mr Hayward was employed with Messrs. Bertram & Roberts, the well known Crystal Palace Refreshment Contractors at Norwood, near London, he managed afterwards for the same firm the Royal Aquarium, Westminster.

In 1882 the North East Coast Exhibition was held at Tynemouth, for which he catered, and was its success that it was the originator of the well known Fisheries Exhibition being held in London. He was also connected with the Alexandra Palace in London for five years as manager and caterer. He had the honour of entertaining many aristocrats during his carrier in England, he also catered for Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess mary of Cambridge (Duchess of Teck,) Princess May and her family. He had a photograph of the Royal family with him in it at their visit to the Alexandra Palace in 1888.

Mr H W Hayward.

Mr Hayward was a Freemason and managed for a considerable time the Bridge House Hotel, London Bridge, which was then the headquarters of the twenty-one Masonic Lodges. He also had a long history in military work in Okahampton (Royal and Horse Artillery,) Abergavenny and Lavernock, he was also in the Volunteer Artillery.

In 1898 manager of the Grand Hotel was Mr C Ulbrich. He was born in Dresden in Saxony, after leaving school he entered the hotel trade. He was apprenticed in the British Hotel, Dresden, one of the finest in the city and on the same street as the Houses of Parliament and much frequented by British Tourists. Working in Europe he went to Ems to the Four seasons Hotel, where he filled the post of Head Waiter.

He then went on to Bavaria in the Victoria Hotel, Rotterdam then to Amsterdam to the Du Pay Bas hotel. This was the year of the famous Amsterdam Exhibition in 1883. On leaving Amsterdam he came directly to Glasgow and worked in the Marine Hotel, Hunter’s Quay, the headquarters of the Royal Clyde Yacht Club, he then went on to Arran, working in the Brodick.

Mr C Ulbrich. 1898.

Again back the Marine Hotel, he acted as under manager, after a unfortunate fire took place at the hotel, he had charge of the temporary buildings, and on there completion he was appointed manager of the new club and hotel.

After eight years with the firm he left to work in the Grand Hotel under Mr Hayward. In his spare time he played a good game of Bowls and curling, he was a Freemason of lodge no 335, Dunoon.