London walk · Optional B · Lunch or tea
The Savoy — supper, poetry and tears
An optional lunch or afternoon-tea pause between Coutts and the Lyceum brings us into another part of Bram’s theatrical world. On 29 July 1891, Irving hosted a dinner at the Savoy for the American poet James Whitcomb Riley. Bram recalls Riley’s recitation of Good-bye, Jim moving the other eight men at the table to tears.
Richard D’Oyly Carte opened the neighbouring Savoy Theatre in 1881 for the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, whose success helped make the hotel possible in 1889. The partnership also touches the Stokers’ own circle: W. S. Gilbert knew the family, especially Florence, while Arthur Sullivan composed music for Irving’s Macbeth at the Lyceum.
The 1897 architectural illustration shows Thomas E. Collcutt’s additions to the hotel. It records the Savoy’s development in Bram’s lifetime, not the room or gathering described in his memoir.
For lunch or tea, use the marked crossing on the Strand and the pavement into Savoy Court. Watch for vehicles in the forecourt. Return to the Strand afterwards and continue east to Wellington Street and the Lyceum. Allow extra time for your booking.
Optional paid refreshment stop. Book your chosen dining room or afternoon-tea sitting ahead. Check current prices, menus, dress guidance and access arrangements.
Bram’s memoir: James Whitcomb Riley, chapter LVI ↗
Lunch and other dining options ↗
