Garland's Hotel SW1
Damage to Garland's Hotel, Suffolk Street, March 1941
Copyright Westminster City Archives
Damage to Garland's Hotel, Suffolk Street, March 1941
Copyright Westminster City Archives
ARP Report Garland's Hotel, 8 March 1941
Copyright Westminster City Archives
Bomb Map: Garland's Hotel, Suffolk Street SW1
Copyright Westminster City Archives
Former Garland's Hotel, Suffolk Street SW1
8 March 1941
By Joseph Torregrossa
For the previous eight weeks Westminster had escaped air raids, but at 9.46pm on 8 March 1941 Garland's Hotel on Suffolk Street SW1 was struck by a single high explosive bomb, destroying most of the building. The debris pile blocked Suffolk Street and people were reported trapped. A Mobile Aid unit arrived and remained on hand for several hours until all the casualties were taken out.
During the rescue operation it was believed that four injured people and at least three bodies were trapped under the wreckage. It was also reported that a water pipe had been severed and that water was threatening those trapped. A total of six casualties were later confirmed, three of whom were fatalities.
Garland's Hotel - named the Garlant during 1850-1919 - was popular with literary figures as well as British MPs and clergy. Guests over the years had included novelists Anthony Trollope, DH Lawrence and Henry James and artist James McNeill Whistler. In 1861 - during the American Civil War - the Hotel had also accomodated an office for a delegation from the Confederate States.
One month after the 8 March incident - during the heavy night raid of 17-18 April 1941 - the badly damaged Hotel was hit again and completely destroyed. The site was redeveloped in the mid-1950s with a 19th century-style facade and today is occupied by business offices (15 Suffolk Street).