2013-03-28 — /travelprnews.com/ — In celebration of its 130th anniversary as Australia’s most cherished Grand Hotel, The Windsor has launched a What’s Your Windsor Story campaign asking former guests to share their memories and memorabilia that will be featured as part of an commemorative exhibition to be hosted during its milestone anniversary.
For thirteen decades, The Windsor has been Melbourne’s choice for family celebrations, weddings, romantic trysts, and social and business functions. With a strong focus on preserving its colourful history and past, the Grand Dame of Spring Street is keen to ensure these moments live on for future generations.
“Anything such as valet parking receipts, special menus, wedding or special dinner photographs, invitations to an event, recollections or employment contracts from former employees at the hotel and perhaps items that were affectionately taken as souvenirs such as a room key or a wine glass will help us put together a social history of the hotel as part of our anniversary celebrations next year,” Executive Director and Consultant to The Windsor, Chantal Hooper said.
Earlier calls for materials have already produced a range of items from the quirky to the touching, including a waitress’s apron from the late 1880s, menus from the now defunct White Hart Grill and Windsor Grill which were located underneath the current 111 Spring Street restaurant, an employment contract from the 1930, a letter penned from the hotel by English cricketer Harold Larwood on December 23, 1932 and the original document dating back to the early 1890’s to call for a meeting to establish a Federation and a Constitution for Australia.
“The hotel has been an integral part of the fabric of Melbourne for almost 130 years,” Ms Hooper said. “The history of the physical building, its design as recorded stories from its long list of notable guests have been thoroughly documented but we have community and cultural history that is missing. We’d like to give back to the community by providing them with a visual and stimulating montage of their own personal history in relation to The Windsor”, she said.
The hotel is asking for memorabilia to be donated if possible, but otherwise is happy to take copies of materials submitted and return the originals.
The material collected will be used as part of an exciting commemorative exhibition, details of which will be unveiled in May 2013.
Material can be submitted by regular post to: The Marketing Manager, The Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street, Melbourne, 3000 or by email to 1883@thw.com.au.
The Windsor is one of the world’s oldest Grand hotels and celebrates its 130th anniversary in 2013. The hotel pre-dates The Savoy in London, The Ritz in Paris, Raffles in Singapore and The Plaza and Waldorf Astoria in New York. It has been the haunt of a distinguished list of celebrities since opening its doors in 1883 and notable past and present guests include Katharine Hepburn, Sir Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Meryl Streep, Barry Humphries, Sir Robert Menzies, Paul Keating and Sir Richard Branson.
— ends —
For further information please contact:
Victoria Batters, Marketing Manager
The Windsor
Tel (03) 9633 6191
Email: vbatters@thw.com.au