Kimpton Fitzroy London, a luxurious hotel situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, has launched the House of Pankhurst this International Women’s Day.
The House of Pankhurst is a new creative residency that celebrates the hotel’s rich history and literary connections, paying tribute to Emmeline Pankhurst, a famous Suffragette whose former home was the site of the hotel.
Poetry And The Women’s Movement
The House of Pankhurst residency is aimed at supporting feminist artists and the wider arts community.
The first focus of the residency is poetry, inspired by how the women’s movement used poetry as a vehicle for progress throughout history.
Rising poetry star Hayley Frances is the hotel’s first creative resident, and she has written a poem called “Fable of the Singing Queens Of England” in homage to the hotel’s striking architecture and history.
Fighting For Women’s Rights Through Literature
Literature played a crucial role in the Suffragette movement, using words to campaign for women’s rights. Suffragettes used various forms of writing to create propaganda, including poetry, short stories, and even memoirs.
The residency will showcase these literary forms and explore their complexity in the fight for women’s right to vote.
Supporting The Arts Community
The residency will also host a quarterly program and a monthly creative open house to support the wider arts community.
Creatives can expect a range of events, from poetry slams to talks with leading industry speakers.
Garreth Walsh, General Manager of Kimpton Fitzroy London, said: “Bloomsbury is renowned for its powerful connections between literature and feminist activism, combining this with the fact that Burr & Co. is the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst, it felt important that we pay homage to the hotel’s links to the Suffragette movement. We were keen to bring this aspect of the hotel’s history into the modern world, and poetry felt like the perfect way to launch the creative residency. We are excited to explore the rising creative talent that applies to the residency and continue to support artists in the years to come.”
House of Pankhurst, incumbent Poet, Hayley Frances comments: “Kimpton Fitzroy London is a hotel full of inspiration and history. I was unaware of the hotel’s connection to Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragette movement, so I was eager to get involved as this is a matter close to my heart. A lot of my work explores peoples’ emotions and well-being, something that is extremely relevant to the Suffragette movement.
“When curating the poem, Kimpton’s decadent interiors and exteriors worked wonders for inspiration, so it’s amazing that each quarter they will be hosting a programme of events for up-and-coming creatives. I am honoured to be selected as the first resident and to see the poem come to life around the hotel is something of a dream.”
Unique Culinary Offerings
Kimpton Fitzroy London’s Fitz’s bar has created limited edition cocktails inspired by the poem, including “Singing Queens of England” and “Glitter Sphere of Mirror Squares.”
The hotel’s coffeehouse, Burr & Co., has also created a bespoke menu dish and cocktail inspired by the Suffragette movement. The breakfast dish, Marmalade spelt porridge with cinnamon, clotted cream, and cornflowers, is taken from “The Suffragette Cookbook,” first published in 1915.
The cocktail, named Minerva, is made with rhubarb puree, hibiscus syrup, green apple essence, and sparkling wine.
Join The Creative Residency
Kimpton Fitzroy London invites creatives of various talents to join the yearly residency to showcase and refine their skills.
Although the focus of this year’s residency celebrates poetry, next year’s theme is open to applicants of all artistic forms.
Apply now via the Kimpton Fitzroy London website on International Women’s Day. To taste the Suffragette-inspired breakfast dish and cocktail, please make a reservation at Burr & Co. For cocktails inspired by Hayley Frances’ poem, book a reservation at Fitz’s.