Memories of the Grand Hotel in Weymouth

Based, of course, in Greenhill, many readers have particular recollections of this place, which was on the seafront by St John's Church and was latterly turned into flats.

The hotel was in a converted mansion, built in 1817. It was owned and run by the Wallis family and had private access to Greenhill Beach.

Postcard of the Grand Hotel, Weymouth

Many thanks to Sue Hogben for sharing this postcard above.

Below is a picture of a 'garden party' at the Grand, which took place in June 1982. It would appear as though it was raining that particular day, going by the fact that the picture was taken indoors!

It was a pleasure to hear from Jackie Reed, whose grandparents Edgar and Eleanor Wallis owned the hotel for many years.

She writes: "Their oldest daughter Bunty, my aunt, is to the left of the picture. We had great times as a family at the hotel, but boy did we work hard as well. I can remember serving behind the bar for the two hour Sunday opening and it being 5/6 deep with people waiting to be served during the whole two hours. We also used to do up to 2/3 weddings on a Saturday and lots of other functions. Great memories."

A 'garden party' at the Grand in June 1982

Edgar would serve as toastmaster at the hotel's numerous weddings and everything was done in a very traditional way, Jackie recalls. She said one of the most popular locations for brides to have their photo taken in would be by the big mirror on the upstairs landing.

Pauline Swannie has managed to name some other people in the picture - Jan Harding, Margaret Caddy and Betty Wiltshire. "The ladies auxiliary did so much for local charities," she said.

The woman in the centre of the photo is Gay Smith.

When the rain held off, the garden of the Grand was a lovely place to relax in. Sue Wormald recalls: "I loved the Grand Hotel, especially sitting in the garden in the summer with a drink."

Another reader remembers the hotel's popular beach bar.

Marian Atkinson had her wedding reception there in 1973, Gill Dean had her's in 1967 and Lyn Mumford celebrated her's in 1966 and Chris Osborn had his there in 1965.

For Dave Russell, the Grand was a place to sunbathe, then enjoy a cheese sandwich and a pint for lunch.

Evelyn Jolliffe writes: "My father was a great friend of Edgar Wallis who once owned the Grand with his wife. It was a lovely hotel of its time, shame it was converted into flats."

The hotel even turned out to be a welcome refuge for an errant dog owned by Lynda Davis. She writes: "Back in the day we had a crazy dog who used to escape us on the beach. We would get many a phone call from Edgar saying our dog was with the guests in the lounge. They loved the dog even though he'd been in their fish pond and covered in sand!"