Whitehall Court in London, England, is one contiguous building but consists of two separate constructions; the end occupied by the National Liberal Club was designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the major part (including the Royal Horseguards Hotel) was designed by Archer & Green.
The Royal Horseguards Hotel, owned by Guoman Hotels, covers 1 & 2 Whitehall Court. The remainder (3 & 4 Whitehall Court) is where the Farmers Club, offices of various charitable or commercial organisations and its residential part is located.
Whitehall Court was built during the mid-1880s by Archer & Green with financing provided by Jabez Balfour. The story that led to the creation of the building is described in Jabez: The rise and fall of a Victorian rogue by David McKie.
Well-known residents have included George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, Sarah Caudwell, and Stafford Cripps. James Compton Merryweather, the fire engineer, lived at number 4 from before 1902 to his death in 1917. It is also home to the Farmers Club, the United Nations Association UK and Liberal International, which is housed within the National Liberal Club.
The building forms part of the vista, frequently photographed by tourists, from the bridge in St. James's Park looking towards Horse Guards Parade.
It was used as Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) headquarters until the end of World War I.
Famous quotes containing the words whitehall and/or court:
“I say to myself that I mustn’t let myself be cut off in there, and yet the moment I enter my bag is taken out of my hand, I’m pushed in, shepherded, nursed and above all cut off, alone. Whitehall envelops me.”
—Richard Crossman (1907–1974)
“We should have learnt by now that laws and court decisions can only point the way. They can establish criteria of right and wrong. And they can provide a basis for rooting out the evils of bigotry and racism. But they cannot wipe away centuries of oppression and injustice—however much we might desire it.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)