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Frank Torrington, the feared and revered head porter at the Midland Hotel from the 1920s-1950s. He ruled his foyer like a lion in his den

My encounters with Frank Torrington were as a very young apprentice to the upholstery trade, employed in the workshops at the back of the Midland Hotel.

In fact, the workshops were more than just to repair furniture; they were a very important part of British Rail Hotel Services and supplied all the major hotels and refreshment rooms on the Midland section of British Rail.

The workshops comprised a joiner’s shop, French polishing section, upholstery, sewing room and a carpet planning shop, plus a small painting and decorating department.

The Midland Hotel was unusual in that the upper floors were at both ends of the hotel and we knew them as A and B side.

There was a programme for the bedrooms to be refurbished periodically – that is, painted, wallpapered and curtains and carpets dry cleaned.

The carpet removal and re-laying was part of the upholstery department’s task and, after dry cleaning, an upholsterer and an apprentice (me) were detailed to go and re-lay the carpet.

There were several back entrances to the hotel but access to the bedrooms was difficult when carrying a rolled-up carpet on your shoulder.

It was easier to go up the main staircase – and that is where Frank Torrington came on to the scene.

To reach the section of the hotel that we knew as A side, we had to walk across the main hall, past the main entrance and Frank’s office. Oh dear, as correspondent Percy Bown wrote, Frank ruled with a rod of iron, regarding who could walk across his foyer.

Fortunately, it wasn’t me who had to argue the case as I was merely the lad. It was the poor old upholsterer who got the ear bashing.

“How dare you cross my foyer without my permission!” etc.

Some of the men took it meekly but some gave as good as they got.

I think, in the end, a gentleman’s agreement solved the problem and commonsense won.

There used to be a BBC radio programme in the period I am recalling (late 40s) called Down Your Way, presented by Richard Dimbleby and broadcast on Sunday afternoons. I feel certain that Frank Torrington was one of the people interviewed.

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