Fee Greening at the launch of A Place At The Table, Kimpton Fitzroy London
In a tribute to the lesser-known women whose legacy shaped the fight for women’s rights in Britain, the iconic central London hotel, Kimpton Fitzroy London, is proud to unveil a specially commissioned set of three plates. Each honouring a trailblazing woman of the 1900s: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, Sarah Parker Remond, and Christina Rossetti.
Taking inspiration from Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant’s 1932 “Famous Women Dinner Service,” part of the Bloomsbury Group legacy, this elegant, contemporary collection tells powerful stories through fine bone china. The plates are beautifully illustrated by celebrated artist Fee Greening, known for her work with Alexa Chung, Victoria Beckham, and Florence and the Machine. Fee has a personal connection to Bloomsbury having studied at Central St Martins, which was then located on Southampton Row.
Each plate is hand-illustrated using Fee’s distinctive dip ink and pen technique, bringing to life the intricate designs that celebrate the achievements of these three women. Two of whom lived in Bloomsbury in the 1900s, while all three have deep connections to the area. Christina Rosetti resided at 30 Torrington Square for over 20 years, Sarah Parker Redmond settled at 6 Grenville Street, both addresses in Bloomsbury are marked with Blue Plaques. Sophia Dunleep Singh spent much of her time in Bloomsbury with the Bloomsbury Group, and her mentor Emmeline Pankhurst, who lived at 8 Russell Square from 1888 to 1893 – now the site of Kimpton Fitzroy London.
Fee Greening – Kimpton Fitzroy London – A Place At The Table
Each unique plate design highlights a central symbol representing the legacy of its subject: a detailed Goblin Market scene pays tribute to Rossetti’s most iconic poem. A bold “Votes for Women” sign represents Singh’s fearless activism. And a lectern symbolises Remond’s powerful speeches and advocacy across women’s rights and the abolitionist movement.
Honouring the Icons:
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of a Punjabi royal and goddaughter to Queen Victoria. She was a fearless member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). From throwing suffragette leaflets at Prime Minister Asquith’s car to marching on Black Friday in 1910 – she was a committed activist for women’s voting rights, despite the tension between her royal lineage and her political convictions.
Sarah Parker Remond, an African-American abolitionist, came to Britain after facing racial discrimination in the United States. In London, she studied medicine, spoke passionately against slavery, and became the only known Black woman to sign the 1866 women’s suffrage petition. Her transatlantic life story represents the shared struggles and solidarities across borders.
Fee Greening
Christina Rossetti, born in London to Italian émigré parents, was a celebrated poet and pre-Raphaelite muse, she has been hailed as one of the most important writers of the 19th century. Her work explored themes of sisterhood, female sexuality, and social justice. Outside her literary fame, Rossetti volunteered for a decade at a refuge for marginalised women in Highgate, living out the values of female support she wrote about.
Fee Greening is a celebrated dip pen and ink illustrator who hand-drew each of the plate designs, spending hours intricately and sensitively capturing the spirit of the women they honour. She said: “I was truly honoured when Kimpton Fitzroy London invited me to design these plates. I studied at Central Saint Martins and used to spend my lunch breaks wandering around Bloomsbury, stopping to read the blue plaques that honour the incredible women who lived and worked here.
Fee adds “So many women throughout history have fought for women’s rights, and it feels deeply meaningful to celebrate the lesser-known figures who helped shape the world we live in today. The fact that all of these women had roots so close to Kimpton Fitzroy London makes the project feel even more personal and powerful.”
Fee Greening – Kimpton Fitzroy London – A Place At The Table
Garreth Walsh, General Manager at Kimpton Fitzroy London added, “We’re proud to be part of Bloomsbury’s living history. From icons like Emmeline Pankhurst who lived on the site of our hotel, to the unsung trailblazers whose stories deserve to be told, this project is our way of honouring the spirit of a community that continues to inspire us every day. Collaborating with Fee to spotlight these incredible women has been a privilege.”
The limited-edition plate collection, created exclusively for Kimpton Fitzroy London by renowned illustrator Fee Greening, will be on display in Fitz’s Parlour from 10th October. The Parlour is open daily from 8 am to 10 pm to both hotel guests and the public, visitors are invited to admire the collection free of charge, while enjoying a coffee or a cocktail.
A limited number of sets, each comprising three fine bone china plates, will be available to purchase from Kimpton Fitzroy London for £130. £20 from the sale of each set of plates will be donated to Kimpton Fitzroy London’s local charity partner, Coram, which supports children’s rights and wellbeing through legal support, advocacy, adoption, and educational and cultural programmes.
