Polydore de Keyser

Sir Polydore de Keyser (13 December 1832–14 January 1898), was a lawyer and the first Roman Catholic since the Reformation to be elected Lord Mayor of London (October 1887–November 1888). He was born in the Belgian city of Dendermonde, near Ghent, Belgium.

He came to England sometime before 1849 and became a naturalized English citizen in 1853. He founded the 400-room Royal Hotel, later to be called the De Keyser's Royal Hotel, and personally ran it from 1856 to 1887. It was built on the site of Bridewell Palace, London, and demolished in 1929 to make way for Unilever House.

De Keyser belonged to several different City companies (Spectacle Makers, Farriers, Butchers, Innholders, Poulterers, Gold and Silver Wire Drawers) and was a governor of Bridewell, Bethlem and St. Bartholomew's Hospitals. He married the eldest daughter Louise of M.J. Pieron in 1862. De Keyser served as Sheriff of London and Middlesex 1882–83 and was elected alderman to represent Farringdon Without on the Court of Common Council.

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