The Royal Hotel Cardiff is marking the anniversary of the death of legendary explorer Captain Scott on 29th March, to launch a hunt for a missing historical plaque, commemorating the location of his expedition's famous farewell dinner at the hotel in 1910.
 
The new operating company of the Royal - Bespoke Hotels - is seeking to reinstate the plaque which was removed and never replaced during construction work ten years ago. 
 
Speaking of his commitment to find the plaque, which was formerly mounted adjacent to the main entrance in St Mary Street, Colin Cole, General Manager of the 64-room Royal Hotel said:
 
"This is a hugely important year for Cardiff and indeed The Royal Hotel, as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott's British Antarctic Expedition embarking from Cardiff in June 1910."  
 
The farewell dinner was hosted by Cardiff Chamber of Commerce in the Alexandra Room of the Hotel on 13th June 1910.  This beautiful oak-panelled room was subsequently renamed The Captain Scott Room. Following the discovery of the original menu by the hotel in 1982, The Captain Scott Society was founded and holds an annual dinner featuring the original menu within the very same room to commemorate the occasion.”
 
Mr Cole added: “We are working closely with The Captain Scott Society and specialist historic caterer Spiro Borg, to stage our own centenary events this year which will be announced in the coming weeks.

It is incredibly important that the Captain Scott Room has been preserved in its original state over all these years.  Phase 1 of our rejuvenation and refurbishment of The Royal Hotel is a facelift of the Room with grand new curtains and carpeting throughout, in time for the centenary celebrations.
 
"Our first goal is to locate the plaque and work with the authorities to have it replaced in time for the Centenary in June.  We are appealing for information from anyone who might know where it is, we would dearly like to find this important piece of Cardiff history." Said Mr Cole.
 
Research commissioned by the Hotel and Spiro Borg, has revealed the wording of the Royal Hotel Captain Scott Plaque:
 
"Captain R. F. Scott of the Antarctic. In this hotel, in what is now the Captain Scott Room, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, C.V.O., R.N. and the officers and scientists of his Antarctic expedition had their last public banquet in the United Kingdom on Monday, June 13th, 1910. Prior to that expedition's departure from Cardiff on Wednesday, June 15th, 1910, aboard the 'Terra Nova'. Fulfilling his promise, the 'Terra Nova' returned to Cardiff on Saturday, 14th June, 1913, and another banquet was held here on the following Monday to honour the expedition. The Captain Scott Society was established here on Monday, June 13th, 1983."
 
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the plaque should contact:  Blanket Communications: Tel: 029 20 472 123.