Royal Hospital Chelsea
On a bright sunny afternoon on Tuesday 23rd September, the Worshipful Company of
Launderers with clerk Terry Winter and Master John Shonfeld and seventeen others paid
a visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for some 300 British
Soldiers, all over the age of 65 with a full military pension or able to find £175.00 per
week, located on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, London, in the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea. It is a true hospital in the original French sense of the word –
that is, a place where hospitality is provided. The residents of the Royal Hospital are
referred to as Chelsea Pensioners
We were conducted around by Sergeant Michael Allen who has been at Chelsea for the
last eight years and served in the Royal Engineers and latterly in the Military Police. His
jovial and ebullient delivery held everyone’s attention
The Royal Hospital was founded by King Charles II in 1682 as a retreat for veterans on
60 acres of land bordering the River Thames valued today at £98 million………per acre!!!
Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to design and erect the building, it is the largest
brick building he ever constructed.
The first patients included those injured at the Battle of Sedgemoor and the building was
not completed until 1692
In 2002, the Sovereign’s Mace was presented to the hospital up until then, the hospital
had had no colours or distinctive device – the Mace is now carried at all the ceremonial
events at the Hospital. In return the hospital presented Her Majesty with the Trooping
the Colour “Parade Chair”
The 1960s infirmary was demolished to make way for the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary
which was built in the classical style and completed in 2008
In March 2009 the first women in the Hospital’s 317 year history were admitted as InPensioners.
Ladies Section which led the refurbishment
Founders Statue
The founders statue of King Charles II which stands in the central court of the Hospital
was cast in copper alloy by Grinling Gibbons. Originally gilded it was bronzed in 1787.
In 2002, the statue was re-gilded to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee…it
was perhaps then realised why the original gilding was bronzed over in 1787!
The Chapel
The hospital’s chapel was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and is a fine and rare
example of his work. It rises 42 feet high and was completed in 1687. The chapel
contains a fine painting of the Resurrection on the half dome of the apse and dates from
the end of Queen Anne’s reign. The chapel was consecrated in August 1691, and
services were formerly held twice daily. Nowadays services are confined to Sunday
mornings. The late Baroness Thatcher was a regular attendee, living locally.
The Great Hall
The Great Hall was also designed by Sir Christopher Wren and was originally intended as
a dining hall. Just before 1800 the pensioners started dining in the wards and the hall
was then used for recreational purposes. It was here that the Duke of Wellington lay in
state in 1852. The hall reverted to its original use as a dining hall in 1955. Battle
honours are painted around the walls
Royal Hospital Chelsea Museum
The museum features military artefacts and memorabilia that were donated by inpensioners. The displays include items associated with the Duke of Wellington, and
other uniforms, medals, weapons, paintings and models, including the room cubicles first
designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren – and in continuous use until April 11th
2014!!!!
A splendid private cream tea with prawn sandwiches, (very popular), and “sticky buns”,
(actually rather delicious meringues and fruit and chocolate tartlets) had been laid under
direction of the Past Master and Clerk Terry which was well received by all.
Master John Shonfeld then thanked our guide and a good and convivial time was had by
all
They Are The Worshipful Company Of Launderers !!