Royal Hospital Chelsea - History

History

The Royal Hospital was founded by King Charles II in 1682 as a retreat for veterans. The provision of a hostel rather than the payment of pensions was inspired by Les Invalides in Paris.

The site for the Hospital was an area of Chelsea which held an incomplete building — "Chelsey College", a theological college founded by James I in 1609. The property was acquired by Sir Stephen Fox out of his own funds and Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to design and erect the building.

The first patients included those injured at the Battle of Sedgemoor. Wren expanded his original design to add two additional quadrangles to the east and west of the central court; these were known respectively as the "Light Horse Court" and the "College Court". Due to mismanagement by Lord Ranelagh, the Hospital Treasurer, the building was not completed until 1692.

Sir John Soane, who was clerk of work in the early part of the nineteenth century, designed and constructed a new infirmary building which was located to the west of the main building on the site of the current National Army Museum and destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. This was replaced by a modern infirmary which was located to the east of the main building and opened by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1961.

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.

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 In-Pensioners. Dorothy Hughes (aged 85) was the first, soon followed by Winifred Phillips (aged 82). Hughes had joined the British Army in 1941 aged 18, later working as part of 450 Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery in the London Division. In 1945 the Battery was deployed near Dover to defend against V1 rocket attacks. She retired with the rank of Sergeant. Phillips trained as a nurse and later joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1948 before enlisting in the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1949 while serving in Egypt. After 22 years service she retired with the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2.