With Remembrance Sunday so fresh in our memories, few who watched the ceremony at The Cenotaph can have failed to notice the bright red, iconic tunics of the Chelsea pensioners, who are residents of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
The hospital is a near neighbour of Chiswick Nursing Centre, just over five miles away, so we were delighted to welcome a small group of Chelsea pensioners for a lively talk, this week.
CNC residents learnt the history of the Royal hospital, founded as an alms house — the ancient meaning of the word “hospital” — by King Charles II in 1682. The building sits on a 66-acre site on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea. Any former serving soldier, over 65, who faces spending their advanced years alone, is eligible to apply for residence.
Dressed in their scarlet uniforms, the group brought along an army issue suitcase containing vintage items, including army boots, jerry cans and a collection of hats to facilitate the talk. These certainly prompted a lot of memories amongst our own residents and there was considerable chatter and laughter as people reminisced and engaged with the visitors. Trying on the various hats worn by the pensioners on ceremonial occasions proved to be particularly popular.
With many residents of similar age to the pensioners, they had lots in common. One resident in particular had a photographic collection of vintage planes which proved to be of special interest to one of the pensioners. Much discussion ensued as a result.
A cup of tea and piece of delicious carrot cake for everyone rounded off the session and brought this fascinating experience to a close.
