Where do Chelsea Pensioners live?

Where do Chelsea Pensioners live?

the Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Chelsea Pensioners are the iconic faces of the UK’s veteran community. They reside at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, their 326-year-old home founded by King Charles II in the heart of London.

Who lives at the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

Royal Hospital Chelsea

  • The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army.
  • Residents are known as Chelsea Pensioners.
  • The gardens of the Royal Hospital are Grade II listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Do you have to pay to be a Chelsea pensioner?

Chelsea Pensioners are free to come and go from the Royal Hospital as they please, and are permitted to wear civilian clothing wherever they travel. But they are encouraged to wear their blue uniform within the Hospital and the surrounding areas.

Who owns the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

the RHC
The primary business of the Company is to assist the Commissioners of the RHC with the sale of the lease of the property known as Gordon House, which was achieved in 2012-13. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RHC.

What rank do Chelsea Pensioners wear?

All Chelsea Pensioners wear the badge of the rank on their uniforms that they held on discharge from the army. Stripes are worn for non-commissioned ranks from Lance Corporal to Staff Sergeant. For those who were Warrant Officer and above they wear either a crown or a coat of arms badge to define their rank.

Do Chelsea Pensioners have their own room?

Accommodation is provided in the newly refurbished Long Wards, where you will have your own bedroom with en suite facilities and study area. In the communal lounges you can socialise with fellow Pensioners and admire the magnificent views of the Royal Hospital.

Is a Chelsea Pensioner?

From 1692 until 1955, all Army pensions were administered by and paid from the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which is why all Army pensioners were often referred to as Chelsea Pensioners. Those who lived ‘Out’, in the UK or abroad and received their pension in cash from agents around the country were known as Out-Pensioners.

Where are Chelsea Pensioners buried?

Following the closure of the Old Burial Ground pensioners were buried at Brompton Cemetery between 1855 and 1893 and have since been buried at the New Plot at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey since 1962; the Old Plot at Brookwood having closed that year.

Can Chelsea Pensioners be married?

They must be over 65 years of age, be able to live independently on the Long Wards on arrival at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and be free of any financial obligation to support a spouse or family.

How much does it cost to be a Chelsea Pensioner?

How much it costs you depends on how much you are paid, but it will be between 5.5% and 12.5% of your pay. Your rate will depend on which pay band you fall into. The real cost to you will be less because you do not pay tax on the amount you pay into your pension.

Do Chelsea Pensioners pay for their accommodation?

Primarily you have to be a former soldier who is able to live independently and willing to surrender their British Army Pension. This last stipulation is because as soon as Chelsea Pensioners become residents they do not have to pay for accommodation or food.

What is the oldest part of the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

The Figure Court is the oldest part of the Royal Hospital Chelsea and was started by Wren in 1682. The colonnade is all Wren’s original work, with the benches and panelling dating back to 1688 and the Latin inscription is said to have been composed by Wren himself.

What is the Great Hall of Chelsea?

Until the early 19th century, the Great Hall was the dining room for the residents at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. It was furnished with sixteen long tables (one for each Long Ward) which would provide space for two sergeants, two corporals, a drummer and twenty-one private soldiers (in all twenty six, the number that lodged in each Long Ward).

What is the Octagon at the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

The Octagon supports the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s distinctive cupola and lantern and rises to a height of 130 feet. Over the north entrance are the Royal Coat of Arms from the Royal Hospital at Kilmainham, Dublin, removed when it closed in 1925.

What was Christopher Wren’s original design for the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

Sir Christopher Wren’s original design for the Royal Hospital Chelsea was for it to house 412 veterans and their officers around Figure Court (now the centre quadrangle).