The record-union., 1892-08-13
Chelsea and the Old Pensioners of
the Army.
Historic Home of British Army veter-
ans Beside the Thames-Pension-
ers' Daily Lfves-scenes In Ward
Rooms, Chapel and Hall-Interest-
ing Traditions and "reminiscences.
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1921
LoNDoN, England. Augnst ]. 1sQ2.

veterans OF the British Army wandered
from door to door, usually from tap-room
door to door, and secured food and drink
by exhibiting their scars or spinning de-
lectable yarns for the entertainment of
any who might bestow charity upon
them. They could also knock at the doors
OF monastic houses with the assurance of
receiving bread and ale and lodging for
the night.
After the Restoration their condition
was scandal to King Charles IL. and the
country. Authorities differ not only
widely but vituperously as to the origin
of practical effort for their betterment.
Some hold that the English We're piqued
nto action through the establishment by
Louis XIV. of the Invalides in Paris as
retreat for French veterans, There is
record that as early as 1866 scheme for
an lnfirmary for disabled English sailors
had been submitted to Pepys as Clerk of
Admiralty. Others contest that the sec
ond Charles had a lazy sort OF design
to house and comfort the ragged old
veterans who had been loyal to his father
before the latter had lost his kingly
head.
But sometimes tradition has longer legs
than history. British folk will never
cease believing the tradition that rough.
klnd-hearted Nell Gwynne had all to do
with the founding Of Chelsea Hospital for
British pensioners. There are two pretty
stories OF how it finally came about that
an army OF savage old critics and icono-
clasts can never disparage among the
British masses.
One is that one day Nell was sitting
with Charles in her summer house at
Chelsea, one of whose windows over
looked the line meadows surrounding
King James College, when the Paymas-
ter oil the forces entered, and the subject
OF the projected hospital and the difficult
ty OF hnding proper site was resumed.
our Majesty could not do better,' said
Sir Stephen Fox, than give up for the
purpose your recent purchase from the
Royal Society,"" This comprised King
James College and grounds which had
just been bought as a gift to Nell at q cost
OF thirteen hundred pounds. "'ris well
thought OF, replied the King, casting his
eye over the beautiful plot of ground.
You shall have it," but, recollecting
forgot have already given this land to
Nell here" Have you So, Charles?''
exclaimed Nell gayly then I will re-
turn it TO you again for so good pur-
pose" The offer was accepted, and Nell
was transferred to mansion built for her
IN Pail Mall by the King.
Another more romantic version is that
one day pretty Nell was riding in the
Kings gilded coach, and being most dis
consulate the King rallied her, when she
confessed THAI her distress was owing to
the following dream
"Methought L was in the fields of Chel-
sea, and slowly there rose before my ewes
2 beautiful palace of a thousand cham
Ders, and in and out thereof walked di-
yers many old and worn out soldier men
with all kinds of scars, and many manned
as TO their limbs. All of them were aged
ana past service, and as they went out
and came in, the old men cried: God
bless King CharlesE And l awoke. and
/ was sore discounted that it was only a
dream"
The story goes that the King was
touched by Nell's dream and then and
there swore great oath that it should
come to realty. And so it did. The
King hardly saw more than the corner
stone laid by Sir Christopher Wren, in
1851; but before DIR. Tension, afterward
Archbishop OF Canterbury, had preached
Nell Gwynne's funeral sermon, in 1890.
there truly slowly rose before her eyes
a beautiful palace of thousand cham
bers," where, though she did not live
long enough TO know it, there have been
many blessings from grateful throats in
grIzzled frames, II not Tor Charles for the
lowly orange girl who, whatever her life
or faults, was ever great enough TO move
q prohigate King to most of the good and
An easy and delightful way to visit
Chelsea Hospital Is to take one of the
countless Thames steamers. These ply
up and down the river at all hours of the
day and night, taking on and landing
hundreds of passengers at piers about =
quarter OF mile apart on each side OF
the riVer-something as the little Phila-
delphia pleasure boats puff up and down
the SchuylkllI between the dam and the
Wissihickon.
This zigzag trip on the Thames is the
most interesting in all the world for its
distance, providing you 60 on board, saw,
at the ''Old Swami Pier, on the CITY side
of London Bridge, for the Tower, the
Monument. st. PauFs, Westminster Abb
hey, Parliament Houses, Lambeth Palace
and numberless other of London'S great
est and most historic structures are
passed, while the Thames here not only
presents its liveliest panoramas of stu
pendous interests, varied scenes and char
acterful life. but shows that portion most
renowned in fiction and history for more
than thousand years.
Auditing Albert Bridge, at the western
end OF that portion of the Thames called
Chelsea Reach, you step upon little pier
and thence upon the upper Thames en-
Dankment, and at once are within a
charmed and charming region. Almost
within a stones throw Of the hospital
grounds have tarried, or lived or died.
AuadI Gus AdHlOoS III history, literature |
and art. Smoliet came here TO live in re-
tlrement, In 1850. in a house once owned
by Henry VIII. Sir Thomas More's
black memorial slab is ia Chelsea old
Church: Lady Dacre, Lady Jane Cheyne
and the Duchess of Northumberland
three Of Chelsea's grand ladies. lie be-
meath monuments within the church |
while Charles, George and Henry Kings, |
ley once lived in the rectory with their !
1ather who had received the Giving, |
from Lord Cardigan.
In Cheyne Walk lived Turner tho |
painter, and in Cheyne Row lived Ceoroe |
eliot and rugged old Carlyle. Queen
Elizabeth used TO visit the Earl of |
Shrewsbury at Shrewsbury House. inst |
back of Cheyne Walk, ana doughty old |
Samuel Johnson, who thought he could |
mold china as well as make a dictionary
Tor long time came here every dav to
the old Chelsea China Works at the Tbr !
ner OF Lawrence street and Justice walk.
his faithful housekeeper trudging after
him with a huge basket containing his |
daily food.
The poet, George Herbert, dwelt in this |
neighborhood; Rosetti lived and SANG
here amid his garden of flowers. and m =
little barber-shop and coffee-house "Don
Saltero's," 1t was called, IN Cheyne Walk. |
Richard Cromwell, Steele and addison
and Benjamin franklin, who worked in
q printing shop in Bartholomew Close
came 10 get shaved and to loiter over
their coffee ''where the literati then sat
in council"
Indeed a grand, good, sweet book could
be written about the folk who have loved
and known old Chelsea, whom we have
known and loved for what they did for
the world. Sauntering on through the
quaint streets with their ancient and
picturesque mansions, hosts of the silent
great VIII throng about you. But now and