Who Are The Chelsea Pensioners?

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Who qualifies as a Chelsea Pensioner

The Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the Chelsea Pensioners 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. Any former soldier of the British Army over the age of 65, who is facing spending their advanced years alone, can apply for residence at the Royal Hospital as a Chelsea Pensioner.

What is so special about the Chelsea Pensioners

History & Heritage The story of today’s Royal Hospital Chelsea begins over 300 years ago during the reign of King Charles II, whose vision for a home for veteran soldiers was brought to life by Sir Christopher Wren. Until the 17th Century, the state made no specific provision for old and injured soldiers.

Care for the poor and sick was provided by the religious foundations. Most of this provision ended following the dissolution of the monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII. In 1681, responding to the need to look after these soldiers, King Charles II (image right) issued a Royal Warrant authorising the building of the Royal Hospital Chelsea to care for those ‘broken by age or war’.

Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to design and erect the building. Sir Stephen Fox was commissioned to secure the funds necessary to progress the build. The chosen site, set adjacent to the River Thames in the countryside of Chelsea contained the uncompleted building of the former ‘Chelsey College’. In 1692 work was finally completed and the first Chelsea Pensioners were admitted in February 1692 and by the end of March the full complement of 476 were in residence.

But it’s not just the buildings that have survived into modern times. King Charles II’s understanding that the country owes a debt of gratitude to its old soldiers informs the spirit of the Royal Hospital today. The residents of the Royal Hospital, known the world over as Chelsea Pensioners, have all served as ordinary soldiers in the Armed Forces at some point in their lives, and now, in their later years, find a warm welcome amidst the camaraderie and banter of their fellow veterans.

For further information, explore the links below or why not visit our ? Stay up to date with what’s going on at The Royal Hospital by signing up for our e‑newsletter. : History & Heritage

Who lives in the Chelsea Pensioners?

Archive requests – From 1692 until 1955, all Army pensions were administered and paid from the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which is why all Army pensioners tended to be known as Chelsea Pensioners. Historically, there were two categories of Chelsea Pensioner: In-Pensioners: those who surrendered their Army Pension and were admitted as residents of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Out-Pensioners : those who lived ‘Out’, in the UK or abroad and received their pension in cash from agents around the country. All records for Out-Pensioners are held by the National Archives at Kew. If you find details of an ancestor in a census return other than the institutional one for the Royal Hospital Chelsea, it is a clear indication that they were an Out-Pensioner.

Presently, we use the term ‘Chelsea Pensioner’ for those Army veterans who live at the Royal Hospital. As Army pensions are paid by the Ministry of Defence, it is no longer helpful to use the term ‘Out-Pensioner’ to denote Army veterans living in the wider community. The Royal Hospital Chelsea has an archive that includes some, but not all, records of residents from 1871 to the present date.

Records that are pre-1871 are held at the National Archives at Kew. Earlier records are limited to: name, number, rank, regiment, date admitted to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, date of death and, in most cases, place of burial. From 1984 onwards more comprehensive records may be available.

For a charge we may be able to provide copies of those records held that are pertinent to relatives of In-Pensioners, but be advised that requests for photographs of Pensioners pre-1990 usually go unfulfilled due to a lack of identifiable images. Included with these records will also be A Guide to Tracing Chelsea Pensioner Ancestors to assist you with further research.

To submit an archive request please complete an RHC Archive Enquiry Form along with a stamped, addressed envelope with a cheque for £20 made payable to: Chelsea Pensioner (RH) Ltd. Research Assistants Royal Hospital Chelsea Royal Hospital Road London SW3 4SR For advice on using the Royal Hospital Chelsea Museum Archive services and for detailed information on what materials we hold, please download our advice sheet here,

How are Chelsea Pensioners funded?

We depend on grants from charitable trusts and foundations to provide the outstanding care we provide to the Chelsea Pensioners.

Can a woman be a Chelsea Pensioner?

Women at the Royal Hospital In March 2009, the Royal Hospital opened its doors to the first female Chelsea Pensioners: Dorothy Hughes, who joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1941, and Winifred Phillips, who enlisted with the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) in 1948. Monica Parrott 73, became a Chelsea Pensioner in 2017. “It was a cold snowy day in 1964 and my friend Hazel and I were walking down the London Road when we saw a sign in a window saying ‘Join the WRAC’. We had no idea what the WRAC was, but we were freezing so we decided to go in.

• The sergeant there made us a cup of tea and seemed keen to take it further.
• When I got home, I said to my mum, ‘I want to join the Army.’ That’s how it was.
• There was no forethought or anything; it just happened by accident.
• I was 17 and a half, not very obedient, and had no idea where I was going in my life.

Going into the Army was the best thing that could have happened to me – looking back, it feels as though I was guided. My mother wasn’t pleased at all, but Dad had been in the Navy and he was delighted. He pushed my mum into signing – I think he knew what was good for me.

After five and a half years, I had a choice of signing up for another 22 years or leaving. My mother had developed a heart problem, and she wanted us at home, so my conscience made me go back to her. After I left the Army, I did accounts in an aircraft factory for a while. Then a friend of mine who’d been in the QAs (Queen Alexandra Nursing Corps) said to me, ‘I think you’d make a lovely psychiatric nurse.’ I said, ‘You’ve got to be joking!’ but she insisted I came and had a look.

So, for the next 28 years I was a nurse. I did my Registered Mental Health Nurse first, and then when I qualified, I went to the local general hospital and did my State Registered Nurse – so I have both qualifications. I preferred psychiatry, so spent most of my working life doing that.

1. After 25 years with my partner, the relationship ended and we had to sell our property.
2. I was desolate really.
3. I was retired, I lived with my great niece for a while and then the council found me a delightful bungalow, but I was very unhappy mentally.
4. I belonged to the WRAC association and I used to go to their regimental dos and things.

One year, I went to something in a hotel and at breakfast time these two women came in dressed in Scarlets. Looking back, I think one of them was, I wasn’t introduced to them, but I was looking at them and thinking, ‘These two women are there. I wonder if they’d have me?’ When I got home, I sent off for an application, but it came back with a note asking me not to send it in yet, as they had a backlog and weren’t accepting anyone.

That was in January 2016. I kept the form hidden under my bed – I didn’t want to tell anyone in case it didn’t work out. Every week, I looked at the website and the first day I saw they were accepting applications, I took it out, checked it was up to date, signed it and ran down to the post office to send it off.

They must have been surprised when they got it the next day, covered in first class stamps! About a week later, they phoned me and interviewed me. They must have liked what I said because they invited me for a four-day stay in October. One of the chaps who looked after me was Derek.

• He showed me around and all the blokes on his ward made me feel comfortable.
• I thought, ‘Yes.
• This is a place you won’t ever be lonely.
• This is a place where you’ll always have somebody to talk to and you won’t be looking out of the window wondering if you’re ever going to see anybody again’.
• I didn’t come here to die, I came here to live.

We danced around each other, the chaps and I, until they started getting to know me. And once they got to know me, I think they realised I wasn’t a threat, I was just a human being like them, and we all started to gel. I’ve been on the same ward ever since.

• I don’t even notice that I’m a woman in a male environment.
• Almost everybody is kind and thoughtful, sometimes funny and witty, we can all be grumpy when we want it to be.
• Like a family really.
• What brings people together more is the military background.
• This is as near as I’m ever going to get to the Army again.

It’s the camaraderie and it’s the unity. And when you’re in the Army you watch each other’s backs. When you think about it, we’re all here for the same reason, we’re all here because we were on our own and didn’t know which way to turn. The place is beautiful too.

I love the history – even the chimneys and the brickwork. And I could live in Ranelagh Gardens. Sometimes when I walk there it’s a different world, a fairyland. I see foxes and squirrels – it’s magical. Before I came here, I felt like I’d stopped living. I didn’t come in here to die, I came in here to live.

And I’m doing so many things I’d never ever have done had I not joined. I have no regrets at all; joining the Royal Hospital Chelsea has been a wise decision. I am happy.” Charmaine Coleman 87, became a Chelsea Pensioner in 2012 “I signed on for the army for three years. After that, I could sign up for another three years, or for 22. I enjoyed what I was doing and got a chance to go on a driving course, so I decided to stay for 22 years.

My first overseas posting was Cyprus; I served twice in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and afterwards I was in Germany. I did three and a half years in Berlin, when the Wall was still up. We used to escort people leaving for Helmstedt in our military police vehicles. I got made up to a staff sergeant when I was there.

I liked everything about the Army. I enjoyed all the free sport. I went skiing in Germany and I was the only woman on a fencing course in Aldershot – I’m a bit of a tomboy. I also did canoeing and rock-climbing at the outward bound school in Towyn, near Aberdovey, in Wales.

My mum was getting older, so after 23 years I came out and lived with her in a council house in Barking. I worked for Trusthouse Forte in security for a while and then got a job with Melton Borough Council as a driver – I’d got my HGV (heavy goods vehicle) licence when I was stationed in London. Being a woman in that job was unusual.

It took about a year for the others to accept me – I wasn’t one of those helpless types! I progressed up to HGV2 and was driving the cesspit tanker and the gulley sucker, the gritter and the snow plough. The best thing I ever did was come here. I was living in a nice little house with my two cats and 15 tortoises.

• I’d read about the Royal Hospital and one afternoon I thought, ‘There’s going to come a day when I need to be looked after’.
• I certainly didn’t want to go into an old people’s home.
• I’d temped in one once and they’d sit in a lounge twiddling their fingers and sleeping.
• So, I applied, came in for my four-day stay and liked everything about it – the atmosphere, mixing with soldiers again and wearing a uniform.

It was like a new posting. I liked the people, the food was good and I had a nice room. I thought, ‘This is the life’. You couldn’t get bored here So, I sold my car and my house, gave my cats and my last tortoise to animal charities and moved in. I’ve enjoyed it ever since.

• There’s nothing I’ve not liked about this place.
• When I was in the Army, I did freefall parachuting, so when one of the Captains suggested doing a tandem jump I thought, ‘Why not?’ I was out first but it took ages to come down as the fellas were all bigger and heavier than me.
• Then a ‘wing walk’ came up.

You’re strapped to a post on top of the plane going at about 100 miles an hour. Then last year I did a ‘death slide’ – on a zip wire over the slate quarries in Llandudno. I do golf putting here as well and I play boules and table tennis. People come and entertain us. Helen Andrews 93, became a Chelsea Pensioner in 2016 “I grew up in Patagonia – my dad was a bank manager there – but I was at boarding school in England and grew very fond of it. I experienced the Blitz in London. When I was nearly 14, I was going to have tea with my auntie and was walking down Leadenhall Street.

1. All of a sudden, the sky was full of noise.
2. Then a bomb fell on a building I was just passing by and a man was hurled out of the window and crashed down on top of me.
3. I was underneath this poor man who was dead and dismembered.
4. I managed to get my hand out and wave to the Red Cross who were digging people out.

They washed me, gave me clean clothes and took me to my auntie’s. We went out for tea and the cinema as if nothing had happened! We just carried on. It was part of life and everybody was in the same boat, millions of us all suffering. That’s why we enjoy this beautiful peace we’ve got now and I hope to goodness it goes on.

• At the end of 1940, I went back to Argentina.
• It was after Dunkirk and everyone was afraid we’d be invaded.
• I went on my own, because there was nobody to take me.
• We sailed to Gibraltar and there we picked up our convoy and set off across the Atlantic.
• We had to go as fast as we possibly could.
• There were 15 or 16 young schoolboys on board.

The captain got them to look out for submarines, to keep them out of mischief. One night one of the boys yelled, ‘Submarine’ and we all had to rush out on deck. We went to our places with whatever we could carry. They were lowering the lifeboats when the captain leaned over the bridge and roared out, ‘It’s only a bloody whale!’.

1. The grown-ups were hugely relieved, but the boys were frustrated as they thought it would be great fun to be in the ocean in an open boat! A little while later, two of our ships were blown up and sank and we had to experience the awful sight of people drowning.
2. The convoy couldn’t stop, as it would have caused chaos and we’d have been rammed by other ships.

Our sailors threw ropes over the edge and managed to save quite a few. But it was something you never forget. You’re haunted, you have nightmares about it. It makes you rather vengeful as well, these blasted submarines killing innocent people, children – that’s what spurred me on later.

• When I got back to Buenos Aires, I had to go to school until I got my school certificate.
• That was when I started wishing I could come back to England to help fight.
• A message had gone around the world from this government saying that for every volunteer one person less would be conscripted in England.

Thousands of people joined up. I was enlisted there when I was 17, and they must have been in touch with people in England, because there was a man waiting for me when we docked at Tilbury. He said he was going to take me to work. They’d taken down all the road signs, so I didn’t know where I was going and that’s how I ended up at Bletchley Park.

‘Don’t tell anybody what you’re doing. Just don’t speak about it to anybody'” When I got to Bletchley Park, all they said was, ‘Don’t tell anybody what you’re doing. Just don’t speak about it to anybody'” and we didn’t. We didn’t know the significance of what we were doing, we just did it. It was very, very hard – but if you’re interested in puzzles, and I was, it was interesting.

I’ve got my Morse code up there on the wall still. I can remember my Bletchley Park password! It was mainly women on the machines, but the men taught us how to use them. Billy Knox was still there when I went and Alan Turing of course. He was quite nice, quiet, a little bit withdrawn.

The machines had to be on 24/7 and we had to change shifts every day. I was always a bit tired. But we had lovely fun – we were all still schoolgirls really, very young. We did charades, played games in our spare time and danced and there was a little band. It was a bonding experience. We knew that what we were doing was important.

I had to receive messages in Morse in German and then translate them to English. I could speak German because I went to a German school in Buenos Aires when I was young, and I’m bilingual in English and Spanish. When I read the messages, I realised what we were doing.

We got the locations of where the submarines were and what they were planning to do, so we could let the Air Force know and they could sort the submarines out, we hoped. I met my husband in Buenos Aires. We were married for 50 years and had a daughter and two sons. After he died, I stayed on in a little place called Market Rasen.

Then I began to get scared living on my own – I thought I heard footsteps in the night. My daughter Jane had heard about the Royal Hospital and wondered if I was eligible. That’s how I ended up here. I bonded with the other women on the Ward and we went on some lovely outings and had parties too. Pamela Richards 87, became a Chelsea Pensioner in 2016 “My Grandmother brough me up. Mum was very naïve when she had me. She’d spent most of her childhood in a sailor’s orphanage because her father was in an asylum and my grandma had four girls to support.

Grandma worked as a ‘kipper girl’, following the fishing boats around the coast during herring season. My mum married a policeman when I was eight and I had to go and live with them – I hated it, because it took me away from my grandma. By the time I was 12, I was out of control, but my grandma was living on the Isle of Man and Istayed with her during the herring season.

I had a very happy time with my grandma. There was always food on the table, but sometimes she had to pawn the blankets to put it there. I was 17 when I joined up. I was working in the Co-op offices, I’d fallen out with Mum and I just wasn’t happy. I felt it would give me opportunities.

I was a kid during the war and all the neighbours had gone away and fought – they were starting to come back and talk about it and it was interesting. So, I went and got the forms and asked my grandma to put her sign on them – she’d been working since she was 10 and couldn’t read or write. I went AWOL for two days, 11 hours and 41 minutes.

I lost my stripes, of course. When I joined, we got 21 shillings a week, and I was able to give grandma seven shillings. Years after she said to me, ‘That was a lifesaver, it paid the rent.’ I went to Guildford for my basic training. It was November 1949 and we weren’t given much choice of what we could do.

• Thirteen of us were sent to Bicester to work with the Ordnance Corps.
• We were all under 18.
• I missed my grandma when I was at Bicester, so I went AWOL for two days, 11 hours and 41 minutes.
• I lost my stripes, of course.
• After that I did a cross-posting to Chilwell – it was nearer to Grimsby where my grandma was, so I used to hitch home and see her.

I got promoted to Lance Corporal again and then I was posted to an ammunitions site in Nesscliffe. I was supervising with my friend Cath and I think every troublemaker in WRAC Ordnance was sent there! After that, I went into clerk’s training and then I was posted to a TA unit in Swansea.

1. I was in digs and it didn’t suit me, so when I was 21, I ended up coming out of the Army.
2. After about a year and half, working in the office at Birds Eye, I decided to join up again.
3. I told them I wanted to go into the Royal Signals.
4. I went on the training course and thought I’d get posted overseas – but I did so well they posted me back to Catterick where I’d done the training, as an instructor.

I did two years at Catterick and was made sergeant again, then I was posted to Aldershot, Salisbury, Wilton and Northern Ireland. I’d found my niche in communications and I loved every minute. But then I got married and you had to come out of the Army in those days.

1. It was a big mistake.
2. I met my husband at Salisbury, where he was a sergeant in the Pay Corps.
3. By then I was one of three females working for the Royal Signals who were chosen to be a new grade, and we were sent to Preston Barracks in Brighton to do a cipher course.
4. It was there we fixed a date to get married.

I don’t know why I got married – I was 29 and had a good life. It didn’t work out. My husband I went our separate ways back in England. I applied for a job in an aviation communications centre in Rotorua, New Zealand. And then I heard about a job at GCHQ in Cheltenham, for the foreign office, and applied for that too.

• I got accepted for the New Zealand post and went to book my passage.
• When I got back, there was a letter on the mat offering me the GCHQ job.
• There was an Indian couple in the flat opposite me and I got them to toss a coin for me.
• Heads for New Zealand, tails for Cheltenham.
• Cheltenham won – and I worked there for 30 years.

It was signals, what I’d always wanted, and I loved it. I like the camaraderie here, that’s the most important thing. And on this ward we share – we put cakes and fruit on top of the sideboard; Jim brings tomatoes and things from his allotment; I put out the chocolate biscuits I got as a present.

How many years do you have to be a Chelsea Pensioner?

To be eligible to become a Chelsea Pensioner, you must be a former soldier or non-commissioned officer of the British Army (including National Service), or a former officer of the British Army who served in the ranks for at least 12 years or was awarded a disablement pension while serving in the ranks.

Do you have to be single to be a Chelsea Pensioner

Who can apply to be a Chelsea Pensioner? –

You have to have served as a regular soldier in the British Army. (This opportunity is not open to the tri-services community).

To qualify you need to be an ex-soldier. Former officers who commissioned out of Sandhurst are not eligible. Late Entry Officers who’ve initially served at least 12 years in the ranks do qualify. Although rank is not recognised in day-to-day living at the Hospital, medals are worn for ceremonial duty.

You have to be over the age of 65. Currently, the average age for those entering the Royal Hospital is 73 years, where as the average age of all members is 83 years.

You must have no living dependents – i.e. you need to be single with no family to support. If at a later date you decide to marry, another deserving veteran would take your place.

Both men and women are eligible to join. There are currently 283 Chelsea Pensioners – nine are women.

You must demonstrate a welfare need. This could include financial hardship or bereavement, the fear of isolation, loneliness or the worry about coping with old age.

You must be healthy and able to live independently. To be eligible, you must be fit and able. Once a Chelsea Pensioner, you will be looked after for the rest of your life, regardless of your health.

Is there a Navy equivalent to Chelsea Pensioners

Who were the Greenwich Pensioners? – Just as Chelsea Hospital was built for soldiers who had been injured or grown old in the service of the crown, Greenwich Hospital was created for seamen in 1695. Seamen contributed sixpence a month from their pay towards the upkeep of the hospital.

Pensioners were admitted from 1705 and originally wore a uniform of dark grey with a blue lining and brass buttons. The colour of the uniforms changed to brown and then blue. Pensioners who broke the rules were forced to wear a yellow coat known as the ‘canary’ and make amends with extra chores. Those former sailors and marines who lived in the hospital were known as ‘in-pensioners’ and those who drew a pension but did not live on site were known as ‘out-pensioners’.

Almost 3,000 sailors were living in the Hospital by 1815. According to recent research by the Greenwich Maritime Institute, the average pensioner entered at 56 but they ranged in age from 12 to 99. Younger pensioners had been injured at sea.

What does a Chelsea membership get you

Official Membership benefits Gain exclusive priority access to all Stamford Bridge fixtures, giving you the best chance of securing tickets.

Does anyone live in the Chelsea Hotel

Hotel Chelsea
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark No.0215
Hotel Chelsea
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Location	222 West 23rd Street Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates	40°44′40″N 73°59′48″W  /  40.74444°N 73.99667°W
Area	<1 acre
Built	1884
Architect	Hubert, Pirsson and Company
Architectural style	Queen Anne Revival, Victorian Gothic
Website	hotelchelsea.com
NRHP reference No.	77000958
NYCL No.	0215
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	December 27, 1977
Designated NYCL	March 15, 1966

The Hotel Chelsea (also the Chelsea Hotel or the Chelsea ) is a hotel in Manhattan, New York City, built between 1883 and 1885. The 250-unit hotel is located at 222 West 23rd Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, in the neighborhood of Chelsea,

It has been the home of numerous writers, musicians, artists and actors. Though the Chelsea no longer accepts new long-term residents, the building is still home to many who lived there before the change in policy. Arthur C. Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey while staying at the Chelsea, and poets Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso chose it as a place for philosophical and artistic exchange.

It is also known as the place where the writer Dylan Thomas was staying in room 205 when he became ill and died several days later, in a local hospital, of pneumonia on November 9, 1953, and where Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, was found stabbed to death on October 12, 1978.

Where do the Chelsea pensioners stay?

Our Care Home HRH The Prince of Wales opened our care home in 2009. The Margaret Thatcher Infirmary (the Infirmary) is a unique nursing home with a GP medical centre, for the exclusive use of Chelsea Pensioners. Inside the Infirmary The Infirmary building houses our care home with nursing, which can accommodate up to 68 Chelsea Pensioners. Three additional ‘long wards’ provide supported accommodation for other Pensioners. Each room has an excellent view and all Pensioners have access to beautiful gardens.

1. Every ward has communal lounges and dining rooms.
2. Pensioners, staff and visitors can enjoy the ground floor café with conservatory.
3. Some of our Pensioners live permanently in our residential nursing ward.
4. Others stay for short periods when they are unwell or convalescing after hospital treatment or surgery.

Families are welcome to visit at any time and close relatives visiting Pensioners who are seriously ill can stay overnight. Support to live well We aim to support all Pensioners living in the care home, so they can live their lives to the full.

on-site GP services are available for all Pensioners. An excellent team of nurses, therapists and carers provide care and treatment for Pensioners living in the care home and in the Royal Hospital’s other Long Wards. Our gymnasium provides a full physiotherapy and occupational therapy service for all Chelsea Pensioners. Our committed volunteers play a vital role in providing a greater quality of life for Chelsea Pensioners in the care home.

Stay up to date with what’s going on at The Royal Hospital by signing up for our e‑newsletter. : Our Care Home

How many people live at Chelsea Hospital

About 2 — Live At Chelsea The iconic scarlet-uniformed residents are all retired soldiers of the British Army, many of whom have served in World War II, Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus or Northern Ireland. Others may not have served in campaigns, but all understand what it means to serve their country and the potential sacrifice that it entails.

1. In recognition of their loyal service to the Nation, the Royal Hospital provides the Chelsea Pensioners with a home, comradeship and the highest standards of care during their advanced years, ensuring they are not isolated or alone.
2. In this way it’s a true hospital in the original sense of the word, in that it is a place of hospitality.

For the second year running, the Royal Hospital is going to be opened up for a special series of concerts called Live at Chelsea. Taking place in the 17th century courtyard known as ‘Figure Court’, due to the central statue of King Charles II, audiences will be treated to very special performances in a truly unique and historic setting.

A portion of the ticket sale proceeds will go towards funding the care of the Chelsea Pensioners, as well as the ongoing maintenance of the Grade I listed site.To find out how you can further support the Chelsea Pensioners, our Nation’s veterans, click on the link below.

Will I be able to walk round the Hospital? No – the hospital has pensioners in residence and their private areas will be out of bounds. Concert goers are permitted access to the concert auditorium and the designated food and drink gardens. Exceptions to this are guests who have hospitality tickets for specific areas of the Hospital building.

How many residents currently live here? There are approximately 300 residents. How do you become a Chelsea Pensioner? You have to be a former soldier of the British Army (officers are only allowed to join if they have first served in the ranks), be aged 65 or over, be of ‘good character’ and have no dependent family members.

Do residents have to pay to live here? On being admitted to live at the Royal Hospital Chelsea they must either surrender their military pension and any War Disability Pension they may have, and / or make a financial contribution dependent on their means.

Why is Chelsea football club called the Pensioners

PENSIONERS CONNECT – The club was nicknamed The Pensioners for half a century after its foundation. This is due to their association with the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. The place is home to British war veterans, who are called the ‘Chelsea Pensioners.’ During the World Wars years, many players left to join the military leading to the establishment of an unshakeable bond between the club and the community. Image credits: Chelsea Pensioners/Twitter The crest for the club also had the insignia of a Pensioner figure during these years, along with the “CFC” logo that had come to symbolise the ever-deepening ties between these two entities. The connection still continues to this day, all these years later through Stamford Bridge as well the resident’s devotion to their beloved club.

Does Chelsea turn a profit?

For many years Chelsea’s high profits from player sales enabled them to report overall net profits. However, they have now lost a hefty £343m in the last four years, including £156m in 2020/21 and £102m in 2018/19. The sole profit in this time was £36m in 2019/20.

Who pays for the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

Data Protection Officer – The Data Protection Officer (DPO) assists us to monitor internal compliance, inform and advise on our data protection obligations, provide advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and act as a contact point for data subjects and the supervisory authority.

Do Chelsea Pensioners always wear uniform?

Life as a Chelsea Pensioner Life at the Royal Hospital is a little different during the pandemic as we have adjusted to ensure everyone’s safety. We are doing everything we can to offer a sense of normality and to keep morale up under these controlled conditions.

On entering the Royal Hospital as a Chelsea Pensioner, you will receive a warm welcome from fellow veterans and staff. 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.

All meals are provided in the beautiful dining rooms of the Great Hall and the Chelsea Pensioners’ Club, with different menu options available every day. Chelsea Pensioners are encouraged to wear their uniforms; it is mandatory to wear the scarlet uniform when representing the Royal Hospital on a recognised visit or when on parade, such as the annual parade in June.

Otherwise within a two mile radius of the Royal Hospital the blue day-to-day uniform is normally worn. The blue uniform is also worn at breakfast and lunch in the Great Hall. Most Chelsea Pensioners wear this throughout the day in and around the Royal Hospital, but Pensioners are permitted to wear their civilian clothes whenever they wish to dress down (usually in the evenings).

The social life of the Royal Hospital is rich and varied with a number of activities on offer every week, such as bingo, gardening, film nights, pottery and bridge club. There are also frequent invitations to attend special events outside the Royal Hospital, from charity fundraisers to sporting fixtures.

Every year Chelsea Pensioners have the opportunity to represent the Royal Hospital at various ceremonial and commemorative events, including at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph. In addition, Pensioners participate in projects that support the wider community as part of the Royal Hospital’s outreach programme.

We are welcoming applications to become a Chelsea Pensioner with some changes to our process. Please see our to find out more. : Life as a Chelsea Pensioner

How many female Chelsea Pensioners are there

Royal Hospital Chelsea Appeals For More Female Pensioners

• The Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the famous Chelsea Pensioners, is hoping to encourage more women to join up.
• The hospital has held a special veteran’s breakfast morning to allow potential-pensioners to find out more.
• Pat Rosewell, who served in the Women’s Royal Army Corps, attended the event.
• “I’m single, I’ve got no one to worry about except for myself and I just love the camaraderie here,” she said.
• “I love the fact they’re on show, they represent the Royal Hospital and I think I could do that and I really, really want to.
• “I need people around me, I’m a people’s person, and I just want to get out, have fun and represent the Royal Hospital.”

Royal Hospital Chelsea has been allowing women to become Chelsea Pensioners for the past 11 years.

1. To become a Chelsea Pensioner, there are specific criteria.
2. According to the Royal Hospital Chelsea website, applicants must be a British Army veteran, over the age of 65 or the State Pension age.
3. An applicant must also have an Army Service Pension or War Disability Pension – if not, a weekly financial contribution is required.
4. Applicants must also be “free of any financial obligation to support a spouse or family” and able to live independently in sheltered accommodation.
5. There are currently 14 female Chelsea Pensioners.

• “This is the place to be, it’s absolutely fantastic,” said Chelsea Pensioner Monica Parrott.
• “When you come here after living on your own, widowed or whatever you might be and you’re so lonely – this is a blessing.
• “This place is just ideal for people who are on their own.”
• Women have been eligible to become Chelsea Pensioners since 2009.
• The Royal Hospital Chelsea has been looking after British Army veterans since the end of the 17th century.
• There are currently around 300 Chelsea Pensioners.

: Royal Hospital Chelsea Appeals For More Female Pensioners

What is the definition of pensioners?

A pensioner is someone who receives a pension, especially a pension paid by the state to retired people. Synonyms: senior citizen, retired person, retiree, old-age pensioner More Synonyms of pensioner.

What ranks do Chelsea Pensioners wear

| Royal Hospital Chelsea The long scarlet coat is an icon of the Royal Hospital Chelsea and is worn with pride by the Chelsea Pensioners. However, many people do not realise that Pensioners wear two types of uniform, known fondly as ‘scarlets’ and ‘blues’. 1. TRICORNE HAT The tricorne hat is a ceremonial headpiece that the Chelsea Pensioners wear usually if a member of the Royal Family is present. The tricorne hat evolved from necessity out in the field. Floppy felt hats were worn by soldiers and due to the sides of the hats getting in their way during battle they would pin both of the sides up.

1. To stop the rain dripping down their necks they would pin the back of the hat up too, thus creating the tricorne shape.
2. At the Royal Hospital Chelsea the legacy of the tricorne lives on.
3. The hats are still made from felt in a traditional method, unchanged since the 19th Century.2.
4. BUTTONS Originally made from brass, each coat has nine buttons.

In 1959 the brass buttons were replaced by anodised ones, which was incredibly popular with the Pensioners as the new buttons didn’t require polishing. The buttons are engraved with the symbol of the crown and the letters RCI, the initials of the Royal Corps of Invalids (to which the Chelsea Pensioners were once a part of).3.

RANK 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.4.

TROUSERS In 1843 trousers were introduced instead of breeches. In 1961 dark blue tweed trousers adorned with a thin scarlet stripe running down the outer seam were issued and the same style is in use today. : | Royal Hospital Chelsea

How long does it take to get a Chelsea membership?

Once you have made your application you will be contacted by our team to inform you how to make a payment. When will my membership become active? Memberships take a minimum of 48 hours to activate from the time of purchase.

How old do you have to be to go to Chelsea

Change to ticket restrictions for young fans There has been an important update to Chelsea FC’s ticketing policies affecting supporters aged 16 and under, which comes into force at Stamford Bridge immediately ahead of the 2023/24 season, starting with the Game4Ukraine.

1. As part of the club’s continuous efforts to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees, changes have been made to our age restrictions for stadium entry.
2. Moving forward, all ticket holders must be over 16 years old to gain entry into the stadium.
3. If you are under the age of 16, you must be accompanied by an adult.

While these changes may impact some younger fans, the change has been made with careful consideration for the safety and wellbeing of all supporters. By requiring younger fans to be accompanied by adults, the aim is to create a secure environment while still providing an opportunity for families to enjoy matches together.

These new age restrictions will be effective starting the Game4Ukraine at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 5 August and remain in force throughout the 2023/24 season for all games across our men’s, women’s and Academy sides.The Chelsea ticket office will be contacting those who have already purchased tickets and fall under the affected age group, to assist with any necessary adjustments.Chelsea appreciates the understanding from our valued supporters affected by these changes as the club strives to make matchdays as enjoyable and experience as possible for everyone in attendance.

: Change to ticket restrictions for young fans

What is the definition of Pensioners

A pensioner is someone who receives a pension, especially a pension paid by the state to retired people. Synonyms: senior citizen, retired person, retiree, old-age pensioner More Synonyms of pensioner.

What is a Chelsea Pensioner record

More like this – Chelsea Pensioners’ service records describe each soldier, including his height, the colour of his eyes and hair Out-pensioners applied for their quarterly pension payments through local officials; after 1842, district offices administered the payments.

If your ancestor received a pension between 1842 and 1883, check TNA’s series ‘Royal Hospital Chelsea: Returns of Payment of Army and Other Pensions’ (WO22). Regular payments are not recorded, but your forebear may be mentioned if he moved to another district, he was a new out-pensioner or he died within the period.

Other sources to try are the ‘Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Admission Books, Registers and Papers’ (WO23) for 1702–1876; and the ‘Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Discharge Documents of Pensioners’ (WO121) for 1760–1887. WO22, WO23 and WO121 are all on Findmypast.

Is there a Navy equivalent to Chelsea Pensioners

Who were the Greenwich Pensioners? – Just as Chelsea Hospital was built for soldiers who had been injured or grown old in the service of the crown, Greenwich Hospital was created for seamen in 1695. Seamen contributed sixpence a month from their pay towards the upkeep of the hospital.

Pensioners were admitted from 1705 and originally wore a uniform of dark grey with a blue lining and brass buttons. The colour of the uniforms changed to brown and then blue. Pensioners who broke the rules were forced to wear a yellow coat known as the ‘canary’ and make amends with extra chores. Those former sailors and marines who lived in the hospital were known as ‘in-pensioners’ and those who drew a pension but did not live on site were known as ‘out-pensioners’.

Almost 3,000 sailors were living in the Hospital by 1815. According to recent research by the Greenwich Maritime Institute, the average pensioner entered at 56 but they ranged in age from 12 to 99. Younger pensioners had been injured at sea.

Is it illegal to impersonate a Chelsea Pensioner?

4. It is illegal to impersonate a Chelsea Pensioner – Again, this is not true although it may be a misinterpretation of the Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals Act 1826 which made it an offence to make a fraudulent claim to pensions that belonged to Chelsea Pensioners.