Catalogue description Records of Royal Greenwich Hospital, and the Chatham Chest

The Royal Greenwich Hospital was founded by Queen Mary, who in 1694 gave the royal estate at Greenwich for a home for superannuated seamen and marines. The foundation stone was laid in 1696 and the first pensioners were admitted in 1705. In 1716 the forfeited estates of Lord Derwentwater were added to the hospital's endowments (the Northern Estates). In addition to the in-pensioners, the hospital also maintained out-pensioners and provided pensions and allowances for widows and orphans of seamen and marines. It also provided for a limited number of officers. A school for the sons of seamen was attached to the hospital. In 1829 this school absorbed the Royal Naval Asylum for the children of seamen, originally established by the Patriotic Fund of Lloyds, but managed by commissioners since 1805.

In 1803 the hospital took over the administration of the Chatham Chest. This was a naval charitable foundation established about 1590, from which men hurt or wounded on naval service were relieved. It was supported by a charge of 6d a month on the wages of every officer and rating in the Navy, and was administered by a corporation of officers stationed at Chatham under the oversight of the Navy Board. It paid compensation for wounds and injuries sustained in action or on duty, and pensions for permanent disablement, to warrant officers, ratings and dockyard workers. It also paid pensions to the widows of those killed in action. In 1803 the administration of the chest was transferred to the Royal Greenwich Hospital, and it became known thereafter as 'the Chest at Greenwich'.

After 1832 the hospital passed under the superintendence of the Board of Admiralty, the Civil Lord being the member with particular responsibility for its affairs. It ceased to house in-pensioners in 1869 and since 1873 the building has become the home of the Royal Naval College; but the hospital has continued to administer the school, which moved to Holbrook in 1933, and to provide out-pensions and allowances of various kinds.