APPENDIX No. 23. CHELSEA HOSPITAL GROUNDS.

To the Right Honourable William Cowper, M.P., Chief Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Works and Public Buildings.

The Memorial of the Vestry of the Parish of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,

Sheweth,

That your Memorialists are sensible of, and grateful for, the benefit which has resulted to their parish and to the public from the improvements which have of late years been made in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, and from their having been thrown open for the recreation and resort of the crowded neighbouring population.

That by the present regulations, the grounds are closed during the months of May, June, July, and August, at eight o’clock in the evening.

That an extension of the time of closing the gardens, particularly on Sunday evenings, would, in the opinion of your Memorialists, be much esteemed by their frequenters; and as evidence that this would be so, a correspondent of your Memorialists writes: “An extension of the time of closing the Royal Hospital Grounds to the same hours as Battersea Park, would be accepted as a great boon by all classes, more especially on the Sunday evenings in the hot weather, as, though the grounds are opened on Sundays at two o’clock in the afternoon, they are not generally much attended till after tea, which makes it half-past six o’clock, or even seven, before the mass of visitors arrive (according to the distance they have to come, as many come from London by the steamboats), and at a quarter to eight o’clock in the very height of summer, they begin to clear the grounds, and at eight o’clock precisely they are finally closed.

It is naturally felt to be a great hardship to be so turned out when the sun is shining brightly on a warm summer evening, and when, though comparatively early, still too late to go anywhere else (except Cremorne), and the consequences may at once be seen by the fact of the public houses and beer shops in the neighbourhood being immediately filled, a state of things much to be deplored.

Persons attending a place of worship are of course quite precluded from taking a walk round the grounds when they come out, and before they go home, the grounds being closed so early.

The comforts and rest of the inmates of the Royal Hospital need not be interfered with, as the public could be shut off the central part at a certain hour, if thought desirable, and all might leave the grounds by the eastern and western entrances; and if the additional hour’s duty be thought too much for the pensioners, three or four policemen additional, or other attendants, could be provided at a very small additional expense.

Your Memorialists therefore respectfully request that you will consider the foregoing, and give directions that the regulations for closing the said grounds may be assimilated to those of Battersea Park.

And your Memorialists will ever pray.

Chas. Lahee, Vestry Clerk.

Given under the common seal of the said Vestry, this 17th day of July, 1860.

From A. Austin, Esq., Office of Works, &c., to the Vestry Clerk.

3537.

Office of Works, &c. 23rd August, 1860.

Sir,

I am directed by the First Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Works, &c., to acquaint you, for the information of the Vestry of the Parish of Chelsea, that he has given instructions for the closing of Chelsea Hospital Grounds at the same hours as the gates in Battersea Park, as requested in their Memorial which accompanied your letter to this Board, dated the 2nd instant, upon the understanding that some slight modification of the rule may be adopted if any practical inconvenience to the authorities of the Hospital should be found to result from the proposed alteration.

I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, Alfred Austin, Secretary.

Chas. Lahee, Esq.