WARRANT, CONTAINING ORDERS AND REGULATIONS, REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND GOVERNMENT OF THE ROYAL MILITARY ASYLUM.
Reading edition
GEORGE R.
WHEREAS OUR Commissioners for the Affairs of Our Royal Military Asylum did, in pursuance of Our Commands, signified to them in Our Warrant bearing date the 24th June, 1801, prepare and present to Us, in their Report, dated the 30th day of April, 1803, certain Orders and Regulations for the good Government of Our said Asylum, and for the attainment of the humane objects for which it has been erected; and did, in the same Report, propose such an Establishment of Officers, as they deemed necessary, in the first instance, to be appointed in Our said Asylum, together with the Salaries and Allowances fitting to be annexed to their respective employments; of which Report, in all its parts, WE were pleased to approve: And Whereas divers additional Regulations and Appointments of Officers have at different times since been represented to Us by Our Commander in Chief, at the request of Our said Commissioners, to be essential to the welfare of the Institution; and have in like manner met with Our Royal Approbation: WE do, therefore, confirm hereby the several Acts which have been done or directed by Our said Commissioners, in conformity to Our said Warrant, and to the Report and Representations afore mentioned: and, in regard to the Commissioners for managing the Affairs of Our Royal Military Asylum, as well as to the Regulations for the Establishment and Government of the same, in future, WE do declare Our Will and Pleasure, to be as follows:
OUR most dearly beloved Son, Field Marshal, Frederic, Duke of York and Albany, Commander in Chief of all Our Forces in Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; Our most dearly beloved Son, General, Edward, Duke of Kent; Our most dearly beloved Son, Lieutenant General, Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland; Our most dearly beloved Son, Lieutenant General, Adolphus Frederic, Duke of Cambridge;
General, Charles, Earl of Harrington, Colonel of Our First Regiment of Life Guards; Brownlow, Bishop of Winchester; Lieutenant General, William, Lord Cathcart, Colonel of Our Second Regiment of Life Guards; Our right trusty and well beloved, William Windham, and Our right trusty and well beloved, Charles Yorke, late, respectively, Secretaries at War; General, Sir David Dundas, Knight of the Bath, Governor of Our Royal Hospital at Chelsea; Lieutenant General, George Hewett, Barrack Master General to Our Forces; Major General, Robert Brownrigg, Quarter Master General of Our Forces; Major General, Harry Calvert, Adjutant General of Our Forces; Sir Brook Watson, Baronet, Our Commissary General of Stores and Provisions in Great Britain; the Reverend John Gamble, Chaplain General of Our Forces; and Matthew Lewis, Esq. late Deputy Secretary at War;
Together with,
The General Commanding in Chief Our Forces in the United Kingdom, for the time being; Our Secretary at War; Our Bishops of London and Winchester; the Paymaster General of Our Land Forces; Our Master General of the Ordnance; Our Quarter Master General; Our Adjutant General; Our Barrack Master General; Our Inspector General of the Recruiting Service; the Governor, and Lieutenant Governor, of Our Royal Hospital, at Chelsea; the Colonels of Our Two Regiments of Life Guards; Our Judge Advocate General; Our Commissary General of Stores and Provisions in Great Britain; the Chaplain General of Our Forces; and Our Deputy Secretary at War; All for the Time being; shall be Commissioners for the Government of our Royal Military Asylum, and for the Direction, Management, and Control, of all Affairs belonging thereto.
And, it is Our Royal Pleasure, that Our Commander in Chief for time being shall be the President, and Our Secretary at War for the time being shall be the Vice-President, of Our said Royal Military Asylum.
WE do hereby Grant to Our several Commissioners above specified, or any Five or more of them, forming a Board, (of whom Our Commander in Chief, Secretary at War, Paymaster General, Quarter Master General, Adjutant General, or Governor of Chelsea Hospital, shall always be One) full Power and Authority generally to do, perform, and direct, all such Matters and Things, as They, in their Discretion, shall judge expedient, for the due Government and Maintenance of Our said Asylum; subject to such further Orders, Regulations, and Instructions, as WE shall at any time or times hereafter think fit to give under Our Royal Sign Manual, in relation to Our said Asylum, and to the Government thereof.
Four Quarterly, or General, Boards shall be holden in each Year; viz. on the 1st Tuesday in the Months of January, April, July, and October, or as soon thereafter as may be; of which the Secretary shall give due notice to each Commissioner, one Week, at the least, preceding each Board.
At those Quarterly Boards the general business of the Institution shall be transacted: such as the Appointment or Removal of Officers, not holding their Employments by Commission from Us; the Authorising and Approving of Contracts; the Examining and Settling of all Accounts; and the consideration of the necessary Applications, from time to time, to Parliament, for the Sums required in Support of the Institution.
A Committee (open to all Commissioners, but at which, Three of those specially named by the General Board shall always be present) shall meet as often as occasion may require to receive Reports; to determine on the reception, or rejection, of Children recommended for admittance into the Asylum, under such Restrictions and Regulations as shall have been previously prescribed by Our Commissioners at any General Board; and to give directions in all Matters respecting the interior Economy of the Institution: and whenever such Committee may find it expedient, it is to direct the Secretary to Summon a Special General Board of Commissioners, at any intermediate time between the Quarterly Boards.
In the selection or the Children for admission, preference in general shall be given,
1st. To Orphans.
2nd. To those, whose Fathers have been killed; or have died on Foreign Service.
3d. To those who have lost their Mothers, and whose Fathers are absent on Duty abroad.
4th. To those whose Fathers are ordered on Foreign Service; or, whose Parents have other Children to maintain.
The merit of the Father, as to Regimental Character, shall be always considered as a principal recommendation.
None shall be admitted, except the Children, born in Wedlock, of Warrant and Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers of Our Regular Army.
Every Child, previously to admission, must be ascertained to be entirely free from mental, and bodily, infirmity.
The Parents, or Friends, applying for the admission of Children, shall be required to sign their consent to such Children remaining in the Asylum as long as Our Commissioners may think fit; and to their being disposed of, when of proper Age, at the discretion of the Commissioners, as Apprentices, or Servants; or, if Boys, to their being placed, with their own free consent, in Our Regular Army, as Private Soldiers.
The number of Children to be admitted shall not exceed One Thousand; viz. Seven hundred Boys, and Three hundred Girls; exclusive of such as, upon any pressure of special circumstances, may be received (for a time, and until they are of proper Age to be removed, or until vacancies may occur in the Asylum) into the infant Establishment in the Isle of Wight; hereby declared to be a Branch of this Our Royal Institution, and to be under the general control of the Commissioners thereof.
The following shall be the Officers, Assistants, and Servants, on the Establishment of Our Royal Military Asylum; subject to such further change, augmentation, or diminution, in the description, number, or Salaries, of the under Officers, Assistants, and Servants, as to Our said Commissioners may hereafter appear necessary: viz.
A COMMANDANT;
To whom, in consideration of the great trust reposed in Him, and the continued attention required of Him to promote the general welfare of the Institution, WE are pleased to assign the Pay of Twenty Shillings per Diem, with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for three Rooms.
A TREASURER;
To whom WE are pleased to Grant a Salary of £.300 per Annum, including all Allowances for Clerks, Stationary, or otherwise.
A CHAPLAIN, AND SUPERINTENDANT OF MORALS AND EDUCATION;
To whom WE are pleased to Grant a Salary of £.280 per Annum, with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for two Rooms and an half.
AN ADJUTANT AND SECRETARY;
To whom WE are pleased to Grant the Pay of Ten Shillings per Diem, with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for two Rooms.
A QUARTER MASTER AND STEWARD;
To whom WE are pleased to Grant a Salary of £.180 per Annum, with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for two Rooms.
A SURGEON;
Who, holding the Rank of Surgeon to Our Forces, shall have the Pay of Fifteen Shillings per Diem, with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for two Rooms and an half—he shall have the Assistance of an Hospital Mate, (not Resident in the House) at Five Shillings per Diem, without any other Allowance.
A SERJEANT-MAJOR OF INSTRUCTION;
Whose Pay shall be Two Shillings and Sixpence per Diem, with Clothing; Board, the same as the Children; and an Allowance of Coals and Candles for one Room.
SERJEANT-ASSISTANTS;
In the proportion of One to every Fifty Boys; they shall have the Pay of One Shilling and Sixpence per Day, each; Clothing and Board; and an Allowance of Coals and Candles, according to the Season of the Year, in a proportion to be fixed by Our Commissioners.
To the Quarter-Master Serjeant, and to such of the Serjeant-Assistants as shall be employed to instruct the Boys in the different Trades, WE are pleased to allow Sixpence per Diem, each; in addition to the Pay of One Shilling and Sixpence above specified.
A DRUMMER;
To be allowed Drummer’s Pay and Clothing, and to Mess with the Children.
A MATRON;
Who shall have £.100 per Annum as Salary, and in lieu of all former Allowances; except in regard to Coals and Candles, the Allowance for which shall be continued to her for two Rooms.
AN ASSISTANT MATRON AND SCHOOLMISTRESS;
Who is to have a Salary of £.50 per Annum, (in lieu of her former Salary, and Allowance for Provisions) together with an Allowance of Coals and Candles for one Room.
ONE READING MISTRESS, AND ONE KNITTING MISTRESS AND SEMPSTRESS;
Each having a Salary of £.25 per Annum, One Shilling per Diem in lieu of Board, and an Allowance of Coals and Candles for one Room.
NURSES,
In the proportion of One to each Ward; to be allowed £.10 per Annum, each, and their Board; with Clothing, and Coals and Candles, the same as the Serjeant-Assistants.
NURSES FOR THE INFIRMARY,
In proportion to the number of the Sick; to be allowed £.12 per Annum, each, and their Board; with Clothing, and Coals and Candles, as the other Nurses.
A COOK;
To be allowed £.20 per Annum, and her Board; with Clothing, and an Allowance of Coals and Candles, the same as the Nurses. She shall be allowed two Assistants; each having £.10 per Annum; with Board, Clothing, and Coals and Candles, the same as the Cook.
A LAUNDRESS;
To be allowed £.20 per Annum, and her Board; with Clothing, and an Allowance of Coals and Candles, the same as the Cooks; and to have such Aid from the Female Children, and such hired Assistance, as circumstances may from time to time require.
A SERJEANT-PORTER;
Who shall have the Pay of One Shilling and Sixpence per Day; with Clothing, and One Shilling per Diem in lieu of Board: together with an Allowance of Coals and Candles, in a proportion to be fixed by Our Commissioners.
The Officers, Assistants, and Servants, belonging to Our Royal Military Asylum, shall not, directly or indirectly, demand or receive any Perquisite; or any Emolument whatever, beyond the Pay and Allowances annexed to their respective Employments, as specified in this Our Warrant, or otherwise expressly authorized by Our Commissioners: and any such Officers, Assistants, or Servants, offending herein, shall be deemed to have forfeited their Situations.
WE do hereby Grant unto the Commissioners of Our Royal Military Asylum, or any Five or more of them, assembled at a General Board as aforesaid, full Power and Authority to Nominate, Constitute, and Appoint, from time to time, the said Officers, Assistants, and Servants, and to displace them, or any of them, as to Our said Commissioners shall seem meet: The Commandant, Chaplain, Adjutant and Secretary, Quarter-Master and Steward, and Surgeon, excepted; who, receiving Commissions from Ourselves, shall not be removable, unless by Our especial Command.
WE do further Grant hereby to Our said Commissioners, or any Five or more of them, assembled as aforesaid, full Power and Authority to ascertain and settle, what proportions and kinds of Victuals they shall judge most expedient for the Diet of the Children, and of such other Persons as are, in compliance with the above Regulations, to be entertained and fed in Our Royal Military Asylum; and to make, or direct to be made, Contracts and Agreements for the furnishing of the same, at such rates, and for such periods, as to Our Commissioners shall appear best; as also, for Clothing the said Children and Persons; and likewise, to cause the Buildings, Furniture, Grounds, Roads, Walks, and Lights, belonging to Our said Royal Military Asylum, to be maintained and kept in Repair and proper Order, for the due Accommodation and good Government of the same.
WE do at the same time direct, and Command, that, in all cases whatsoever, where any Order or Warrant is to be granted for the Payment of any Sum or Sums of Money, for the uses of the Royal Military Asylum, every such Order or Warrant shall be signed by Three or more of the Commissioners; of whom Our Commander in Chief, Secretary at War, Paymaster General, Quarter-Master General, Adjutant General, or Governor of Chelsea Hospital, shall always be One.
WE are further pleased to declare all the Officers and Persons, borne on the Establishment of Our Royal Military Asylum, to be subject to the Authority, Command, and Control, of Our said Commissioners; who are hereby empowered to make provision for the future disposal of the Children, when of a proper Age to be removed from the Asylum; according to their Qualifications, Ability, and Dispositions, and as may be most likely to be conducive to their ultimate advantage.
FINALLY, WE are pleased to Approve the Instructions hereunto annexed, which have been framed by Our said Commissioners for the more particular guidance of the Officers, Assistants, and Servants, of the Royal Military Asylum, in the execution of their respective Duties; And, WE do hereby give to Our said Commissioners full Power and Authority, from time to time, to amend or annul the same; and to make such further Rules and Institutions, touching the ordinary Affairs of Our said Asylum, as shall not, in any case, be repugnant to these our Orders and Regulations.
Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this 26th Day of April 1805, in the Forty-fifth Year of Our Reign.
By His Majesty’s Command, W. DUNDAS.