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The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society Annual Report 2014 Caring for seafarers 1 The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society Annual Report 2014 PatrON: H.R.H. The Princess Royal Head Office, Weston Acres, Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 3HB T 01737 353763 F 01737 362678 E enquiries@royalalfred.org.uk W www.royalalfredseafarers.com Royal Alfred Seafarers @RASeafarers royalalfredseafarerssociety Registered as a Charity No. 209776 FRONT COVer PIctUre: The maritime images on pages 8, 17, 38, 40 and 42 are courtesy of Gary Davies at Maritime Photographic SS GREAT BRITAIN: a world beating ship by Isambard Brunel, with the first ever iron clad hull, combined steam www.maritimephotographic.co.uk. The image on the right of page 16, and those on page 46 have been kindly engine and sails, and propeller. She started service on the trans-atlantic run at the time of the Royal Alfred’s supplied by The Wellington Trust. The image on the left of page 16 has been reproduced by kind permission of formation - two extraordinary and complimentary creations for British merchant seafarers together P&O Heritage Collection www.poheritage.com 2 3 INTRODUCTION I would like to quote the opening words of the had become Captain the Hon. Francis Maude R.N., in first chapter of The Royal Alfred Story’: incensed at moving a resolution in support of the Proposal, the terrible stated that while the seamen of the Royal conditions Navy had their Greenwich and the Army merchant their Chelsea Hospitals, there was no similar “Unbelievably crowded and insanitary seamen faced, provision for merchant seamen, who numbered accommodation; unsuitable and and Parliament more than quarter of a million men, when inadequate food, resulting in many cases was petitioned worn out and disabled. of scurvy; an almost entire absence of any to look into kind of treatment for sickness or injury; the matter. Captain W. H. Hall, seconded a motion that low wages; Masters who were frequently The Merchant the hospital ”be built on or near the banks Welcome to the Annual addicted to drink; the lash as punishment Shipping of the Thames, within the Port of London, to for comparatively minor breaches of Act of 1835 be called” (with Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s Report and Financial discipline. resulted in at permission) “The Royal Hospital for Worn- least some beneficial control over the British Out and Disabled Merchant Seamen” and Statements of The Royal “This was the lot of many crews in the merchantmen. In 1847 a Commission was set that a plan of out-pensions be grafted on Alfred Seafarers’ Society British Merchant Service in the early part up by the Board of Trade to enquire about the Institution. The Resolution was carried of the 19th Century, and when a ship’s the state of the Merchant Service and in unanimously and a Committee appointed to for the year 2014. crew was discharged in port there was no 1850 the Mercantile Marine Act resulted in proceed with all haste. provision for their welfare; many a sailor the establishment of the Marine Department I am very pleased to report that the was robbed of his money and even his of the Board of Trade. Finally, in 1854, came In 1864 the opportunity presented itself of Society has enjoyed another good clothes before he had even left the dock the Merchant Shipping Act which, among purchasing the house of the late Sir Culling year, building on the expansion and area. Of the sailor of that time it was truly other things, recast the laws relating to the Eardley, with part of his park at Belvedere, improvements made in the preceding said: navigation of ships, tonnage measurement, at Erith in Kent. The Committee of the few years. We continue to achieve wreck inquiry and the limitation of Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society authorised our charitable objects and cared for ““Where he goes and how he fares, shipowners’ liability, as well as consolidating negotiations with the executors, which resulted many more former seafarers and their No one knows and no one cares.” the various reforms that had been made in the property being purchased for £12,000. dependants in need over the past 12 previously. months. “There were, happily, exceptions to these Another public meeting took place, again at conditions and the East India Company Thus it was, on 17th July 1857, 600 persons the Mansion House, on the 28th April 1865 As well as reporting that the year was presented a glowing example to the rest.” attended a meeting, held in the Egyptian at the requisition of more than 200 firms and another successful one for the Society, Room at the Mansion House - called by the leading gentlemen in the City of London, the details of which are included in the Committee of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ with the Lord Mayor presiding. This resulted following pages, I believe it is appropriate, Society. The Resolution before the meeting in a new independent committee being set on this special occasion in 2015 – our 150th No one living in 1965 could, of course, recollect was for a proposed “Hospital for Worn-Out up, which first met on th5 May 1865 and anniversary - to look back at the origins of conditions as they were in 1865 but many and Disabled Merchant Seamen and a National formally took over the house and grounds at the Society and how it developed. could speak of the improvements that came Pension Fund for Mariners and their Widows”. Belvedere duly conveyed by Trust Deed to the about during the years that followed the There was an impressive attendance at this newly formed Committee of the Belvedere At the time of our Centenary in 1965 a beginning of the Society. first meeting. Apart from influential men in Institution, as it had become known. The first book was produced covering how it all began the shipping world, there was a good deal of residents were accommodated at the first and what followed. However, against a background of over 500 support from senior officers of the Royal Navy ships lost each year in the 1830s and about and some 400 Master Mariners, merchant 900 seamen lost annually, by 1834 the Nation seamen and Greenwich Hospital Pensioners. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6... 4 5 INTRODUCTION Belvedere House on New Year’s Day 1867. All of the Institution. Hence the title from that time Society’. This second charter extended the and very often not paid until long after it is due. officers and seamen of the British Mercantile became the ‘The Royal Alfred Aged Merchant Society’s benevolence to all mariners including We discharge our duty under the Royal Charter Marine, having served 21 years or more, were Seamen’s Institution’, the name we used for the the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, port by caring for every former seafarer who needs eligible to be received into the Home after next 82 years. workers and their dependants in need. A our help, subsidising where necessary, whilst they were 60 years of age, or earlier if they further amendment was made to it in 1982 to improving facilities and staff levels and being were disabled. In 1950 the Society was granted the Royal include all seafarers as well as men and women significantly helped by like-minded maritime Charter by His Majesty King George VI and working in maritime related occupations. charities in keeping fees and rents low, and the So that is how it all began and the Institution the name was changed to the ‘The Royal percentage of seafarers and quality of care high. grew quickly and successfully, so much so, Alfred Aged Merchant Seamen’s Society’. This In July 2015 we look forward to receiving a that in 1868 His Royal Highness the Duke of continued until 1977 when a new Charter was new supplemental Royal Charter from Her In our 150th anniversary year, the Society Edinburgh, Prince Alfred, the second son of granted and the name changed to what we are Royal Highness the Princess Royal, our Patron, remains well founded with sufficient reserves Queen Victoria, accepted the office of Patron known as today - ‘The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ when she visits today’s ’Belvedere House’ as and a continued bright future serving the part of our 150th anniversary celebrations. maritime community. I will have great pleasure in presenting Her Royal Highness with the first copy of our 150th I will take this opportunity to close by Anniversary Book which records in some thanking our management team, our staff detail, and many pictures, the story of the and supporters for all they have contributed Royal Alfred I have briefly outlined and which is in achieving the success that makes such a entitled ‘Home from Sea’ (see the back page of difference to those we serve. Our wonderful this Report for a sneak preview of the design). volunteers are specially appreciated. Grateful thanks also go to the all-important grant- Looking ahead, and in line with the Strategic giving maritime charities whose support Plan under review in 2015, it is our intention to and generosity allows us to bridge the gap develop the business case, and where possible when we need to subsidise the care costs of enact it, for extending the range in which the seafarers and their dependants. Thank you all. Society meets its charitable objects for the benefit of former seafarers and their dependants. We Please read on - I commend the Annual Report intend to examine how the Society can provide and Accounts for the year 2014 to you. extra care to seafarers in need while they remain in their homes, in line with today’s philosophy on the delivery of care to those who need it.