Royal Star and Garter Home, Richmond

History

The site is the location of the former Star and Garter Hotel, which closed in 1906. The building was used as a military hospital, known as the Star and Garter Home for Disabled Sailors and Soldiers, during World War I.

The site was then donated to Queen Mary (consort of George V) in support of her plans to establish a home for paralysed and permanently disabled soldiers. The hotel banqueting hall and ballroom were temporarily used to house disabled soldiers, but they were found to be unsuitable for their specialised needs. Demolition of the hotel buildings commenced in 1919, and from 1920 to 1924 the home's residents were transferred to Sandgate, Kent, while the new Star and Garter Home for Disabled Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen was built on the site of the hotel. The new building was formally opened by George V and Queen Mary on 10 July 1924, dedicated as the Women of the Empire's Memorial of the Great War.

In 1948 residents of the home took part in a forerunner of the Paralympic Games, the first national athletic event for disabled athletes, organised by Dr Ludwig Guttmann.

The Star and Garter Home received its royal charter in 1979, adding the prefix "Royal" to its name. Since the opening of the second home at Solihull in 2008 the charity has used a plural form of the name, as "The Royal Star & Garter Homes".

Some of the residents who died at the home were buried in one of two dedicated sections in the nearby Richmond Cemetery. The cemetery contains two plots dedicated to deceased residents from the home, one of which is marked by the Bromhead Memorial, a large classical-style monument listing the names of those not commemorated elsewhere.

Notable residents

Notable residents have included:

• Frederick Jeremiah Edwards (1894–1964), an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, who died at the home on 9 March 1964
• Norman "Bill" Jewell (1913–2004), commander of the submarine during Operation Mincemeat. In 1998, he suffered a serious fall and was paralysed from the neck down. He then went to live at the home until his death on 18 August 2004 aged 90.
• Major David Mills (1918–1993), Secretary General of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club 1963–1979
• Bevis Shergold (1919–1997), track and field athlete who competed in the 1938 European Athletics Championships and the 1948 Summer Olympics. During World War II she was an intelligence servicewoman and was one of the first women to be posted aboard. She worked in Egypt and Algeria as a translator during the interrogation of prisoners of war.
• Alan Waldron (1920–1999), cricketer and an officer in the Hampshire Regiment during the Second World War, in which he was awarded the Military Cross and bar.
• Nancy Wake (1912–2011), who fought with the French Resistance and lived in the home from 2003 until her death. She died on 7 August 2011, aged 98, at Kingston Hospital after being admitted with a chest infection.

Notable chairmen of the Home

• Admiral Sir Barry Domvile, 1932–1934
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Caspar John, 1967–1972
• General Sir Charles Harington, 1972–1980
• Marshal of the RAF Sir Denis Spotswood, 1981–1985

References

References

1. [[Bridget Cherry. (1983). "The Buildings of England – London 2: South". [[Penguin Books]].
2. {{National Heritage List for England
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4. Dyduch, Amy. (9 April 2013). "Developer buys Royal Star and Garter for £50m". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
5. "Solihull Home". The Royal Star & Garter Homes.
6. Sharman, Jon. (29 August 2013). "Residents move into new Royal Star and Garter home in Surbiton". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
7. Hausmeister, Hana. (11 June 2013). "'No all-night parties': Royal Star and Garter reassures residents". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
8. Dyduch, Amy. (16 May 2013). "Richmond's final farewell to Royal Star and Garter". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
9. "Our Surbiton Home". The Royal Star & Garter Homes.
10. The Royal Star & Garter Homes. "Annual Review 2014/15".
11. "Royal Star and Garter Home". Lost Hospitals of London.
12. Church, Judith M. (2008). "The Royal Star and Garter Home on Richmond Hill". [[Richmond, London#Societies.
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15. (December 2017). "Archery Day in Richmond". Connections.
16. {{National Heritage List for England
17. (3 August 2009). "Frederick Jeremiah Edwards". [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]].
18. Arthur, Max. (27 August 2004). "Capt Bill Jewell: Daring wartime submarine commander". [[The Independent]].
19. Edwards, Bill. (4 October 1993). "Obituary: Major David Mills". [[The Independent]].
20. "Our history".
21. (8 September 1999). "Personal Column". The Times.
22. (8 August 2011). "Special Forces Obituaries: Nancy Wake". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
23. Anthony, Maria. (13 August 2011). "World War Two spy and inspiration for film 'Charlotte Gray' dies". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
24. Teed, Paul. (8 March 2012). "Memorial held for WWII legend". [[Richmond and Twickenham Times]].
25. (2011). "War heroine Nancy Wake dies". [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)]].
26. "Newspaper cuttings collected and annotated by Sir Barry Domvile, covering his naval career and relating to the Navy in general". [[Royal Museums Greenwich]].
27. Probert, Henry (1991). ''High Commanders of the Royal Air Force''. HMSO. p. 74 {{ISBN. 0-11-772635-4