History
WWI
The Royal Star & Garter was established as an independent charity in 1916 to care for the severely disabled young men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War. It was Queen Mary who first expressed concern for the future of these young men, and Her Majesty charged the British Red Cross Society with the task of finding a " permanent haven " for them. The Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute purchased the old Star &Garter hotel on Richmond Hill and handed the deeds to Queen Mary who, in turn, entrusted the building to the British Red Cross. The Royal Star & Garter Charity has had a long and rich history since that time but has always remained true to its philosophy that " there is no such thing as a hopeless case " and all the residents, now and then, are cared for with support and therapy. The first 65 residents admitted in 1916 were an average age of 22. Some were able to return home while others were helped to live fulfilled lives for many years.
A new purpose built home was specially designed by Sir Edwin Cooper and funded by the British Women's Hospital Committee under the auspices of Queen Mary. It was Her Majesty, along with King George V who opened the new home in July 1924. The Charity has continued to benefit from its royal links and has operated within the same magnificent building on top of Richmond Hill since that time.
Our Seaside Branch
There was once also a Star & Garter Home in Sandgate, Kent, funded by the British Red Cross and again designed by Sir Edwin Cooper and known as the 'seaside branch'. The Star & Garter at Sandgate had extensive grounds where residents kept chickens and even donkeys that were sometimes used to pull wheelchairs up the hill from the village! However, with the advent of War in 1940, it was felt prudent to move residents back to Richmond.
WWII
The Second World War brought more young men into the Richmond Home and a special paraplegic ward was set up under the direction of Dr Ludwig Guttman founder of Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Dr Guttman's pioneering techniques aimed to get patients moving, working and playing sports again. The first "Paraplegic Games" in 1948 included an archery competition between teams from the Star & Garter and Stoke Mandeville; the Star & Garter is proud to have won that year and again in 1949!
Living Life To The Full
The home's workshops were a hive of activity in the 1950's, and the wide range of work carried out by residents included clock production, watch and clock repairs, sock making, rug making and toy production. The 'Lest We Forget' and 'Not Forgotten' associations continued to provide entertainment and outings, as they had done since the 1920's, and companies such as Lucas Aerospace, then known as Rotax, set up benevolent funds to assist the residents.
Famous Friends
From the early days, the Charity has enjoyed strong royal links. Following the death of Queen Mary, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth became Patron in 1953 and HRH Princess Alexandra has been the Charity's President since 1964. The Richmond Home has also seen many Royal visits right from the early days - Her Majesty The Queen and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, the Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal to name but a few. Other distinguished supporters from the past have included Field Marshal Montgomery, Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas Bader, and still to this day, Dame Vera Lynn. More recent support has come from Simon Weston OBE, and well known personalities from the worlds of politics and entertainment.
The Future
In future years, the Charity will move on from its facility at Richmond in response to the changing needs of residents as well as an identified requirement for care provision in other areas across the country. The Charity would like to provide the 'Star & Garter' special style of care in a wider choice of locations and therefore plans to build new homes that will have the very best of facilities including large en suite bed sitting rooms. The new homes will also incorporate a specially designed unit to accommodate people with dementia, an area of urgent need. The first of these new homes is the award-winning Solihull Home opened in 2008, we have exchanged contracts for the purchase of a site for a second home in Surbiton, Surrey, which will replace the current Richmond Home, and Buckinghamshire has been chosen as a location for a third home.
