Royal Naval Cottages Charity Update
A message has been received which may be of interest to some of our members;
I write to you in my capacity as Chairman of Governors of the King William IV Naval Foundation (KWIV) to seek your help in promulgating some very significant changes that have been approved by the Charity Commission to widen the Foundation’s Charitable Objectives, which will broaden the scope of those whom the Foundation will be able to assist.
As you may not be aware of the Foundation’s existence, let give you a little background information. The Foundation has been providing almshouses for the widows and daughters of Royal Naval and Royal Marines Officers in financial difficulties since its formation by the Dowager Queen Adelaide and Earl Howe in 1847. For the last 50 years, it has provided subsidised accommodation in a dozen delightful Cottages in the Hampshire village of Southwick, just North of Portsmouth, near the former HMS DRYAD, now the Defence School of Policing and Guarding.
In view of the vastly changed circumstances since 1847, the Charity Commission has recently approved a submission by the Governors (Trustees) to make the scope for benevolence significantly more comprehensive by including, in addition to widows and daughters of deceased RN and RM Officers: retired female RN and RM Officers and Warrant Officers; retired Officers and Warrant Officers of the former WRNS and WRNR; widows and daughters of deceased RN and RM Warrant Officers and their Reserves; widows and daughters of deceased former Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) officers.
This is a very significant change that recognises the realities of the modern Naval Service and the vital support role played by the RFA. It is also beneficial as far as the QARNNS is concerned since your retired female Officers and Warrant Officers are now covered.
The formal definition, approved by the Charity Commission, of those the Foundation can now support is:
1) Widows, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of deceased commissioned officers and Chaplains of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines up to and including the rank of Commander or Lieutenant Colonel.
(2) Widows, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of deceasedChaplains of the Royal Navy or Royal Naval Reserve, or of deceased officers of the Royal Naval Reserve or of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve or of theRoyal Marines Reserve or Royal Marines Forces Volunteer Reserve who were employed on mobilised service.
(3) Wives, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of living officers who would otherwise meet the requirements of sub-clause (1) or (2) above and who, through incapacity or other circumstances, are unable to provide for their dependents.
(4) Widows, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of deceased Royal Navy orRoyal Marines Warrant Officers.
(5) Widows, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of deceased Royal Navy orRoyal Marines Warrant Officers in the Reserve who were employed onmobilised service.
(6) Retired Officers up to and including the rank of Chief Officer and WarrantOfficers of the former Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) or Women’s Royal Naval Reserve (WRNR) of not less than 40 years of age, where the latter have been employed on mobilised service.
(7) Retired female Officers up to and including the rank of Commander orLieutenant Colonel, and retired female Warrant Officers of the Royal Navyor Royal Marines, and similar retired female Officers and Warrant Officersof those Reserve, of not less than 40 years of age, who were employed on mobilised service.
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Widows, or daughters of not less than 40 years of age, of deceased Royal FleetAuxiliary (RFA) officers up to the rank of Captain, who had previously served a minimum of three years with the RFA.
Comprehensive information about the Cottages can be found on the Foundation’s website at:
The Foundation will welcome applications for residence at the Cottages from any of those who qualify and it would be really helpful to us if you would include it in your database of accommodation that might be suitable for your members, inform any caseworkers you deal with about it, and publicise it where possible.
Similarly, I would be very happy to draft a short article for your Newsletter if that would suit you.
Electronic applications, or requests for more information or a discussion, can be made by writing to:
contact@royalnavalcottages.co.uk
or in writing to:
The Registrar Governor,
c/o The Resident Secretary,
Royal Naval Cottages,
The Drove,
Southwick,
Hampshire,
PO17 6HE
