A memorable day out in Greenwich, TAXI
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Instead of travelling abroad at this time of the year, we decided to organise something a little closer to home - specifically, the Old Royal Naval College.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, while primarily known for organising commemorative trips to the Netherlands, Normandy and their annual outing to Worthing, also arrange various other trips and events throughout the year.
Local trip
A recent visit to the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich is one such example. It turned out to be a fascinating day for both Taxi Charity volunteers and veterans, particularly the Chelsea Pensioners!
These army veterans, instantly recognisable in their iconic scarlet uniforms, were intrigued to discover the striking historical similarities between their home at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea and the site at Greenwich.
This was originally home to the Palace of Placentia, where both King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I were born. The building was designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren, who also designed the Royal Hospital.
History
By the late 1600s, the area had been transformed into the Royal Hospital for Seamen. For over 160 years, these buildings provided care and accommodation for retired or injured sailors, known as the Greenwich Pensioners.
Located in south-east London on the banks of the River Thames, the site later became the place where generations of naval officers were educated and trained. Today, the Old Royal Naval College serves multiple public and educational purposes while its rich history remains accessible to all visitors.
Grand day out
The day began with a tour of the visitor’s centre before the group ventured outside to explore the impressive grounds. The highlight of the day, however, was a visit to the magnificent Painted Hall, which reopened in 2019 following a two-year conservation project.
Dubbed ‘Britain’s Sistine Chapel,’ the Painted Hall was the creation of English painter Sir James Thornhill and features more than 3,700 square metres of Baroque walls and ceilings which took 19 years to complete.
It was originally intended as a dining area for the Greenwich Pensioners before becoming a tourist attraction. Many who served with Admiral Lord Nelson lived at the hospital and, following his death at the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson lay in state in The Painted Hall between 5th - 7th January, 1806.
Friendly competition
After experiencing the remarkable splendour of the Painted Hall, the Taxi Charity group were then taken below to the Skittle Alley where a friendly game of skittles between veterans and volunteers took place. Interestingly, the balls and skittles used for their impromptu match formed part of the original equipment used by Nelson’s seamen over two centuries earlier.
The Pensioners from that time would have recognised the bowling balls as they were practice cannon balls made from hardwood, and similarly the skittles were created from ‘belaying pins’ used to secure ropes on sailing ships.
Historical usage
The Games Room was created to relieve the boredom of the Pensioners living at the Greenwich Hospital.
However, grooves in the stone window ledges led to a theory the area was originally an operating theatre or mortuary, and said grooves were caused by surgeons sharpening their instruments. Another theory suggests they were the result of seamen sharpening the knives they used to cut tobacco on.
Rounding things off
The final port of call was a visit to the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul where, by happy coincidence, a recital was taking place allowing visitors to enjoy a live performance.
The group then enjoyed a lunch of fish and chips before returning to their taxis for their journey home.
Taxi Charity Secretary Ian Parsons, who organised the event with his committee colleague Terry Ward, said, “It was a fascinating and enjoyable day for all and provided a reminder of how easy it is to drive through parts of London without realising you’re travelling past centuries of royal and maritime history. We were also delighted to welcome new members to the Taxi Charity family from the Rifle Brigade Association, and hope they can join us for another event soon.”
The Taxi Charity would like to thank staff at Old Royal Naval College for their help and assistance and to extend a special thank you to Christine Corner for her invaluable help organising this event.
