League of Mercy
 | |
| Formation | 30 March 1899 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Edward, Prince of Wales |
| Founded at | London |
| Purpose |
To recruit volunteers for hospitals (initial) To reward distinguished voluntary service (today) |
| Headquarters | Surrey, |
President | Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield |
| Website |
leagueofmercy |
The League of Mercy is a British foundation established in 1899 by Royal Charter of Queen Victoria. The goal of the organisation was to recruit a large number of volunteers to aid the sick and suffering at charity hospitals, in the days prior to the establishment of the National Health Service.
The organisation today exists to recognize and reward volunteers.
History
The League was founded by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), who served as its first president.[1]
In 1888, Sir Everard Hambro chaired a committee established to consider several submitted plans and proposals on devising a badly needed organisation.[2]
On 1 March 1899, the Prince of Wales chaired a meeting at Marlborough House to establish the charity and announce directives. A league president would be appointed for each Parliamentary division, and many were in attendance at the meeting, including the Duke of Westminster, the Marquess of Lorne, the Marquess of Camden, Earl Carrington, Earl of Clarendon, Earl of Dartmouth, Sir W. Hart Dyke, Sir Whittaker Ellis, Sir Arthur Hayter, Sir Fitzroy D. Maclean, Weetman Pearson and Edmund Boulnois.[2]
The prince stated:[2]
| “ | The purpose for which the League of Mercy has been established is to promote the welfare and to further the objects of the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund for London, and in every way, but especially by encouraging personal service on the part of large numbers of persons to further the interests and to promote the adequate maintenance of hospitals and other institutions for the relief of sickness and suffering, and especially those institutions which are supported by voluntary contributions. | ” | |
| — Edward, Prince of Wales, The Times, 2 March 1899[2] | |||
Today
The League of Mercy was re-established as a charity on 30 March 1999 , exactly 100 years after its founding.[3]
Order of Mercy
The League established an annual award ceremony in which approximately 50 people were awarded the Order of Mercy, "as a reward for personal services gratuitously rendered in connection with the purposes for which the League was established." The Medal of the Order of the League of Mercy (OLM) and Companion's Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy are still awarded each year at the Mansion House in London and gazetted.[4]
Presidents
- Edward, Prince of Wales[1]
- George, Prince of Wales
- Edward, Prince of Wales
- Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
References
- 1 2 "The History of the League of Mercy". League of Mercy. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "The League of Mercy". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 2 March 1899. p. 12.
- ↑ "The League of Mercy Today". League of Mercy Foundation. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 60171. p. 11312. 13 June 2012.