Statute Law Repeals - Law Commission - Ministry of Justice

Alton Military Hospital
1.87 The Alton Military Hospital 115 was used by the Government in the early years of
the 20 th century “as a military hospital or convalescent home for the reception of
officers, non-commissioned officers and men of His Majesty’s land forces”. 116
However the hospital was little used and by 1907 the Government decided to sell
the property to trustees including Sir William Treloar 117 for use as a hospital and
college. Sir William duly established the Lord Mayor Treloar Cripples’ Hospital
and College at the Alton hospital premises in 1908. In 1948 the Treloar Hospital
was absorbed by the National Health Service but it eventually closed in 1994.
Part of the site is still used for NHS hospital purposes (the Alton Community
Hospital was opened in 1992) but the remainder of the site has been redeveloped
for housing.
1.88 An Act of Parliament was required to facilitate the sale of the hospital to Sir
William Treloar because of trusts affecting the original purchase of the land by
the Government. Accordingly the Alton Military Hospital Act 1907 authorised the
sale of the land free from the trusts and empowered the Charity Commissioners
to establish schemes in respect of the hospital and college. The provisions of the
1907 Act became spent once the Government had transferred its interest in the
hospital land pursuant to that Act. The 1907 Act has therefore been obsolete for
many years and may now be repealed on that basis.
Charity of Sir Richard Whittington
1.89 The charity of Sir Richard Whittington was founded in 1424 under the will of
Richard Whittington (1354-1423) 118 who was Mayor of London four times and
Master of the Mercers’ Company 119 three times. He entrusted to the Company
the care of his almshouses, known as Whittington College. The charity rebuilt
these almshouses in 1966 in East Grinstead (having moved them from their
original site in Highgate). Today the Whittington College almshouses provide 60
homes for elderly ladies and for some married couples.
115
The hospital was otherwise known as the Princess Louise Hospital (having been officially
opened by Princess Louise in 1903).
116 Alton Military Hospital Act 1907 (7 Edw.7 c.xc), preamble.
117
Sir William Treloar was the Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1907. He set up a fund to
help London’s crippled children.
118 Otherwise known as ‘Dick’ Whittington.
119 A mercer was a merchant or trader, usually dealing in textiles and fabrics. The Mercers’
Company is an ancient Livery Company of the City of London. It was incorporated by
Royal Charter in 1394. The Company comprises the Wardens and Commonalty of the
Mystery of Mercers of the City of London. The charitable activities of the Company as
trustee of the various charitable trusts under its control include the provision of schools,
housing for older people and church patronage.
91