Pensioners Collection

Royal Hospital, Chelsea - The Colonnade Date: circa 1910s

Sergeant William Baacke, Late 109th Regiment of Foot, a Chelsea Pensioner, served in the Crimean War and seventeen years in East India. Date: 1902

Fish and Chips bridge Stoke
An old couple stoop down to walk beneath a bridge on the towpath of the Caldon Canal in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The bridge has grafitti - Fish and Chips

Changes in warfare being explained to veterans by Colonel Ashley, from The Pageant of the Century, pub.1934
3502717 Changes in warfare being explained to veterans by Colonel Ashley, from The Pageant of the Century, pub.1934; (add.info.: Changes in warfare being explained to veterans by Colonel Ashley)

Refuge for the aged at Auteuil, near Paris, 1864. Creator: Mason Jackson
Refuge for the aged at Auteuil, near Paris, 1864. Engraving from a sketch by M. Felix Thorigny. 'The institution of St

the players
mihai ian nedelcu

Young man - Reporter Dave Clark wears a Sarong on the streets of Newcastle - much to the pleasure of these old ladies

Christmas Party at St Lukes Hospital, Guildford, Tuesday 22nd December 1970

The birthday party for 90-year-old twins Elizabeth (in glasses) and Rebecca Loveday of Beaconsfield. Their birthday is 13th March. 5th March 1958

James McRory Smith, a former Black Watch soldier from Dumbarton aged 67, lives as a recluse in a dilapidated shepherds bothy at Strathchailleach, in the wilds of Sutherland, near Cape Wrath

Elderly day-trippers from Londons East End, relax in the summer sunshine on the beach at Southend, Essex. 24th July 1963 1704

Greenholme, Residential Care Home, Woodhead Lane, Haltwhistle, Northumberland, England, 16th February 1998

Elderly woman, drinking a cup of tea, by candlelight, Perry Barr, Birmingham, 11th February 1972

97 year olds Alison Lewis and Elizabeth Llewellyn pulling a cracker November 1994

Actress Kathy Staff is used to coping with old people. As the uncompromising Nora Batty in " Last of the Summer Wine" she keeps Foggy, Compo and Clegg in check with a sweeping brush

Pensioners and a child in the Piece Hall, Halifax, Yorkshire
Pensioners sit in the sunshine at The Piece Hall in Halifax Yorkshire, England. Two old men chat, while an old lady holds her granddaughter. The Sunday Times Date: 1988

St Bartholomews Hospital, London - Surgery Waiting Hall
St Bartholomews Hospital, Farringdon, City of London - Surgery Waiting Hall. Date: circa 1907

Chelsea Pensioners in a Long Ward, Royal Hospital, London

Len Murray, Alan Sapper, Mick McGahey and Ray Buckton
Len Murray (Lionel Murray, Baron Murray of Epping Forest, 1922-2004), British Labour politician and trade union leader (left), with Mick McGahey (1925-1999, trades union executive)

General view of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. A retirement and nursing home for some 540 veterans of the British Army. Date: 1890s

A gentleman pensioner, aka The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, 1687. Bodyguard to the British Monarch
619331 A gentleman pensioner, aka The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, 1687. Bodyguard to the British Monarch. From The British Army: Its Origins, Progress and Equipment, published 1868

Military Asylum, Chelsea (engraving)
6006104 Military Asylum, Chelsea (engraving) by Schnebbelie, Robert Blemell (fl.1803-1849) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Military Asylum, Chelsea)

Advertisement for Descriptions of Battles by Sea and Lane in Two Volumes, from the Kings Librarys at Greenwich
609788 Advertisement for Descriptions of Battles by Sea and Lane in Two Volumes, from the Kings Librarys at Greenwich and Chelsea (coloured engraving) by Dighton

Interior of the State Room, Governors House, Royal Hospital, Chelsea
HMP90447 Interior of the State Room, Governors House, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, 1922 (oil on canvas) by Jacomb-Hood, George Percy (1857-1930); 91.5x76.2 cm; Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston

Royal College, Chelsea (engraving)
582041 Royal College, Chelsea (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Royal College, Chelsea.); Look and Learn / Peter Jackson Collection; English

Chelsea Pensioner (engraving)
582037 Chelsea Pensioner (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Chelsea Pensioner)

The Famous Old Uam Var Scotch Whisky. Advert featuring a birthday among the Chelsea Pensioners. Date: 1900

Royal Hospital Chelsea, Pegley the drummer 1902
Pegley the drummer a pensioner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Date: 1902

Sergeant Robert Grant at Royal Hospital Chelsea 1902
Chelsea Pensioner, a veteran of the Crimean War

Royal Hospital Chelsea, Infirmary Wards 1902
Interior of one of the infirmary wards in Royal Hospital Chelsea

The Chapel at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Date: 1902

The accommodation of the Chelsea pensioners designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Each ward had 36 veterans sleeping in old oak cubicles with little curtains that could be drawn across

Royal Hospital Chelsea from the Gardens 1902
General view of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. A retirement and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army

The Hall, Chelsea Royal Hospital, London (colour litho)
3093143 The Hall, Chelsea Royal Hospital, London (colour litho) by Flower, Charles Edwin (1871-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Hall, Chelsea Royal Hospital, London)

Old Pensioners leaving Greenwich Hospital (engraving)
1610665 Old Pensioners leaving Greenwich Hospital (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Old Pensioners leaving Greenwich Hospital)

Greenwich Pensioners
Group of Greenwich Pensioners, the Naval equivalent of a Chelsea Pensioner. Although the initial concept of a Greenwich pensioner was that of someone living in the Royal Hospital Greenwich

Skating, the Hard Frost and the Fire-plug. Apprentices and dandies ice skating on a frozen canal 82, woman with kettle at a frozen waterpump in a cold winter 83

Chelsea Hospital, c. 1746
CF3603 Chelsea Hospital, c.1746 by Haytley, Edward (fl.1746-61); 56 diam. cm; Coram in the care of the Foundling Museum, London; eCoram in the care of the Foundling Museum; English, out of copyright

Pensioners
LLM459977 Pensioners by Fox, George (1851-fl.1889); Private Collection; (add.info.: Pensioners. Illustration for The Boys Own Annual (1897).); © Look and Learn

Old pensioners leaving Greenwich Hospital (engraving)
608912 Old pensioners leaving Greenwich Hospital (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Chelsea pensioners joining the procession (engraving)
602323 Chelsea pensioners joining the procession (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

A Visit to Chelsea College (engraving)
960591 A Visit to Chelsea College (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Visit to Chelsea College)

Colonel Ashley with Chelsea Pensioners, WW1
Colonel Ashley explaining modern signal methods to Chelsea Pensioners during the First World War. 1914-1918

Founded in 1681-2 by Charles II and built by Sir Christopher Wren, Chelsea Hospital serves its purpose as a comfortable retreat for old soldiers, who have sent time in the services of their country

The end of a glorious institution (colour litho)
2779981 The end of a glorious institution (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The end of a glorious institution)

Greenwich Pensioner (chromolitho)
3656281 Greenwich Pensioner (chromolitho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Greenwich Pensioner)

Children of the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea (coloured engraving)
582042 Children of the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea (coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Children of the Royal Military Asylum)

Sir Cecils Budget for Payng the National Debt, pub. 1784 (hand coloured engraving)
2962497 Sir Cecils Budget for Payng the National Debt, pub. 1784 (hand coloured engraving) by Rowlandson, Thomas (1756-1827); Private Collection; (add.info)

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Pensioners: A Tapestry of Resilience and Legacy" In the heart of history, amidst the echoes of valor and sacrifice, stands Sergeant William Baacke, a distinguished veteran from the Late 109th Regiment of Foot. His weathered face tells tales untold, etched with memories that span generations. As a Chelsea Pensioner, he finds solace in the Fish and Chips bridge at Stoke, where camaraderie is shared over hearty meals. The Royal Hospital in Chelsea beckons like a sanctuary for these revered souls. The Colonnade whispers secrets from its majestic pillars as Chelsea Pensioners gather in the Long Ward to reminisce about battles fought and victories won. Len Murray, Alan Sapper, Mick McGahey, and Ray Buckton stand united as symbols of strength and unity. Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece embraces them all within its walls—a retirement haven for 540 British Army veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving their nation. Transporting us back to the enchanting 1890s era when honor was paramount. Len Murray emerges not only as a Labour politician but also as a trade union leader whose voice resonates beyond his years. Two old women gracefully ascend stone steps with an ancient dog by their side—an embodiment of timeless companionship. From Halifax's Piece Hall to London's St Bartholomews Hospital Surgery Waiting Hall—pensioners leave footprints on every corner they tread. Elderly day-trippers bask in summer sunshine while reminiscing about cherished moments spent in London's East End. November brings festive cheer even to those aged 97; Alison Lewis and Elizabeth Llewellyn pull crackers with youthful enthusiasm—a reminder that age is merely a number when joy knows no bounds.