Greenwich Hospital

Greenwich Hospital developed from the Royal Hospital for Seaman, which was established in the late 17th century.

A Royal Charter issued by King William and Queen Mary described the purpose of the building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, as offering 'reliefe and support of seamen serving on board the shipps or vessels belonging to the Navy Royall who by reason of Age, Wounds, or other disabilities shall be ... unable to maintain themselves.'

The Hospital was also designed to provide 'Sustentation of the Widows and the Maintenance and Education of the Children of seamen happening to be slain or disabled', as well as 'Encouragement of seamen and improvement of Navigation.' Between 1705 and 1869, when the last pensioner left, more than 20,000 seamen were cared for by the hospital.

By the date of James Holland's watercolour, the Hospital was still in use by pensioners of the Royal Navy. In this sketch, the tall sides of Wren's building offer shade from the sunlight as people wander around the grounds.

After 1869, the Hospital began paying pensions to retired seamen and contributing towards the education of children. From 1873 onwards, the Royal Naval College used the Hospital's buildings and a Royal Naval Museum, later the National Maritime Museum, was set up.

Holland was a watercolour painter who exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Society of British Artists and the Society of Painters in Water Colour. He travelled and painted extensively, exhibiting more than 200 works during his lifetime. As Holland lived in Greenwich for a time, the sight of Wren's impressive building would have been familiar to him.