Greenwich Hospital is in Greenwich, Kent [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 14th September 1681. Dined with Sir Stephen Fox [aged 54], who proposed to me the purchasing of Chelsea College, which his Majesty [aged 51] had sometime since given to our Society, and would now purchase it again to build a hospital [Map]; or infirmary for soldiers there, in which he desired my assistance as one of the Council of the Royal Society.
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th February 1695. Called to London by Lord Godolphin [aged 49], one of the Lords of the Treasury, offering me the treasurership of the hospital [Map] designed to be built at Greenwich for worn-out seamen.
John Evelyn's Diary. 5th May 1695. I came to Deptford, Kent [Map] from Wotton, Surrey [Map], in order to the first meeting of the Commissioners for endowing an hospital [Map] for seamen at Greenwich; it was at the Guildhall [Map], London. Present, the Archbishop of Canterbury [aged 58], Lord Keeper, Lord Privy Seal, Lord Godolphin [aged 49], Duke of Shrewsbury [aged 34], Duke of Leeds [aged 63], Earls of Dorset [aged 52] and Monmouth [aged 37], Commissioners of the Admiralty and Navy, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir Christopher Wren [aged 71], and several more. The Commission was read by Mr. Lowndes, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, Surveyor-General.
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th May 1695. Second meeting of the Commissioners, and a committee appointed to go to Greenwich [Map] to survey the place, I being one of them.
John Evelyn's Diary. 29th September 1695. Very cold weather. Purbeck Temple, uncle to my son Draper, died suddenly. A great funeral at Addiscombe. His lady being own aunt to my son Draper, he hopes for a good fortune, there being no heir. There had been a new meeting of the commissioners about Greenwich Hospital [Map], on the new commission, where the Lord Mayor, etc. appeared, but I was prevented by indisposition from attending. The weather very sharp, winter approaching apace. The King [aged 44] went a progress into the north, to show himself to the people against the elections, and was everywhere complimented, except at Oxford, Oxfordshire [Map], where it was not as he expected, so that he hardly stopped an hour there, and having seen the theater, did not receive the banquet proposed. I dined with Dr. Gale [aged 60] at St. Paul's school, who showed me many curious passages out of some ancient Platonists' MSS. concerning the Trinity, which this great and learned person would publish, with many other rare things, if he was encouraged, and eased of the burden of teaching.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st April 1696. We had a meeting at Guildhall [Map] of the grand committee about settling the draught of Greenwich Hospital [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 29th May 1696. We settled divers offices, and other matters relating to workmen, for the beginning of Greenwich Hospital [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 4th June 1696. A committee met at Whitehall [Map] about Greenwich Hospital [Map], at Sir Christopher Wren's [aged 72], his Majesty's Surveyor-General. We made the first agreement with divers workmen and for materials; and gave the first order for proceeding on the foundation, and for weekly payments to the workmen, and a general account to be monthly.
John Evelyn's Diary. 30th June 1696. I went with a select committee of the Commissioners for Greenwich Hospital [Map], and with Sir Christopher Wren [aged 72], where with him I laid the first stone of the intended foundation, precisely at five o'clock in the evening, after we had dined together. Mr. Flamstead [aged 49], the King's Astronomical Professor, observing the punctual time by instruments.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 9th June 1698. To Deptford, to see how miserably the Czar had left my house [Map], after three months making it his Court. I got Sir Christopher Wren [aged 74], the King's surveyor, and Mr. London, his gardener, to go and estimate the repairs, for which they allowed £150 in their report to the Lords of the Treasury. I then went to see the foundation of the Hall and Chapel at Greenwich Hospital [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 7th May 1699. The Duke of Ormond [aged 34] restored to his commission. All Lotteries, till now cheating the people, to be no longer permitted than to Christmas, except that for the benefit of Greenwich Hospital [Map]. Mr. Bridgman, chairman of the committee for that charitable work, died; a great loss to it. He was Clerk of the Council, a very industrious, useful man. I saw the library of Dr. John Moore, Bishop of Norwich, one of the best and most ample collection of all sorts of good books in England, and he, one of the most learned men.
John Evelyn's Diary. 27th February 1701. By an order of the House of Commons, I laid before the Speaker [aged 39] the state of what had been received and paid toward the building of Greenwich Hospital [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th March 1702. I carried my accounts of Greenwich Hospital [Map] to the Committee.
John Evelyn's Diary. 3rd May 1702. The report of the committee sent to examine the state of Greenwich Hospital [Map] was delivered to the House of Commons, much to their satisfaction. Lord Godolphin [aged 56] made Lord High Treasurer.
John Evelyn's Diary. 12th August 1703. The new Commission for Greenwich Hospital [Map] was sealed and opened, at which my son-in-law, Draper, was present, to whom I resigned my office of Treasurer. From August 1696, there had been expended in building £89,364 14s. 8d.
John Evelyn's Diary. 1st June 1705. I went to Greenwich Hospital [Map], where they now began to take in wounded and worn-out seamen, who are exceedingly well provided for. The buildings now going on are very magnificent.
The London Gazette 15881. 8th January 1806. The Remains of the late Right Honorable Horatio Viscount and Baron Nelson, K. B. Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron of His Majesty's Fleet, were conveyed from the Royal Hospital of Greenwich [Map] […] to the Admiralty. His body was accompanied by four mourning barges on a procession on the River Thames. Located in the third barge, his body was "Covered with a large Sheet, and a Pall of Velvet adorned with Six Escocheons.".
