This time, it derives from the location it came from i.e. Chatham in Kent. The Navy Board had their offices there, and administered a fund for wounded sailors. This fund originated in the late sixteenth century, and lasted until the early 1800s, when it was transferred to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich.
Incidentally, this was not a generous bequest by some monied landowner - it was collected by deductions from pay!
Whose pay? I had not heard of Chatham Chest, thank you for enlightening me.
ReplyDeleteThe pay of the ordinary sailor.
ReplyDelete