League of Mercy

In 1898, Sir Everard Hambro chaired a committee established to consider several submitted plans and proposals on devising a badly needed organisation.{{cite news |title=The League of Mercy |work=The Times |page=12 |date=2 March 1899 }}

On 1 March 1899, the Edward, Prince of Wales chaired a meeting at Marlborough House to establish a fundraising body to support voluntary hospitals and announce subsequent directives.{{cite book |last1=Davenport-Hines |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Davenport-Hines |title=Edward VII: The Cosmopolitan King |date=1 March 2016 |publisher=Allen Lane |location=London |isbn=9780241014806 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lyVwCgAAQBAJ&q=League+of+Mercy+&pg=PP39 |accessdate=26 October 2020 |language=en}} Sixty-five districts were established based on Parliamentary constituency divisions, each with a president (grandee) who coordinated the collection of donations through middle class volunteers. Many notable contemporaries were in attendance at the meeting, including the Duke of Westminster, the Marquess of Lorne, the Marquess of Camden, Earl Carrington, Earl of Clarendon, Earl of Dartmouth, Sir W. Hart Dyke, Sir Whittaker Ellis, Sir Arthur Hayter, Sir Fitzroy D. Maclean, Weetman Pearson and Edmund Boulnois.

The Prince stated:

{{Pull quote|text=The purpose for which the League of Mercy has been established is to promote the welfare and to further the objects of the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund for London, and in every way, but especially by encouraging personal service on the part of large numbers of persons to further the interests and to promote the adequate maintenance of hospitals and other institutions for the relief of sickness and suffering, and especially those institutions which are supported by voluntary contributions.|author=Edward, Prince of Wales|source=The Times, 2 March 1899}}

After being active for nearly half a century, the League ceased its work in 1947 on the creation of the National Health Service, its Royal Charter subsequently surrendered.{{londongazette|issue=62529|page=329|date=11 January 2019|supp=y}}

The presidents of the original League were:

• Edward, Prince of Wales{{cite web|title=The History of the League of Mercy|url=http://www.leagueofmercy.co.uk/History_of_the_League.htm|publisher=League of Mercy|accessdate=25 March 2016}}
• George, Prince of Wales
• Edward, Prince of Wales
• Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

The original badge of the order, awarded from 1899, was a red enamelled silver gilt cross surmounted by the plumes of the Prince of Wales and with a central roundel bearing the crest of the League, the Joshua Reynolds image of ‘Charity’.{{cite web | url=https://www.tomasso.art/artworkdetail/818398/18038/michiel-van-der-voort-1667-1737-charity | title=Michiel van der Voort (1667 - 1737)-Charity }} The reverse is plain, save for the inscription “League of Mercy 1898” on the central roundel. It was awarded for at least five years distinguished and unpaid personal service to the League in support of charity hospitals, or in the relief of suffering, poverty or distress. A bar for a second award was introduced in 1917.{{Cite book|author=Captain H. Taprell Dorling.|title=Ribbons and Medals.|page=129. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956}} The Order ceased to be awarded after 1946, and the League itself closed in 1947.

Membership and an accompanying certificate were given to volunteers who signed up to recruit donations from 20 people per year.

In the United Kingdom, the pre-1947 Badge comes after the Service Medal of the Order of St John and before the Voluntary Medical Service Medal in the order precedence.{{londongazette|issue=62529|page=327|date=11 January 2019|supp=y}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = The League of Mercy Foundation

| image = League of Mercy.jpg

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| logo = League of Mercy - logo.jpg

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| logo_caption = Seal of The League of Mercy Foundation, the figure of 'Charity' by Joshua Reynolds.

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| formation = {{start date and age|1999|3|30|df=y}}

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| status = Charity

| purpose = To reward distinguished voluntary service in health and social care.

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| leader_title = President

| leader_name = The Lord Lingfield

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| website = {{URL|www.leagueofmercy.co.uk}}

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The League of Mercy Foundation was established as a charity on 30 March 1999, exactly 100 years after the founding of the original League.{{cite web|title=The League of Mercy Today|url=http://www.leagueofmercy.co.uk/League_of_Mercy_Today.htm|publisher=League of Mercy Foundation|accessdate=25 March 2016}} Its role is to recognise and encourage outstanding voluntary work in the care of the sick, injured or disabled, young people who are at risk, the homeless, the elderly or the dying.{{cite web | url=http://leagueofmercy.co.uk/past-recipients/areas-of-care/ | title=Areas of Care – the League of Mercy Foundation }} Volunteers’ nominations may be made only by charitable organisations in these fields. Other than having the same name and ethos, there is no formal connection between the original League of Mercy and the Foundation.

The Foundation re-established the Order of Mercy with a similar medal design, but in silver gilt and without enamel or the Prince of Wales's plumes. The reverse follows the earlier version, but now shows the year “1999”.{{Cite book|author=John Mussell (ed).|title=Medal Yearbook 2015.|page=302. Published by Token Publishing Ltd. Honiton, Devon}} The Foundation established an annual award ceremony at the Mansion House in the City of London, at which approximately 25 people with at least ten years of volunteering receive the award "as a reward for personal services gratuitously rendered in connection with the purposes for which the League was established."{{Cite journal |last=Gooding |first=N |date=March 2003 |title=The Order of the League of Mercy: An Interesting Revival |journal=Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society |pages=204}}

Recipients for the 1999 Order of Mercy are nominated by charitable organisations only and comprise predominately long-serving community volunteers in the UK. Recipients include Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd,{{Cite journal |title=Other Notices |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/L-58050-634 |journal=The London Gazette |issue=58050 |pages=999}} Dame Norma Major,{{Cite journal |title=Other Notices |journal=The London Gazette |issue=57313}} and Ian McColl, Baron McColl of Dulwich.{{Cite journal |title=Other Notices |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/L-58377-286563 |journal=The London Gazette |issue=58377}} Recipients of the Companion of the Order include Peter Galloway, and heads of former ruling houses including Prince David Bagrationi of Georgia,[http://www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge/p/eng/434/news/234/The-Prince-David-receives-the-Grand-Companion-s-Badge-of-the-Order-of-Mercy The Royal House of Georgia. Prince David receives the Grand Companion's Badge of the Order of Mercy.] and Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies,[http://www.realcasadiborbone.it/duke-castro-receives-companions-badge-league-mercy/ Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies. Duke of Castro receives the Companion’s Badge of the League of Mercy.] which, in return, have bestowed dynastic orders upon the then League's president, Lord Lingfield.[http://www.constantinian.org.uk/the-order-in-great-britain/ Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. Constantinian Order & Royal Order of Francis I in Great Britain.]

Professor Alan Clive Roberts a former pro-chancellor of Leeds University was appointed a Companion of the Order of Mercy in 2002,[http://www.leagueofmercy.co.uk/2002.htm League of Mercy Foundation. Awards 2002.] having previously received an honorary doctorate from Brunel University, whose pro-chancellor was Lord Lingfield.[http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/people/honorary-graduates Brunel University. Honorary Graduates.] Professor Roberts also served as gentleman usher of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor, whose Knight Principal is Lord Lingfield.[http://www.iskb.co.uk/OFFICERS.htm Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor. Knights Principal.]

Other recipients include Hon. Thomas Balchin, Lord Lingfield's son,[http://www.leagueofmercy.co.uk/2015.htm League of Mercy Foundation. Awards 2015.] for his work for the Action for Rehabilitation and Neurological Injury (ARNI{{Cite web |title=Home Page |url=https://arni.uk.com/dr-tom-balchin/ |access-date=5 March 2024 |website=ARNI Stroke Charity}}) charity, who also serves as secretary to the Trustees of the League of Mercy, and Anthony Bailey.{{cite web |title=Anthony Bailey awarded Order of Mercy for distinguished voluntary service |url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/25328 |website=Independent Catholic News |access-date=27 January 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240127192538/https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/25328 |archive-date=27 January 2024 |language=en |date=6 August 2014}}

In 2021, the League of Mercy established its Distinguished Community Service Medal for Army Cadets, later extending it to cadets of the other services.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} Cadet Sergeant Jordan Latcham of the Durham Army Cadet Force was the first recipient of this Medal.{{Cite web |date=September 11, 2021 |title=First ever League of Mercy's Distinguished Community… |url=https://armycadets.com/county-news/first-ever-league-of-mercys-distinguished-community-service-medal-for-cadets/ |access-date=January 24, 2024 |website=Army Cadets}}

{{Main|Self-styled order}}

The League of Mercy Foundation claims to be the legitimate successor of the original League, however lacks official approval from the monarch. In the United Kingdom, where legitimacy of any particular order is determined by the monarch – some societies have permission from the monarch to award medals, but these are to be worn on the right side of the chest. No UK citizen may accept and wear an award without the sovereign's permission. Moreover, the government is explicit that permission for foreign awards conferred by private societies or institutions will not be granted.[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61398/Medals-Interim-Report-July-12.pdf Rules Governing the Accepting and Wearing of Foreign Orders, Decorations and Medals by Citizens of the United Kingdom and Her Overseas Territories (Annex D of the document)]{{cite web|author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo051124/text/51124w24.htm |title=House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Nov 2005 (pt 24) |publisher=Publications.parliament.uk |date= |access-date=2014-05-03}} The 1999 Badge of the Foundation, not being a Sovereign or State award, is not part of the official Order of Wear of the United Kingdom. This only applies to those awards made prior to June 1947 when the League's royal charter was surrendered.{{London Gazette |issue=56878 |date=17 March 2003 |page= 3354|supp= 1}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.leagueofmercy.co.uk Official website of the League of Mercy Foundation]

Category:1899 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:1999 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom

Category:Organizations established in 1899

Category:Organizations established in 1999

Category:Self-styled orders