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The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint-John of Jerusalem
St John's Gate, Clerkenwell The restoration of the monarchy in France encouraged the French knights to attempt a revival and in May 1814 a Commission of the French Langues was formed by an assembly of French knights. This was initially recognised by Louis XVIII, and approved by a papal bull of August 10, 1814. Under international pressure the French government in 1823 withdrew its recognition of the Commission which was then dissolved by the Lieutenant of the Order. The Commission nevertheless revived itself in 1826 although it was completely unofficial having been disowned by the Order of Malta and lacking recognition by the French government. Having already made contacts in England to raise funds, it encouraged the formation of an English Langue which took place in January 1831. The executive power of the Council was given to a person who called himself 'Count' Alexander Mortara1. The Reverend Robert Peat, a former Chaplain to the Prince Regent, later King George IV was recruited as a member of the English Langue. Peat with other British members of the Langue expelled Mortara, accusing him of selling Knighthoods. The Council of the French Langues backed Mortara, and so from early 1832, there were two competing English Langues, the Langue led by Peat, being the unofficial English Langue. The rival organisations co-existed for five years, until the disappearance of Mortara early in 1837, when his organisation also disappeared.1 Peat was succeeded by Sir Robert Dymoke in 1838, Lt Col. Sir Charles Montolieu Lamb, Bart in 1847 and Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander Arbuthnot in 1860.2 A turning point was reached when the 7th Duke of Manchester, who had connections in Royal circles, became Grand Prior in 1861. A constitution was drawn up in 1875 wherein it was renamed "Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem in England".2 What is now the St John Ambulance was created in the 1860s and in 1876 the Princess of Wales became involved closely followed by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. The priory finally received a royal charter in 1888, changing its name to "The Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint-John of Jerusalem" with the Queen as Sovereign Head and the Prince of Wales as Grand Prior.2 Although not a State Order, the Order of Saint John was now an Order of the British Crown, its decorations could be worn on military uniform and announcements of appointments or promotions made in the official government periodical, the London Gazette. However the rank of "knight" of the Order did not (and still does not) confer the title of "Sir" on the recipient and members of the Order of Saint John are not given any special precedence. New knights of the Order receive the accolade from the Grand Prior when they are touched on the shoulder with a sword and receive their robes and insignia. The Order is today internationally known for its two great charitable foundations of the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem and St John Ambulance. Today the Sovereign Head of the Venerable Order is HM Queen Elizabeth II. |
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Sources: 1. Riley-Smith, Jonathan: The Order of St John in England 1827-1858 in: Baker, The Military Orders - Fighting for the Faith & Caring for the Sick. Variorum, Ashgak Publishing Ltd, Gower House, Crofts Road, Aldershot, Hants, 1994, pp125-6 2. Sainty, Guy Stair: The Order of Saint John, American Society of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem, New York 1991, p.71
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