Who was Lord Kitchener?
Lord Kitchener was commissioned in the Royal Engineers. He served in the British Red Sea territories and became Commander-in-Chief of the army in Egypt 1892. After crushing the separatist Sudanese forces in the Battle of Omdurman he occupied the nearby city of Khartoum. He became a national hero and was ennobled in 1898.
When World War I broke out, he reluctantly accepted an appointment to the cabinet as Secretary of State for War. His call for volunteers was answered by great numbers coming forward for a succession of ‘new armies’. He lost his life in 1916 when, on his way to Russia in the cruiser Hampshire, it was sunk west of the Orkneys. His high profile with the public and his untimely death brought about many projects as memorials to his life
How the Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre Began
The establishment of this Centre was one of these memorials, initiated by Rev. F. W. Emms as a holiday home for convalescent ex-servicemen of whom there were a great number in the latter stages of, and immediately after the 1914-18 war. Raising funds locally and in the great towns of the Midlands, it became possible to purchase this fine residence and equip it for use. Ready by 1919 it was named in honour ‘of the finest soldier Britain ever produced’. There was a Grand Opening Ceremony on August 7th, 1919, commencing with a public meeting at the Hippodrome, Lowestoft.
Several speakers attended, the chief amongst them being General Sir Henry Horne, a personal friend of Lord Kitchener, representatives from all the services and from Lord Kitchener’s family, all of whom received a great reception from the old campaigners who formed the bulk of the gathering. Those present were then led by a band in procession to the Centre for the opening ceremony, after which they were entertained to tea on the lawn, now the Kitchener Garden.
Kitchener’s Today
Since that time the Centre has continued in much the same manner, but still evolving. The core of our charity remains the same, providing a subsidised holiday or short break to serving and veteran service men and women of the Commonwealth with the addition of Blue Light workers. This has now been extended to immediate relatives of our core guest base. An immediate relative is Widow/Widower, Spouse, Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, Sister, Brother. The subsidised holidays and short breaks are funded by sponsorship from service charities and donations from people who support the work we do.
The Centre is a registered charity (Registered Charity No 230090) with a direct descendant of Lord Kitchener as patron (Lady Emma Kitchener), a board of local Trustees and a Management Committee. The day-to-day running of the building is in the hands of a Manager and Assistant Manager. Our current Manager served 12 years in the Grenadier Guards and stands him in good stead to manage Kitchener’s. His wife, our Assistant Manager, has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years throughout her career. They are both delighted to give a warm welcome to new, and old faces, through Kitchener’s doors.
Civilians can now stay at Kitchener’s if there is availability, but standard rates apply with no discount.
