St. John Ambulance is a modern, vigorous health care organisation with members in over 40 countries worldwide,
but its origins date back over 900 years to Jerusalem.
Here is a limited version of its illustrious history.
The History Of The Order.
1099
1113
The Knights Hospitallers was created when the order joined crusaders to re enter the Holy land they possessed a
1291
1309
1522
1565
1798
The Order in Britain
C12th century
During this time the priors gathered various goods and armour to be sent to the Orders Hospital and headquarters
1540
1860
1872
1873
1877
1887
July 19th 1888
1899-1902
1922
1939-1945
1974
1987
1999 Clacton Division History
1926
23 Jan 1926
02 February 1926
The ambulance was on loan to the division from the Clacton Pier Company. The use of the ambulance was free to take casualties to the local hospital but a charge of 30s would be required if the casualty was required to go to Colchester Hospital.
06 Feb 1926
1950
12 April 1950
2000
2003
After capturing the Holy city of Jerusalem, the crusaders found a hospital run by a group of Benedictine monks
this was the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. Where Christians were nursed back to health
Pope Paschal II decreed that the monastic brothers were to be recognised as a religious order in Jerusalem creating
a religious order of Hospitallers.
dual role of caring for the sick and protecting them by military means when they found themselves allied to the knights
Templers. The order had adopted a simple white cross on a red background as its military coat of arms and the
white eight pointed cross on a black background as its religious symbol.
Saw the Knights move to Cyprus when Acre was lost in a savage engagement, weary and lacking support they were
driven out of the Holy Land.
The Knights relocated to Rhodes a well-defended base and the Knights developed a naval power to continue to fight
for Christianity.
Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent ousted the Order from Rhodes after being driven back several times by the Knights
Hospitallers, however Grand Master Philippe de L'Isle Adam surrendered in order to prevent more death and
destruction and the Hospitallers were allowed to leave Rhodes with dignity. Charles the V of Spain allowed the order
to rent Malta for a double purpose one was to allow the order to continue with their care of the sick and injured,
the other was to provide an armed force to prevent Muslim aggression.
The Order held Malta, despite four months of savage battle and dwindling supplies the Knights Hospitallers had
defeated the might of the Ottoman Empire at its doors. This was to be a turning point in European history.
The military role of the Knights Hospitallers decreased as the Turkish Empire declined and Malta was handed over to
Napoleon.
The English Order received land on which were built churches and hospices. The Order also established places in
Ireland Scotland and Wales and the great priory of Clarkenwell became the headquarters for the prior of the English
and Welsh Knights.
in the Holy land.
When Henry VIII ceased the lands and property of the Order but Mary Tudor re-established the Priory of
Clarkenwell, however only a year later Queen Elisabeth I granted its freehold to private owners.
The priory went through several changes eventually becoming an Inn, and in 1874 the Order eventually regained
what was then called the gatehouse.
During the bloody skirmishes that took place in the 1860's a British Order of the St. John was established.
Sees the establishment of an ambulance service in mining and pottery districts.
Saw the first attempts to establish First Aid and Nurse training.
St. John Ambulance Association was established with the objective to train members of the public in Aid to the
injured.
They also provided an ambulance service.
The Ambulance Corps' met with eminent physicians in London to establish a transport system for the sick and injured.
St. John Ambulance Brigade was established.
This was to provide trained volunteers to serve the public in First Aid.
St. John Medical Orderlies volunteered during the Boar war.
St. John Ambulance Cadets formed
Second World War Joint war organisation of the Order of St. John and the British Red Cross Society trained
medical and nursing reserves and the general public.
Air ambulance service started.
St. John Badgers established
Celebrated 900 years of caring.
A fundraising event was held at the Royal Hotel it was a mass Dance for St. John Ambulance Association. During the event two ceremonies were held one was to award the certificates for the qualified members and the other was to present Dr F K Houchin a gold mounted tobacco pouch and pipe for his invaluable service, and a silver cigarette case to appreciate Mr. Fredk Lock for all the work done.
Clacton-on-Sea St. John Ambulance was officially formed with 21 qualified members
The ambulance could be sent for at Wells Garage, Jackson Road.
The first General Meeting held at the Westcliff Hotel by the kindness of Mr. & Mrs. W Adams when Miss Fletcher commandant of the local Red Cross Society presided in the absence of Mr. E Kingsman.
St. John Ambulance Cadet division was formed and the nursing cadet division was formed one week later on 19 April 1950
The ambulance cadet and nursing cadet divisions combined to become the combined cadet division on Saturday 01 January 2000
The division was required to take its ageing frontline emergency ambulance off the road, being ever resourceful the division decided to turn the ex ambulance into a mobile First Aid post.
Because the St. John Ambulance is a charitable organization and not government funded, this has left the division without an operational ambulance.