Lord Kitchener
Memorial Holiday Centre

Lowestoft

Registered Charity No. 230090  -  Holidays for ex-members of the armed and merchant services

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History

Lord Kitchener was commissioned in the Royal Engineers, saw service 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 WW1 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. The establishment of the 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 the fine residence, once in the ownership of the Colman (mustard) family of Norwich, 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. A number of 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 putting green.

Since that time the Centre has continued in much the same manner, providing a subsidised holiday home for ex-servicemen, funded by sponsorship from service charities and by donations from visiting guests and the people of Lowestoft.

The Centre is a registered charity with a noble patron - the present Lord Kitchener, local Trustees and Management Committee, with the day-to-day running of the building in the hands of a Manager.