The Invalid Kitchens of London
Lady Muriel first became actively involved in charity work when, in 1905, she responded to a suggestion made by an aunt that she might take up the post of honorary secretary of a charity seeking to establish a kitchen in Southwark (the Southwark Invalid Kitchen). The aim of this charity was to provide, at the nominal cost of 1d, well-prepared and nourishing meals for expectant and nursing mothers, sick children, and convalescents whose poverty would otherwise have meant that they were unable to afford them. The kitchen was situated in Scovell Road, with meals being served between 12 noon and 1 p.m. Later on, the charity’s rules were revised and the charges were assessed according to the earning capacity of each individual’s family. The intention was that these meals would be provided to cases recommended by a doctor, a hospital, or by other approved agencies.
Through fundraising, similar kitchens were later founded in various other areas of London through the Invalid Kitchens of London movement (which evolved from the Southwark Invalid Kitchen), under the patronage of Queen Mary. After the outbreak of the First World War, it was found necessary to increase the number of kitchens dramatically, partly because so many hospital places had to be allocated for the treatment of wounded soldiers (which meant that other patients were obliged to convalesce at home), and partly because there were wounded soldiers who themselves were recovering at home rather than in the hospitals. In 1915, the number of kitchens increased from 17 to 29, although the numbers tended to fluctuate in proportion to the amount of funding available.
The work of the Invalid Kitchens of London continued after the War. A new kitchen was opened by the Duchess of Somerset at Windsor Street, Essex Road on 17 November 1920. Three thousand more dinners had been served in 1920 when compared with 1919, and a Christmas Appeal for £10,000 was launched that December. She was still Honorary Secretary of the organisation at that time.
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