Regular soldiers have been entitled to pensions since Charles II’s reign, provided they served a stipulated number of years or were invalided out, but pensions ceased on death with no provision for widows. In 1854 the Royal Victoria Patriotic Fund, with Prince Albert as president, was established to coordinate and administer the private funds being collected for Crimean War widows and orphans. Within six months £290,000 had been collected. This was invested and small pensions paid to widows and dependants of men
