Research: Enquiries

The Museum of the Order of St John has significant historic collections, and we welcome enquiries from those wishing to undertake research.

As the Museum receives no public funding, we charge a small fee of £10 for each research enquiry. This research fee covers the cost of staff time in undertaking the research, although please note that payment is not a guarantee that relevant information will be found. The research fee is payable in advance by cheque (made out to St John Ambulance), or in person at the Museum. Please note that we are currently unable to take debit or credit card payments over the phone. As a charity, all money received is used to cover our associated administration costs. Before you start, you may want to take a look at our Medals information sheet which gives a brief overview of the most common medals, and our Family History Information Sheet to see what you can expect to find if you choose to make an enquiry.

Should you wish to make an enquiry or arrange a research trip, first please consult the below headings on this page which may provide you with all required information. Alternatively, please contact the Museum team at museum@sja.org.uk, and a member of staff will respond directly.

Questions about...

Medals, Medallions and Insignia

The Order of St John and St John Ambulance both have a history of awarding medals, medallions, and insignia. Such awards recognise membership, qualification standards, and service to the organisation, although detailed records of recipients are only kept for certain awards.

Please check the collection highlights section of the website, which includes examples of different medals, medallions and insignia and will help you to identify your own, and to answer most queries.

If you would like more information on your St John medal, medallion or insignia, please contact the Museum at museum@sja.org.uk

Family history research

The Archive at the Museum of the Order of St John holds significant, but not exhaustive, records relating to members of St John Ambulance and of the Order of St John. Due to the nature and content of these records, access is restricted, but Museum staff can undertake research of these records on your behalf.

Please note that the Archive is bound by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), which prevent us from searching for and sharing information held on an individual if they are still living without their direct permission to do so in writing.

If your search concerns membership of the St John Ambulance Association or Brigade (now known as St John Ambulance), please note that the Archive primarily holds local membership records for London and Kent. If other county and regional membership records are still in existence, they are likely be held locally.

If your search concerns membership of the Order of St John, this will be confirmed through the Honour Rolls, which list all Order members at regular points since the Most Venerable Order’s official foundation in 1888, and through Order citations.

In order for us to carry out an effective search, please provide as much information as possible on the member for whom you are searching, including full name, birth and death dates, place of birth, and address if possible. Please note that Order citations remain confidential documents and we are unable therefore, to provide copies or direct transcripts.

Object/document donation

The Museum of the Order of St John actively collects objects, photographs, and documents relating St John Ambulance in the UK (and in some instances, abroad), and the Venerable Order. We also have a small collection relating to the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem.

The Museum has a Collections Development Policy, which clarifies in more detail what the Museum is and is not able to accept, and acquisitions outside of these guidelines will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

If you would like to offer an object, photograph, or document to the Museum, and believe it falls within our collecting remit, please contact museum@sja.org.uk with photographs of the item(s), a description of their condition, any contextual information available, and details of how you acquired the item.  With this information, we will be able to let you know if we are in a position to acquire the item, and if not, we will explain why.

Please do not send any item to the Museum without first speaking with a member of the Curatorial team.

Volunteering

The Museum of the Order of St John has a number of volunteering opportunities including front of house and behind the scenes roles. If you have an interest in history, and would like to become a part of a friendly and growing team, please contact museum@sja.org.uk to find out more.

Supporting us

The Museum of the Order of St John is one of the great hidden treasures of London, tracing the continuous history of a charity that dates back over 900 years. The Order of St John, an international charity, has a remit to provide humanitarian aid and medical support worldwide, and the Museum cannot draw upon its funds. The Museum receives no government funding, and we need continued financial help to maintain the historically important buildings and collections.

Donations can be made in person by cash or card or by cheque (made payable to ‘St John Ambulance’) or by texting ‘PSOS17 £5’ to 70070

Sponsors

The Museum of the Order of St John would like to thank all those who have supported and continue to support its work. In particular, the Museum would like to thank the following for their generosity: