The Charterhouse Rheumatism Charity and ongoing research into rheumatology and musculoskeletal medicine.

The Charterhouse Rheumatism Charity (the Charity) was established in 1936 to continue the work of the Charterhouse Rheumatism Clinic.

The Charity maintained the Clinic to undertake medical research and to treat patients who didn’t have the financial means to pay for their care. During the 1980's the purposes of the Charity changed. This was partly to reflect that the Clinic was no longer needed due to the development of the NHS and partly due to the Charity's new primary objectives which were to relieve persons suffering from rheumatism who were in need due to financial hardship and to carry out research towards the causes of rheumatism. The Charity also endowed a Chair in Rheumatism and Rehabilitation at the University by two donations in 1988 and 1994.

In 1996 the University of Leeds became the sole corporate trustee of the Charity. This appears to have happened in order to link the Charity more closely with the University so that the Charity's funds could be used by the Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM), one of the leading institutes in the field of rheumatism, to carry out research into rheumatism.

Given the development over the last 100 years of free healthcare delivered by the NHS and the intention of the Charity's previous trustees for its funds to be used by the Institute for research purposes, we intend to make an application to the Charity Commission for its consent to amend the purposes of the Charity to name the Institute as a recipient of the Charity's funds, allowing it to continue to use them for the purposes of research into rheumatology and musculoskeletal medicine with a focus on the rehabilitation and relief of people suffering from rheumatism.

If you are linked to the original donors or trustees of the Charity or if you have any comments regarding our proposals, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Helena Smith by email h.m.smith@adm.leeds.ac.uk or telephone 0113 343 6011.