At the heart of Redbridge Museum is a unique collection of over 7000 objects, oral history and film. Once a week we will be selecting one object from Redbridge Museum’s collection to share with you online.
Last week we marked International Nurses Day held on Monday 12 May. This day celebrates the contribution nurses make to society.
The day is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who was born in 1820. Florence was best known for her work during the Crimean War (1853-56) and establishing a nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London in the 1860s.
Ilford has been home to several hospitals including the Isolation Hospital (opened in 1898, later becoming Chadwell Heath Hospital), the Ilford Emergency Hospital (opened 1912) which was replaced by the King George Hospital in 1930.
Goodmayes Hospital was opened in 1899 as the West Ham Lunatic Asylum. Wanstead had its own hospital from 1938 to 1991 which had previously been the Merchant Seaman’s Orphan Asylum. Woodford’s Jubilee Hospital and Harts Tuberculosis Sanatorium all provided care for their communities.
Redbridge Museum features a display about a nurse at Claybury Mental Hospital, Woodford Bridge, which operated from 1893-1997.
Our Object of the Week is a nurse’s blue wool cape from the 1970s which was donated to Redbridge Museum at the time of the closure of King George Hospital, Newbury Park in 1993.
To find out more about the work of nurses in Redbridge visit ‘A Nurse’s Story at Redbridge Museum, 2nd Floor, Redbridge Central Library.
Redbridge Museum is open Tuesday – Friday 10am -5pm and Saturday 10am – 4pm
Name – Cape
Associated Dates – 1970s
Location – On display, Redbridge Museum 2nd Floor, Redbridge Central Library, IG1 1EA
Post Author – A Deo
Website: Check out our website!
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