(1820-1910)
It’s a first to be able to tick off three women statues in 30 minutes but as Derby is the hometown of Florence Nightingale there are several in her honour, all within walking distance. Enjoy!
Fun fact #1! Although Florence lived in Derby, she was actually born in…Florence, Italy.
The Nightingale Home on Trinity Street was designed by architect William Smith in the 1820’s with some websites crediting sculptor Countess Feodora Gleichen as the artist of Florence here, but I’m not so sure.
Feodora is definitely the creator of London Road’s statue erected in 1914 which has her holding a lamp, Statue of Liberty ice cream style and featuring an image of Florence’s pet owl Athena, who she rescued while on a trip to Athens in 1849 (so many questions…) it stands outside the former site of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary.
Fun facts #2! Feodora was related to Queen Victoria and was the first woman member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (albeit posthumously in 1922).
The third statue (draped in netting as a bird deterrent) stands on the rather ornate former Boots the Chemist building. Built in 1912 in the 17th -century ‘arts and crafts’ style it was commissioned by Mr Boots himself (Lord Trent). It remained a chemist until 1975 and is now a coffee shop – a new twist in drug of choice dispensaries.
And what of Florence herself? Credited as the pioneer of modern health care, advocating cleanliness and hygiene in medical care (who knew?) after a stint overhauling the military hospital in the Crimean War, she founded the pioneering Nightingale School for Nurses at St Thomas’s Hospital in London in 1860. She went on to assist in the plans for the Derbyshire General Infirmary opening in 1869. In 1907, Florence became the first woman to receive the Order of Merit in recognition of her work.
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