Outside the London Community Hospital on London Road, is this statue of Florence Nightingale. Florence has associations with Derbyshire and is remembered through three statues in the city. I posted information about Florence along with a photograph of one of the other statues of her, back in May last year.
This statue was sculpted by Countess Feodora Gleichen in 1914. The Countess was related to Queen Victoria and was the first woman to be a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. The statue and surrounding stone work are classed as a Grade 2 listed building.
In 2004, water pressure was used to clean the marble statue and the results were impressive; the marble showing in its original creamy white. I rather think it is ready for a little more love and attention!
It has undergone some work in recent years however. In August 2006, a master craftsman had to replace the head of the statue after it was chopped off by vandals. The nose was broken and part of the cheek damaged. After repair, the head was reattached and secured with a metal bar.
Some people have no respect for property!
Ahhh! Florence...I carried her lamp at my Nursing School graduation ceremony.
ReplyDeleteI cant believe those vandals took her head off.
The snowdrop flower photos that you took are lovely!
Thanks for your comments...so nice to meet you!
Doesn't look a bit like a Fiat to me. More the sleek lines of a Citroen.
ReplyDeleteVery funny Alan. We all know what FIAT means. "Fix It Again Tony." In this picture " Let God's Will Be Done." Interesting that Fiats come from Italy and Florence too.( See interesting link above) The lady looks a little green. Maybe some Lucozade? Well done H ! Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteI missed this, H, but I'm here now :) What a lovely statue, executed in a graciously feminine style by its sculptress. Vandalism seems to be a worldwide phenomenon, unfortunately.
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