Nursing statues at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital

Image: © Richard Hoare Taken: 18 Nov 2019

I am obliged to the Governance and archivist of RJ&AH for the following information:- ''The sculptures originally stood on the gable ends of the old nursing home that once stood on the site of The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital and replicate what is said to be 1950s RJAH nurses Sister Saxon and Elspeth Scott Jones. Sister Saxon - the taller of the two statues - was appointed as a Junior Theatre Sister in August 1949, whilst the smaller statue is Elspeth Scott Jones, a student nurse.'' The RJAH Charity recently funded the restoration of the statues, and they were restored by M.E. & A Hughes, Monumental Masons of Welshpool.'' After consultation with the archives officer of RJ&AH I am advised ''I have researched the statues extensively. You are quite right that the one on the left is dressed in old-fashioned clothing. Elspeth Scott Jones just acted as a model for the statue. The original idea was that this statue should be Florence Nightingale, but personally I’ve never seen a representation of her like this! My idea is that it may be the ancient goddess of healing called Hygeia. This is only my theory though; there is nothing in the hospital management committee minutes of the time to explain it. I’m very glad that the statues have been restored, and you get a much better view of them at ground level than was possible when they were high up on the gable ends of the Nurses' Home.''

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