Guy's Hospital
MURAL:
In September 2024, the Young Historians Project unveiled our third commemorative mural at Guy's Hospital in London, outside its newly refurbished Nuffield Theatre Suite. The mural features six impactful female healthcare workers from a range of time periods. In order of appearance, these women are Dr Matilda Johanna Clerk, Dzagbele Matilda Asante, Metian Parsanka, Kofoworola Abeni "Ivy" Pratt, Blanche La Guma (née Herman), Dr Irene Elizabeth Beatrice Ighodaro (née Wellesley-Cole). YHP worked with heritage interpreter and Bristol–based artist Michele Curtis, who painted the mural. This mural was made possible through the support of Guy’s and St Thomas’ arts department and the Untold Stories grant by the Commission for Diversity in Public Realm. We would also like to extend our gratitude to YHP project coordinator Kaitlene for working alongside the hospital to facilitate the mural.
The mural's unveiling was reported by the BBC, The Voice, Nursing Times, and South London Press, amongst others. Marie-France Kittler, deputy arts manager at Guy’s and St Thomas’, shared that: “I am delighted to have delivered this public art commission for the Trust. Designed in consultation with our Multicultural Staff Network, Michele Curtis’ impressive mural represents an important step towards demonstrating our continued commitment to diversifying the Trust’s public realm. Our partnership with Young Historians Project has been instrumental in expanding the narrative of the Trust’s history and heritage.”
Dr Irene Ighodaro
Dr Irene Elizabeth Beatrice Ighodaro (née Wellesley-Cole) was born in 1916 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. After nursing her mother through a terminal illness, she decided to pursue a career in healthcare. From 1938 to 1944, Irene studied medicine at the University of Durham – becoming the first west African-born woman doctor in Britain. She was one of only three women in a class of sixty. During WWII, she manned the university’s telephone exchange, joined a decontamination squad, and treated war casualties. From 1944 to 1946, Irene worked as a house officer at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and helped manage her brother’s private practice. Irene helped found the Society for the Cultural Advancement of Africa in 1943, and the West African Women’s Association in 1946. Irene then worked at the New Sussex Hospital for Women and Children in Brighton. She moved back to Nigeria with her husband and children in late 1949. She was awarded an MBE in 1958 for her work as a pioneering social reformer and medical practitioner. Despite the many barriers faced by women in the medical field, Irene persisted. Her achievements and activism undoubtedly paved the way for future generations of doctors.