It is a rare gem which has lain in a closed box cabinet for years but is now set to go on display to the public for the first time.
Cromer Hospital will be unveiling a letter written by the founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale, in 1857, as part of the celebrations for International Midwives Day and International Nurses Day which take place on May 5 and May 12 respectively.
Sandra Meaden, a former nurse and key driving force in the redevelopment of Cromer Hospital, will officially unveil the letter to the public today, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, at 1pm.
The letter, which has been translated into modern English by two of the hospital's medical secretaries, Heather Pym and Louise Osborne , is a plea from Florence Nightingale to have a 'poor simpleton' named Lewis Burton admitted to the Colchester Sanctuary.
Helen Lloyd, operational manager from Cromer Hospital said they were delighted to be able to display a bit of Cromer Hospital history, but as yet no one knows the exact story of how the letter came into the hospital's possession. She said she had been at the hospital for around eight years and in that time she had always known the letter to be within a closed box cabinet on the wall of a board room in the hospital.
The decision was taken to have the letter displayed for everyone to see - on the wall of the out-patients waiting area at the hospital.
Ms Lloyd said: 'What we have been very keen to do is to preserve the letter and have it up on display where everyone can see it.'
Sue Hayward, hospital administration manager, added: 'In the boardroom it was never really seen so it will be nice for people to be able to view it.'
The question now is if there is anyone out there who might be able to shed new light on how the letter came to be at Cromer Hospital.
Anyone who can help trace the background of the Florence Nightingale letter can contact Emma Jarvis on hospital arts project co-ordinator, Emma Jarvis via emma.jarvis@nnuh.nhs.uk or on 01603 287870.
Do you have an interesting health story? Email tracey.gray@archant.co.uk
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