Thanks to the generosity of the people of Dorset, Weldmar Hospicecare has many treasures to discover in its chain of charity shops and outlets.
These donations are unusually handed in over the counter when someone’s had a clear out or spring clean, but now and again the charity is invited to house clearances to see what can be given a second lease of life.
It was during once such house clearance that Regional Manager Bev Peck, of Weldmar’s retail team, discovered a handwritten letter by the founder of modern nursing – Florence Nightingale.
“I get goose pimples whenever I talk about it”, says Bev. “It’s such a piece of history. It fell out of a photograph album I found in the last box we were taking out of a room. The letter is a response to an invitation to an event, and her letter explains that she would have liked to have gone but she can’t, because she’s not very well”.
“Also, she’s very concerned about healthcare, and wants to introduce district nurses so that children can be looked after properly and be trained to go out in the community and look after the very sick”.
Dated 1897 and written in pencil, it has been authenticated, and local antiquities and collectibles specialist, Tim Medhurst, star of BBC TV series Antiques Road Trip, visited the charity’s Inpatient Unit in Dorchester to take a look and provide his expert opinion.
Tim says, “She says in her letter that she’s been unwell at home for two years, and yet she is talking about going out and looking after other people and their sickness. It talks about beginning of life care, in clothing and feeding children but then also end of life care which is what Weldmar is all about”.
“When it comes to value, with historical letters and signatures of famous people, it comes down to the content and why the were written – if she had mentioned soldiers on the front line, that would bring a big price. This letter has a lot of writing by Florence NIghtingale, so I would imagine it could fetch up to one thousand pounds. Well done Bev for finding it!”.
Bev says, “Quite honestly, it’s the people of Dorset who offer us the clearance of the houses of their loved ones that bring up these wonderful items. I love it!”.
