TL0448 : Victoria Ward - Bedford Hospital
taken 8 years ago, near to Bedford, England
Part of Bedford Hospital, this ward was originally built as a children's ward in 1897, and decorated with hand-painted ceramic tiles, designed by Philip H Newman, which depict scenes representing well-known nursery rhymes. The tiling was undertaken to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. There are twenty panels in total - 18 are 6x3 feet and two are 6 feet square; the final firing was by Simpson and Sons, and are one of only three sets of such tiles that have survived. They are some of the best examples of early ceramic art work in children's wards and it is rare to find such panels 'in situ'. Link. See also 'Brightening the Long Days: Hospital Tile Pictures' by John Greene (ISBN: 9780951211106) and Link