Blue plaques to celebrate three notable Bristolians – Dr Richard Bright, Sarah Anne Bright and Penny Brohn – will be unveiled at 2.00pm at Ham Green House, Chapel Pill Lane, Pill, Bristol BS20 0HH.
Doctor Richard Bright was a pioneering physician who worked at Guy’s Hospital in the 1830s. He is considered the ‘father of nephrology’ as he identified the kidney disease nephritis, also known as Bright’s disease. A blue plaque marks his house in Savile Row, London and it is fitting that we acknowledge his formative childhood years at Ham Green House.
Sarah Anne Bright, Richard’s sister, spent most of her life at Ham Green House. She was an accomplished artist and had a curiosity about the new science of photography. She purchased some ‘photogenic paper’ (light-sensitive paper) and laid a leaf on it in the house. The result is the world’s earliest surviving photograph taken by a woman.
The third plaque commemorates Penny Brohn and the Ham Green infectious diseases isolation hospital. As well as being associated with a distinguished surgeon, Ham Green House enjoys an illustrious reputation with its long record of protecting the health of the citizens of Bristol. From 1894, it has served as an isolation hospital, a sanitorium and an acute hospital, with the first facility in the country to have a specialist unit for chronically sick children. It is now the home of a cancer health and wellbeing charity founded by Penny Brohn. She inspired thousands of people to overcome their fear by helping change the way we think about the disease.
The Lord-Lieutenant and the Lord Mayor of Bristol will be among the guests of honour. The event is being hosted by Penny Brohn UK and numbers will be limited. Members are being invited by email to attend the unveiling on a first-come, first-served basis.