Tom worked in the Royal Infirmary as a porter in the 1950’s.
Every day he walked up the steps to the entrance of the hospital and looked up at the coat of arms and the gold lettering above the front door. He was fascinated by the detailed stone carvings and the gold lettering.
The building was first opened in 1879 long before he worked there.
He thought about others who might have had his job before him.
The words in gold lettering PATET OMNIBUS [OPEN TO ALL ]sent out an inclusive message as did AD SANITATEM [FOR THE HEALING OF THE PEOPLE].
Tom wondered who had taken time to design the COAT OF ARMS.
A pelican feeding her young was the emblem.
It was said that the pelican fed her young with her own blood.
Gold lettering on the left hand side read I was a stranger and ye took me in On the right side it read I was sick and ye visited me.
The pelican,a symbol of charity and sacrifice was the design of a brooch for nurses who trained and qualified at The Royal Infirmary.
It was worn with pride.
Like Tom many who worked there, many who trained there, many who were patients and many who visited must have noticed The Coat of Arms and gold lettering and felt a sense of pride that such thought had been put into the detailed design at the entrance to such a magnificent building of its time.

Maureen Feb 2024