Pioneering Contributions of William Ogle and Florence Nightingale Commemorated at Former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary Redevelopment

Wavensmere Homes and Derby Civic Society held an event for city dignitaries to unveil blue plaques commemorating the contributions of Dr William Ogle and Florence Nightingale to the establishment and design of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary (DRI). The site off London Road is now the £175m Nightingale Quarter, featuring 925 homes and community amenities.

Florence Nightingale lived in Derby for three years and was instrumental in designing the landmark hospital. Prior to this, William Ogle FRCP was a physician and later, consulting physician 1860-1891, to the Derbyshire General Infirmary. He asked Florence Nightingale to assess the basis on which nursing standards could be improved, which led to the rebuild of the original (1806-1810) building along the lines suggested by Florence and refined by Ogle. The hospital was rebuilt and enlarged 1868-1872, with the addition of the Nightingale wing. Ogle’s innovations at Derby were subsequently much copied elsewhere.

The DRI received the Royal Stamp of Approval when it was opened by Queen Victoria in 1894. An original statue of Victoria Regina has been preserved and restored by Wavensmere Homes, which sits proud along the scheme’s prominent London Road frontage.

The 18.5-acre redundant 19th Century DRI hospital site was mostly demolished and had lain derelict for a decade, before Wavensmere Homes took ownership in 2019. The multi-award-winning regeneration specialist commenced construction in 2020 and is now in the final phases of delivering 125 houses, 800 apartments, an interactive community garden in partnership with Down to Earth Derby, The Pepperpot restaurant, residents’ gym, and an expansive co-working facility. 

What a fitting way to celebrate the expansion of Derby’s blue plaque trail by proudly unveiling these commemorations to Dr Ogle and Florence Nightingale. Their pioneering work towards the end of the 19th Century saw our city recognised for the advancement of healthcare delivery.

The two pepperpot buildings – abandoned relics from the former DRI – have been painstakingly restored by Wavensmere Homes and offer the perfect backdrop for these official plaques. There will be more prominent names to unveil across the city in due course, ensuring those who contributed to Derby’s greatness are acknowledged.

– Ashley Waterhouse, Chair of Derby Civic Society

The plaque commemorating William Ogle at the southern Pepperpot was unveiled by Elizabeth Fothergill, CBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire. The Florence Nightingale plaque on the Pepperpot restaurant building was unveiled by Cllr Ged Potter, Mayor of Derby, together with Karen Hill, Lead Nurse for Professional Standards for the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton.

Karen Hill, age 56, has enjoyed 38-years with the NHS and continues to work as a Lead Nurse for Professional Standards for the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton. At age 18, she moved into the student nurses accommodation on site at the DRI. She qualified and moved out in 1989, which was 20 years before the NHS vacated the 18.5-acre historic site. Miss Hill moved to Nightingale Quarter last year, where her fourth floor two-bedroom apartment is located within the Fox House building, with views looking onto the landscaped gardens and pepperpots. 

We are proud that our redevelopment of this iconic former hospital has been the catalyst for Derby’s city living resurgence. Nightingale Quarter has created a new community of all ages, leaving a £175m legacy in the process.

“Unveiling two blue plaques in the year that will see the conclusion of five years of construction to deliver this unique regeneration project is wonderful, especially as we are only weeks away from selling out. We are grateful for the support of Derby Civic Society, Derby City Council, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Royal Derby Hospital Medical Museum, the Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Baggy Sha

– James Dickens, Managing Director for Wavensmere Homes

The Pepperpot restaurant – situated at the heart of the residential scheme in a restored fine terracotta former hospital building – opened in February 2024, receiving high acclaim from food critics and local residents. The following month, Nightingale Quarter was the double winner in the conservation category at the Civic Society’s 2024 ‘A Brighter City of Derby’ Awards. In April 2024, Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner enjoyed meeting with Nightingale Quarter residents and the construction team. Last June, Sir Tim Smit of the Eden Project unveiled the community garden, designed and planted by Down to Earth Derby and residents.

Pepperpot South opened as the marketing suite for the 925 houses and apartments in 2022. With 99% of the homes now sold, the building has been re-purposed as a fully equipped gym for residents’ use. On the ground floor of Fox House, which is at the opposite side of the development, an expansive co-working space is also operational, enabling residents to separate work time from home life.  

103 apartments located within Nightingale Quarter’s final Walton House building on London Road are currently under construction, with completion set for late 2025. The five-storey red-brick £20m building will feature solar PV roof panels, with battery storage, to enable the green energy generated on site to be captured and used to power a proportion of the building’s electricity use.

The marketing suite and two show homes are open from 10am – 5pm Tuesday through to Saturday, accessed off 128 London Road, Derby DE1 2QQ. For further information, or to book an in-person, or virtual appointment, call 01332 321 255, or email info@wavensmere.co.uk