A NURSE employed within the education department at the James Paget University Hospital has contacted the Journal in an attempt to find more information about this medical marvel.

A NURSE employed within the education department at the James Paget University Hospital has contacted the Journal in an attempt to find more information about this medical marvel.

Peter Maleczek, of Middleton Road, Gorleston, recently acquired the small silver fob/badge, and is seeking help to discover more information about it.

Featuring a coloured enamel plaque of a figure and the text Lowestoft, the piece is engraved with Lowestoft Hospital Charity Competition on the rear, hallmarked to Birmingham and dated 1905.

“I do not think it is a nursing badge, rather a commemorative or prize item, possibly associated with a fund raising or sporting event for the hospital,” Mr Maleczek, 53, said.

Nursing for over 30 years, Mr Maleczek has developed a passion for the study and research of nursing and hospital history and has a website devoted to the subject.

“My particular interest is in recording and collecting the badges and medals awarded over the years to nurses when completing their training. I have been fortunate to acquire a number of items relating to hospitals nationally and locally, including a few rare items pictured,” he said.

“I am always trying to add to the collective knowledge of this aspect of our history as over the years much of the detail of which items were awarded has been lost.”

If you can help Peter in his quest for information, or are interested in him performing talks on the development of the hospitals and nursing systems over the past 150 years, email peter.maleczek@btinternet.com or call 01493 662815 after 6pm.

Mr Maleczek's website, which features old postcards and a variety of badges, can also be found at http://squirl.info/collection/show/790