London: Three nuns honoured with Green Heritage plaques

Unveiling ceremony of plaque to Francis Taylor at St Mary's Convent

There are few heritage plaques in London marking the lives and works of nuns. This situation has recently changed in the London Borough of Wandsworth, where within the space of month two plaques, celebrating the lives of three nuns have been unveiled.

On 27th November a crowd of about sixty people, including local residents, school children, Borough Councillors and members of the congregation - Poor Servants of the Mother of God (PSMG) gathered outside St Mary's Convent in Roehampton Lane to witness the Mayor of Wandsworth (Cllr Jeremy Ambache) unveil a plaque to Frances Taylor, AKA Mother Magdalen (1832-1900) The ceremony finished with the children from Sacred Heart Primary School singing a wonderful interpretation of the Magnificat.

Frances Taylor was a nurse, writer, social worker, nun and the founder of the PSMG order. The 10th child of an Anglican clergyman, she joined the Lady volunteer Nurses in 1854 to help the war casualties in the Crimea. As well as nursing the soldiers she also wrote letters home for them and encouraged them to develop their skills. In her book. While nursing in the hospital in Koulali, she was influenced by the vivid faith and compassion of the Irish Sisters of Mercy and converted to Catholicism.

After the Crimean War, Frances devoted herself to the service of the poor in London and in other cities, while also writing fiction and nonfiction. She set up the first free hospital in Liverpool - Providence Hospital. Today the PSMG works throughout the UK, caring for the elderly, the homeless and the disabled and visiting prisoners.

Close to Roehampton High Street in Roehampton Lane another plaque was unveiled outside the former Digby Stuart Catholic teacher training college in October this year. This plaque celebrates the two founders of the college Mabel Digby and Janet Stuart. Mabel Digby (1835 -1914) and Janet Erskine Stuart (1857- 1914) gave their names to the first women's Catholic teacher training colleges in England - Digby Stuart - which now forms part of Roehampton University. Both women were converts to the Catholic Church and both joined the international religious order, the Society of Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ).

In the first half of 2026 these three remarkable Religious will appear in a book: Extraordinary Women of Wandsworth - written by three London Guides - Jenny Rossiter, Jenni Bowley, Chris Everett and Elain Wein.

See more pictures on the ICN Facebook page.