THE VITAL role played by Florence Nightingale in the history of nursing training in Oxford will be revealed at a lecture tonight.

This year marks 125 years since nursing education began in the city at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Woodstock Road and the founder of modern nursing steered Oxford through a tough start.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Professor Lynn McDonald of the University of Guelph in Canada will give an open lecture at Oxford Brookes University to explain Ms Nightingale's place in the city's nursing history.

The first trained matron appointed to the Radcliffe Infirmary was Flora Masson, the daughter of a professor and author.

The icon of nursing coached Ms Masson on her application and continued to mentor and support her when under attack from hospital authorities.

Professor McDonald said: "It was a tough sell to get professional nursing into the Radcliffe Infirmary.

"The excellent matron was given a hard time, constantly called to account for her decisions.

"One of her duties was weighing meat, or she had to act as "grocer's boy" as Florence Nightingale put it."

The former Canadian MP – the director of a 16-volume edition Collected Works of Florence Nightingale that includes articles, pamphlets and previously unpublished correspondence – will be giving the talk tonight at the university's Marston Road site.

She said: "My lecture will get to the heart of the beginnings of nurse education in Oxford and the difficulties involved.

"I am looking forward to visiting Oxford Brookes and being part of their celebrations."

The lecture will take place at 5pm in the Jane Ashley Lecture Theatre followed by an exhibition of nursing artefacts from the city's rich past.