Tributes to hospital's first black ward sister

10 hours ago

Andy Howardand

Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley,Bristol

News image — May Tanner worked at the Bristol Royal Infirmary as a ward sister for 20 years

BBC An old black and white photo of May wearing her uniform. The photo is in a wooden frame. A necklace with a cross on it is attached to the frame. Fabric is draped over the frame which sits on a mantlepiece. — May Tanner worked at the Bristol Royal Infirmary as a ward sister for 20 years

A private funeral service will be held later to celebrate the life of a city hospital's first Black ward sister.

May Tanner came to the UK as part of the Windrush generation in 1956 before working at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI), where she remained for 20 years.

She died of a stroke in January at the age of 93.

Her husband of 65 years, Michael Tanner, said he was "very proud", adding: "She got to the top of the BRI, with the professors. That's very, very unusual for a black woman at that time, you have to remember that."

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Mr Tanner said his wife was one of four children who "came over on the boat with nobody".

"Her mother gave her the money, got the ticket, and put her on the boat," he added.

They fell in love after meeting at his sister's house and some of his family did not like him dating a black woman, which he described as "tough on both sides".

Michael is wearing a blue and red jumper, a white shirt and a blue and red tie. He is sitting in an armchair in a living room. There are pictures in frames on the wall behind him. — Mr Tanner said his wife experienced racism from patients at the hospital

Mr Tanner said his wife experienced a lot of racism in the UK, especially when she started working at the hospital where she became one of Bristol's first black ward sisters.

"She had patients say, 'I don't want a black woman touching me'," he added.