Received on 4th May can be researched: Florence Nightingale centenary celebrations

Florence Nightingale centenary celebrations (Hampshire County Council

2010 marks the centenary of Florence Nightingale’s death and Hampshire County Council (HCC) is celebrating the occasion by digging through its archives and putting on a number of special events.

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was a pioneer of nursing and health care reform and has very strong links with Hampshire. Her family home at Embley Park was located near Romsey, she made regular trips back to Hampshire after the Crimean War and is now buried at St Margaret’s Church, East Wellow in the Test Valley.
Florence influenced the location of the Royal County Hospital in Winchester and was keen to be involved in the design of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Netley near Southampton, which became a training centre for the new Nursing Service and the largest military hospital of its time.
A visit to Hampshire Record Office will uncover over 200 documents relating to Florence Nightingale, including a recording of her voice from 1890 which can also be heard at www.hants.gov.uk/florence-nightingale. The documents include nearly 80 letters written by Florence Nightingale, 50 letters to her, sketches of the family at Embley in Hampshire, watercolours, photographs, copies of her books and documents on her career; some of which will be featured in an exhibition at the Record Office from 6 September to 15 October.

Her letters reveal her both as a campaigner and as an affectionate cousin, often witty and never afraid to speak her mind. Perhaps the most important are those to her cousin, Henry Bonham Carter, about the training of nurses, but probably the most charming is one she wrote to her aunt about an eclipse, at the age of six.

Events around the county include a performance celebrating the life of Florence Nightingale’s life at Alton Library on July 7, the library service will also be holding an event for visually impaired reading groups at Hampshire Collegiate School on 12 July. The Hampshire Record Office will be running two events, a talk about Hampshire’s links with the Crimean War at the Curtis Museum, Alton on 26 May and a 30 minute lunchtime lecture at the Record Office at 1.15pm on 26 August, ‘Ever your old Flo’. There will also be exhibition boards touring Hampshire County Council venues throughout the year which interpret her exciting life.

Deputy Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, said “Florence Nightingale has a fascinating history in Hampshire and is surely one of the County’s greatest figures from history. I am delighted that the County Council has been able to use this occasion to highlight the archives we preserve which relate to this remarkable woman and to share them with the residents of Hampshire.”

For more information on Florence Nightingale and events going on in Hampshire visit: www.hants.gov.uk/Florence-nightingale


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Issued by Julie Gosling
Media Communications Officer (Culture, Communities, Recreation & Rural Affairs)
Tel: 01962 846006
Email: julie.gosling@hants.gov.uk