Florence Nightingale

On 20th August 1910, after a Funeral Service in St. Paul’s Cathedral, a train bore the coffin of Miss Nightingale from London to Romsey Station, and a glass-sided carriage brought her body through the lanes to St Margaret’s East Wellow, Burial Place of Florence Nightingale.

This hadn’t been her choice, or the nation’s. She wanted her body to go to medical research; the family didn’t. The Government wanted burial in a Cathedral; the family didn’t. Eventually, she was buried with her parents at East Wellow, escorted to her resting place by soldiers from the regiments who had served beside her in the Crimea. The daughter, who had put a successful career on hold and returned home to look after aging and ailing parents, finally joined them in the family grave.

The whole village turned out. It was the “I was there” event of the early 20th Century. I think I took the funeral service of the last surviving little boy who had witnessed it in the late 1990’s.

We have just completed a DVD of “Florence Nightingale - a remarkable woman” with much help from Jean Clarke, Project Director, Pete Doherty, Film maker, Alex Attewell, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum, London and David Chapman, Headmaster of Embley Park School, to name only a few of the many. The DVD comes in an adult and a children’s version. The children’s version is available to schools free of charge, and there are accompanying activities for Key Stage One and Key Stage Two children.
There is a small charge for groups to see the adult film, which lasts for about 30 minutes.
Get your group to experience the feel of this historic site, and see the DVD, which looks at her life from a Wellow perspective. In addition, Coffee and Cake or a Cream Tea may be booked by parties in advance. The DVD is not for sale and is only available for viewing in this church.

Florence Nightingale was born on 12th May 1820 in Florence (how she got her name).In the days immediately before or after 12th May, two Annual Commemoration Services take place in England - at Westminster Abbey, and at St. Margaret’s East Wellow. We always remember her Birthday on the second Sunday in May (that will be 13th May 2007) with a Commemoration Service and a buffet lunch. If you’re not on our guest list but would be interested to come, send an email to george.biggs@btconnect.com .Florence Nightingale Sunday seems to act as a reunion for many, especially Nightingale Nurses and members of the RCN.

We also have the Nightingale Cope, presented by the International Florence Nightingale Society, two small statuettes, and two bonnets attributed to her possession.


	[St Margaret's East Wellow Burial Place of Florence Nightingale] [St Margaret's East Wellow] [Florence Nightingale] [DVD] [Annual Service] [Artefacts] [Burial Place] [Cope] [Church Life] [Email News] [Contact Us] [St Leonard's] [Sitemap]