the lady with the lamp

June 2nd, 2010

Florence Nightingale just might be the most famous nurse of all time, but does anyone know how she earned herself the nickname of “The Lady with the Lamp”?  Learn this, and more, at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire where for the first time a selection of Nightingale’s personal papers and memorabilia, including letters and journals, are on display.  Members of the Royal Oak Foundation gain free entry to this exhibit, as well as countless other National Trust properties throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Nightingale is no stranger to the Claydon House, as it was formerly the home of Nightingale’s brother-in-law, Sir Harry Verney. Since May 8, aside from the various photographs and documents available for visitor’s perusal, the National Trust has recreated a sitting room in the house using photographs from Nightingale’s archives, allowing visitors to get a tangible feel for how this fearless female lived.

So why “The Lady with the Lamp?”  Nightingale was given this name during the Crimean War because she often made rounds at night with a lamp in hand, tending wounded soldiers. Nightingale then later helped establish professional nursing as a career by starting the world’s first secular nursing school.

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