Florence Nightingale was born in and named after Florence, Italy, while her sister a year younger, was born in and named after Naples (but as "Parthenope" the Greek name for the ancient city) !!!

Florence Nightingale was a legend in her lifetime but the Crimean War years which made her famous were just two out of a life of ninety years.

Florence Nightingale was born in Italy on 12 May 1820 and was named Florence after the city where she was born. Her parents, William Edward and Frances Nightingale were a wealthy couple, who had toured Europe for two years on their honeymoon.

During their travels their first daughter, Parthenope, was born in Naples (Parthenope being the Greek name for the ancient city), followed one year later by Florence. On returning to England, Florence and Parthenope were taught at home by their Cambridge University educated father.(Latin, Italian, Greek, French, German,  history, philosophy and mathematics.)

Florence was an academic child, but grew up to be a lively and attractive young woman, admired in the family's social circle and she was expected to make a good marriage, but Florence had other concerns. At 17, she felt she had a 'calling', but had no idea what that would be.

Florence developed an interest in the social questions of the day, made visits to the homes of the sick in the local villages and began to investigate hospitals and nursing. Her parents refused to allow her to become a nurse as in the mid-nineteenth century it was not considered a suitable profession for a well educated woman. While the family conflicts over Florence's future remained unresolved it was decided that Florence would tour Italy, Egypt and Greece, with some family friends. In July 1850 returning to England via Germany, she visited Pastor Theodor Fliedner's hospital and school for deaconesses at Kaiserswerth, near Dusseldorf.

Florence's desire to have a career in medicine was reinforced when she met Elizabeth Blackwell at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. Blackwell was the first woman to qualify as a doctor in the United States. Blackwell, encouraged her to keep trying and in 1851 Florence's father gave her permission to train as a nurse.

Florence Nightingale returned to Kaiserswerth and undertook three months nursing training, which enabled her to take a vacancy as Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen in London in 1853.

In March 1854 Britain, France and Turkey declared war on Russia. The allies defeated the Russians at the battle of the Alma in September but reports criticised the British medical facilities for the wounded. In response, Sidney Herbert, the Minister at War, who knew Florence Nightingale socially and through her work, appointed her to oversee the introduction of female nurses into the military hospitals in Turkey.

On 4 November 1854, Florence Nightingale arrived at Constantinople, with the party of 38 nurses. The 'Lady-in-Chief', as Florence was called, wrote home on behalf of the soldiers. She acted as a banker, sending the men's wages home to their families, and introduced reading rooms to the hospital. In return she gained the undying respect of the British soldiers. The introduction of female nurses to the military hospitals was an outstanding success, and she continued her reform of nursing in the civil hospitals of Britain.

When Florence Nightingale returned from the Crimean War in August 1856, four months after the peace treaty was signed, she hid herself away from the public's attention. In November 1856 Miss Nightingale took a hotel room in London which became the centre for the campaign for a Royal Commission to investigate the health of the British Army. When Sidney Herbert was appointed chairman, she continued as a driving force behind the scenes.

For her contribution to Army statistics and comparative hospital statistics in 1860 Florence Nightingale became the first woman to be elected a fellow of the Statistical Society. In 1865 she settled at 10 South Street, Mayfair, West End,London lived there until her death.

Florence Nightingale's greatest achievement was to raise nursing to the level of a respectable profession for women. In 1860, she established the Nightingale Training School for nurses at St Thomas' Hospital, and published her best known work, Notes on Nursing. It laid down the principles of nursing: careful observation and sensitivity to the patient's needs. Notes on Nursing has been translated into eleven foreign languages and is still in print today.

Florence Nightingale's writings on hospital planning and organisation had a profound effect in England and across the world. Florence Nightingale believed that infection arose spontaneously in dirty and poorly ventilated places led to improvements in hygiene and healthier living and working environments.

Although Florence Nightingale was bedridden for many years, she campaigned tirelessly to improve health standards, publishing 200 books, reports and pamphlets. In recognition of her hard work Queen Victoria awarded Miss Nightingale the Royal Red Cross in 1883. In her old age she received many honours, including the Order of Merit (1907), becoming the first woman to receive it. Florence Nightingale died at home at the age of 90 on 13 August 1910.

The Florence Nightingale Museum
http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/flo2.htm

Florence Nightingale
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REnightingale.htm