Florence Nightingale: An Introduction to Her Life and Family: Collected Works of Florence Nightingale, Volume 1

Mother, Frances "Fanny" Nightingale

Letters to, from and about Nightingale’s Immediate Family Mother, Frances ‘‘Fanny’’ Nightingale T he letters to her mother begin when Nightingale was aged seven (the first ones are printed). They reveal a happy child reporting to her mother on practical matters of health, church, reading, games, exercise and the well-being and comings or goings of other family members, friends and employees. Since the Nightingales owned two manor houses in the country, stayed periodically in London and had numerous relatives with whom they stayed, as well as entertaining aunts, uncles and cousins at their places, there was much occasion for correspondence. The letters also show at an early age an exceptional child (a letter at age nine about a sermon was written in French!) (see p 108 below). There are comments about nature (caterpillars , shells, birds) and remarkably sophisticated observations from museum and other cultural visits. The letters reveal an earnest, morally engaged girl, keen to do good in the world, especially for the poor, even before her ‘‘call to service.’’ There is detailed reporting about church attendance (or reason for not attending) and Bible reading. Clearly the relationship with her mother was such that she could confide such thoughts to her. By her teen years Nightingale was cajoling her mother for permission to pursue her nursing vocation. Her efforts at teaching (when she was not allowed to nurse) are described. There are two letters from Kaiserswerth begging understanding and acceptance. Later letters , after Nightingale established her independent existence, show her recruiting her mother for practical services and favours. Greeneries , fresh produce, pheasant and grouse, etc. were shipped regularly from Embley to London (mainly for the benefit of nurses and colleagues Nightingale was trying to cultivate). She and her mother shared / 101 an interest in cats, indeed there was a traffic in kittens between town and country. At her daughter’s request Frances Nightingale invited sick colleagues to stay in the country to recuperate. A much smaller proportion of letters, compared with those to her father, were on ‘‘business,’’ but there are some with interesting political and social commentary as well as observations on books and much good humour. There seem to be no surviving letters from Nightingale to her mother after the death of her father in 1874, few even after 1870. Nightingale stayed with her mother for extended periods during this time so there may have been less occasion for writing. Her mother’s loss of mental capacity and declining eyesight may also have made writing futile. There is much about her mother during this period, in correspondence not only with her sister but also friends and colleagues . Hence the last period is covered by correspondence written to other people, especially her sister, about Frances Nightingale’s last years and death. In 1871 Nightingale wrote a letter to her father on her mother’s behalf (see p 269 below). By the next year Nightingale was reading letters to her mother.1 In December of that year Nightingale told her sister, in a letter not reproduced here, that she was staying on at Embley until Parthenope Verney’s arrival because it was ‘‘impossible’’ to leave either parent.2 The letters from late in life show a return to a shared faith with her mother largely missing in the many years of Nightingale’s adult life. Clearly Nightingale prayed with her mother (as did Harry Verney, at Nightingale’s request). She recited her mother’s favourite hymns and poems to her: her mother’s memory never failing entirely, so that she remembered some hymns, Milton’s sonnets certainly and the Lord’s Prayer. Nightingale herself was fascinated with the fact of her mother’s failing mental capacity being accompanied by enhanced spiritual qualities and appreciation for life. 1 For example a letter to Margaret Verney 27 August 1872, Wellcome (Claydon copy) Ms 9005/157. 2 Letter to Parthenope Verney 13 December 1872, Wellcome (Claydon copy) Ms 9005/168. 102 / Florence Nightingale: Her Life and Family Source: Letter in child’s printing, Wellcome (Claydon copy) Ms 8991/3 Embley Monday, 22 October [1827] Dear Mama My journal will come today. I thank you for your letter. My autumnal garden goes on very well. Shall you come back Wednesday or Thursday? Why I ask is that Aunt Julia3 says she thinks you’ll come home on Thursday and Gale4 and I and Pop [her sister Parthenope...