London SE1 community website

Newly discovered photos of Florence Nightingale go on show

London SE1 website team

Two rare photographs of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale have gone on display at a South Bank museum this week.

To celebrate Florence Nightingale's 193rd birthday on 12 May, the Florence Nightingale Museum at St Thomas' Hospital is exhibiting two miniature photographs of the great Victorian lady.

Nightingale founded her school of nursing at St Thomas' in 1859.

The highly personal photographs may have been taken by Nightingale's lady companion Fanny Gibbs and remained in her possession after Nightingale's death.

Gibbs lived with Nightingale at her now-demolished home in South Street in the last few years of Nightingale's life.

The photographs have been loaned to the museum and will be on public view for just 10 days until 17 May.

"We are thrilled to display these photographs at the Florence Nightingale Museum for all our visitors to enjoy," said the museum's director Natasha McEnroe.

"They are a powerful portrayal of both the warmth and the strength of character possessed by this remarkable woman."

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.