Miss Nightingale Visits Surratt House

[L Verge]

Surratt House hosted another great and well-attended program yesterday when Miss Florence Nightingale (aka Christine Trent) presented an excellent first-person presentation on this remarkable woman. From absolutely correct period garb of the 1850s to an hour of presenting great history in Miss Nightingale's native British dialect, Christine brought the subject alive and filled in the blanks of a life that was much more than just walking the battlefields of the Crimean War and developing a standard of nursing that paved the way for others.

Do Google Florence (named after the city in Italy where she was born) and learn more of the facts for yourself. Also Google Lea Hurst, her childhood home -- poor thing to have been raised in such poverty (lol). And, I think that few people realize that she died a lingering death from a serious disease likely contracted on the battlefields.

One fact that surprised the entire audience was the lamp that is synonimous with her history. Her "boys," as she called the soldiers she tended to, gave her the moniker of The Lady With The Lamp because she walked the battlefields constantly in search of those who needed care. For some reason, history has come to portray her lamp as the genie lamp or what some of us term the lamp of knowledge. 'Tain't so.

Since I am lousy at transferring photos to my posings, go here to see the real Turkish Concertina Lamp that she used: https://www.tts-international.com/floren...01173.html

Christine brought a replica with her, and it makes all the sense in the world. a small candle is placed inside, and when held, the lamp extends downward. When danger approaches, blow out the candle and bring the bottom up to join with the top and handle - no more lantern light.

If you like historical novels, Christine has authored 5-6 in what she calls her Lady of the Ashes series and also has begun a Florence Nightingale series of mysteries. The first book in that series has the intriguing title of No Cure for the Dead.