Florence NIGHTINGALE
The Interment.
The train reached Romsey at 1.15, and shortly after the funeral procession set out for the little old-world churchyard at East Wellow, about four miles distant. It turned into Emby Park, the former home of the honoured lady. For the last time Florence Nightingale was carried beneath the shadow of the shrouded windows of the dwelling where she spent happy childhood with the father and mother whom she was now about to rejoin, in the peaceful little churchyard hidden amongst the foliage away across Wocdington ■Common. At the wicket gate of the church of East Wellow stood the white-surpliced vicar, the Rev. G. M. Watson, his head bared and his prayer-book hand. A company of old tenants and employees of the,estate who had known the lady in her days of old took up a position at’the head of the oortege. Seated in the porch a pathetic figure, who rose feebly and trembling as the coffin passed him, was a one-eyed aged man in the person of John Kneller, old Welsh Fusilier and a Hampshire man, who fought at Sebastopol, and was one of those who was personally attended in Scutari hospital by “the lady of the lamp.” The burial service oommenced appropriately enough with the opening hymn, “The Son of God goes forth to war.” This was followed ” On the Resurrection Morning/’ ana finally ‘* Now the labourers task is o’er” was sung, the whole congregation taking part; At the graveside, while the rain continued fall, there were many tear-stained cheeks as the eoffin disappeared from view: to be continued………
Aberdeen Press and Journal – Monday 22 August 1910
