Florence NIGHTINGALE
Steeple Claydon
Parthenope was born in Naples, Italy, and was named after its Greek predecessor, Parthenope. She was the oldest daughter and child of William Nightingale and his wife, Frances Smith. After her parents’ three-year tour in Italy, Parthenope and her sister Florence moved to Embrey Park, their father’s estate in Hampshire, England. Parthenope and her sister were educated at home by a governess,
Parthenope was at first opposed to her sister becoming a nurse, Later, Parthenope became an active supporter of Florence’s work during the .Crimean War
On 24 June 1858, Parthenope married Harry Verney, MP for Buckingham, a supporter of liberal causes and possessor of the family seat, Claydon House. After marriage, the new Lady Verney was able to develop her own talents independent of the shadow of her more famous sister; she soon turned Claydon House into a salon for interesting people and was responsible for extensively remodelling and restoring Claydon House.
In later years, the two sisters lived near each other on South Street, London.
Parthenope began suffering from arthritis in her thirties. By the 1880s, she was severely disabled. After a long illness with cancer, she died in May 1890 aged 71 at Claydon House.
Florence kept contact with her late sisters family and was a frequent visitor to Claydon House, In 1902 when Lady Margaret Verney laid the first brick to mark the beginning of a Library in the village, a message from Florence Nightingale was read out “ I glad the foundation stone is being laid of the Steeple Claydon Public Library .I do with all my heart wish them success, I think a Public Library is good for body and soul, and that God’s blessing may rest upon it is the fervent wish of Florence Nightingale.”
Later , she attended the opening of the Library. She gave a donation of £50.00 by way of a cheque which has been enclosed in a stone frame and built into the wall of the recreation room where we can all see the autograph of “one of FA:gland’s noblest women.”
