Unpublished Florence Nightingale images going on display

Unpublished, private Florence Nightingale images, thought to be the last taken of the nurse, are going on display.

The informal pictures were taken by a friend at Nightingale’s home.

The two small photographs, from around 1910, show Nightingale in her 80s, in bed at her home in London.

They were taken by her companion, secretary and assistant Fanny Pettit using her Brownie camera.

Nightingale shunned the limelight after being propelled to fame on her return from the Crimean War.

So the owner of the unpublished images, the great-grandson of Pettit, has loaned the original photographs to a museum on the understanding that they remain unpublished.

The images can only be viewed by visiting the Florence Nightingale Museum, in London, in October and November.

Museum director David Green said: “This whole collection is very special.

“We are thrilled at being able to offer visitors a new glimpse of Florence Nightingale…

“It’s especially fascinating to see a relaxed Florence captured by a trusted friend.

“As the pictures will remain unpublished, we are pleased that people who come to the museum will have a rare chance to see them, before they disappear once again!”

Pettit answered an advert in The Times to become the “lady companion” of Nightingale.

An unpublished account of Nightingale’s death will also be among unseen items joining the bicentenary exhibition, Nightingale in 200 Objects, People & Places

Information is at www.florence-nightingale.co.uk