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Florence Nightingale
The 38 'Nurses'


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We know that Florence was living in Harley Street in London in October 1854. She and 36 Nurses plus Mrs Clarke who was her Housekeeper set out to help the wounded in Scutari. They were promised medicines and a 'modern' hospital. But she and her Nurses walk into horror. There is nothing there. You can tell some of the difficulties by looking through the list of 37 names and what happened to them. Some questions follow the list.

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Name What happened Where trained
Mrs Clarke, Returned home ill. [Dec. 24, 1854] FN's housekeeper from Harley St.
M A Bowmett Returned ... not good enough St John's House
S Barnes . Died [Buried at Haydar Pasha] "Hospital nurse"
Elizabeth Blake Returned home ill.
M A Coyle Returned ... not good enough St. John's House
Justine Chabrillae Died [Buried at Haydar Pasha] "Hospital nurse"
Elizabeth Drake Died St John's House
J Davy, Returned at the Peace
Emma Fagg Returned ... not good enough St John's House
A. Faulkner, Returned ... not good enough
E. Grundy, Returned at her own wish Middlesex Hospital
Mrs Ann Higgins . Returned ... not good enough St John's House
E Hawkins Returned at the Peace 2 months  at Guy's
S. Jones, Returned ... not good enough
Rebecca Lawfield  Returned home ill. St John's House
Eliza  Forbes Keith Returned ... not good enough
Pillars Ethelreda Returned home ill.
Mrs Parker, Returned at the Peace.
Mrs Roberts Returned at the Peace St Thomas's Hospital
Elizabeth Smith Returned home ill. St Thomas's Hospital
Margaret Williams Returned ... not good enough 8 months at Guy's Hospital
M Williams. Returned home ill.
Mrs Wilson Returned ... not good enough

Nuns from

Bermondsey

Official Name
Georgiana Barrie Home with Rev. Mother Sister Mary
Maria Huddon Returned at the Peace Sister de Chantal
Sarah Kelly Returned at the Peace Sister Anastasia
Georgiana Moore Called back Reverend Mother
Margaret Jones Returned at the Peace Sister Stanislaus

Nuns from

Norwood Orphanage
Marie Therese MacClean, Returned ... not good enough [Dec. 24, 1854]
Elinor O'Dwyer Returned ... not good enough [Dec. 24, 1854]
Frances Purnell Returned ... not good enough [Dec. 24, 1854]

Miss Sellon's

Nuns
Harriet Erskine Returned home ill.
Sister Margaret  Goodman Returned at the Peace
Emma Langston  Returned home ill. Mother Eldress
Sarah Terrot Returned home ill.
Elizabeth Turnbull Returned at the Peace
Clara Sharpe Returned home ill.       Dec. 24, 1854
Elizabeth Wheeler Returned ... not good enough Dec. 24, 1854

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Florence
  1. How many people were definitely there in January 1855?
  2. Assume that all the others who were not good enough also left on December 24th 1854 How many were left in January 1855?
  3. How many Nurses were left with Florence when she returned to England after July 1856?

Florence's  achievements were all that greater when you realise how little help she actually had.