THE Lady with the Lamp' is known for nursing sick and wounded soldiers during the Crimean War.
But few people are aware that the Italian-born nurse grew up in Romsey.
She was born in Florence during her wealthy parent's two year European honeymoon.
When the family returned to England they divided their time between Derbyshire and their winter home, Embly, in Romsey.
Today the country house has been converted into a school.
As a girl, Florence felt she had a calling from God to help people and decided to train as a nurse, against her parents wishes.
When the Crimean War broke out in 1853 reports of the terrible conditions reached England.
Nightingale travelled to the Crimea where she treated wounded soldiers at the Barrack Hospital at Scutari.
At first the female staff were not permitted to treat the men and she had to be content with cleaning duties. However as thousands more soldiers continued to pour into the rat-infested, disease ridden hospital the doctors were forced to let the women help.
Florence Nightingale was adored by the soldiers and received a heroine's welcome when she returned home.
She went on to campaign for better conditions in hospitals and set up a training school at St Thomas's Hospital in London before she died aged 90.
Name: Florence Nightingale Occupation: Nurse Date of Birth: May 12, 1820 DIED: August 13, 1910 local link: Lived at Embly (now Embly Park School) in Romsey with her family
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