Florence the Woman

Jacob Abbott, 1803-1879

Display No. 62

Jacob Abbott was an American congregational minister and writer of many popular religious books. Nightingale wrote about how her Christian faith had been galvanized by reading his work as a young woman.

Nightingale experienced her spiritual vision of a “call to service” from God soon after she read Abbott’s book ‘The Cornerstone’.

The New York Public Library Digital Collections

Exhibits from ‘Florence the Woman’

Discover the 200 Exhibits

Nightingale is respected worldwide for her pioneering role in developing the nursing profession, her statistical work, and her evidence-based approach to healthcare. In honour of her bicentenary the World Health Organisation have named 2020 the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

In our special exhibition, you will find out about objects, people and places which tell interesting stories about Florence’s life and legacy. You’ll discover artefacts from her life, people she both inspired and challenged, and places she helped to shape. There’s many more insights too!

Please click on the different sections of her famous coxcomb diagram to explore various aspects of her life and legacy. We hope you enjoy exploring!