Important Autograph Note to 'Florence Nightingale' from 'Florence Sarah Lees' dated March 12 1875. On one side of a postcard, the reverse addressed to Miss Nightingale, 35 South Street, Park Lane, W.

DESCRIPTION: In this 12 line note, Florence Lees complains that Florence Nightingale has not fulfilled her promise to provide a preface for a hospital report and indicates she is herself unwell.

The background to this note is highly significant, after early training from Florence Nightingale at St Thomas’s Hospital, London, Lees had worked as a military nursing volunteer in the Franco Prussian War of 1870. Eventually in charge of hospitals at Marange and Hamburg for which she was awarded the German Order of Merit. Lees returned to England in 1873 and compiled this report – a survey of hospital and nursing practices in London which would eventually lead to the formation of the metropolitan and National Nursing Association of which she was first superintendent.

Before her marriage in 1879, Lees lived at St Leonards on Sea in East Sussex. After her marriage she retired from nursing, raised a family and died in 1922.

The two Florences had their disagreements too. Nightingale was against the creation of ‘Medical Women’, Lees wanted the district nurse to be an independent medical professional in her own right. In 1875 the first district nurses in London set up home at 23 Bloomsbury Square.
Florence Nightingale's extensive correspondence with Lees is now in the British Library.

It is not clear if Nightingale wrote the preface in the end.
Nightingale had already privately published in 1874 at least two papers on the future of nursing in London and it was possible there was a falling out between them on point of policy. This could be established presumably by reference to the BL collection.

Considered as accurately as possible to be transcribed on front:

To Miss Nightingale [FROM] Florence Sarah Lees

35 South Street, Park Lane, W.

Postmark: St Leonards on Sea 'MR 12 75'

Main part postcard:

12 March 1875 --- Friday Morning [Friday Scribbled out]

? Dear Florence Nightingale [Scribbled out] only letters 'ale' at end fully legible

You are so overwhelmed with business that you have - unfortunately for me - mixed up your promise to me, with that made to someone else!
The condition was ‘as soon as hos[pita]l report is sent in the preface shall be written ’’
I fulfilled your condition & it is a great disappointment to me therefore that you are unable to do as you kindly promised. I have taken cold and I am suffering so much. I cannot write a long letter – as I fain wood, so please excuse a brief note.
Ever yours F.S.L

SIZE: 120mm x 72 mm

CONDITION: Very small insignificant nick to the bottom margin, One crease to the lower part going across the postcard, else in very good condition.

£475.00

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