Background
William Nightingale (known also as WEN) was born William Edward Shore in 1794. His father was William Shore. His mother was Mary née Evans (who died in 1853 at Tapton House, Sheffield).
William Nightingale (known also as WEN) was born William Edward Shore in 1794. His father was William Shore. His mother was Mary née Evans (who died in 1853 at Tapton House, Sheffield).
He was appointed Sheriff of Hampshire in 1828. He had two sisters, Anne and Mary. As well as Lea Hurst, he also owned Embley Park, an estate in Hampshire.
William Smith, a noted abolitionist.
They had two daughters, both born while the family was on the Grand Tour of what would later become Italy. The elder, Parthenope Nightingale, was born in Naples and named after the city"s Greek title.
The younger was Florence Nightingale, best known for her nursing career but also notable in the field of statistics. In the summer months of 1834, he stood for parliament as a Whig candidate for Andover.
He supported the Reform Bill, and opposed any form of bribery for the encouragement of the electors.
As a result, he resolved never to be persuaded into political life again. In 1838 he took his family on tour in Europe. In Paris he was introduced to Mary Elizabeth Clarke, an English-born salon hostess.
"Clarkey" generally rejected female company and spent her time with male intellectuals, but she made an exception in the case of the Nightingale family.
She and Florence were to remain close friends for 40 years despite their 27 year age difference.
William Nightingale had a keen interest in politics, and in 1829, he was appointed as the High Sheriff of Hampshire. His views cost him the election, which left him shocked.