Florence Nightingale – a fragment

Florence Nightingale’s family seat, Lea Hurst, just two miles down the Derwent valley then up a lot, is now a superior residential home. Below in the valley of the Lea Brook is the family lead smelting site, which a Canadian librarian once suggested to me was responsible for F.N.’s (that is how she often signed herself, in pencil) fifty years as an invalid. Certainly it was a poisonous place, not a blade of grass grows on the site to this day.

After she became a popular heroine, at least one local expression of admiration was published, ‘a loyal address’ with photographs of her and of the house.

She was involved in the extension of the 19th century Derby Infirmary, and many Derbyshire babies, including my own, started life in a Nightingale Ward or Wing. Memorabilia turn up occasionally.

The ancient Lea Wood, part of the Nightingale Estate, is to be sold to the Woodlands Trust; through Lea Wood, 100 years ago, walked the future writer Alison Uttley on her way to school – another tall, elegant and formidable Derbyshire woman!

Florence Nightingale: an odd selection

Florence Nightingale. (Smith, Cecil Woodham-) 22cm.616. 5ill. 4r.e. Paperback. Constable: Apr 96. 12.95 (at 03/97) 0 09 475810 7 (Whitaker UK)
Florence Nightingale. Penguin 60s S. (Strachey, Lytton) 14cm.96. Paperback. Penguin: Mar 96. 0.60 (at 05/97) 0 14 600211 3 (Whitaker UK)
As Miss Nightingale Said. (Nightingale, Florence & Baly, Monica E. (Ed.)) 23cm.200. Ill. 2r.e. Paperback. Bailliere: Apr 97. 19.95 (at 05/97) 0 7020 2292 6 (Whitaker UK)
Florence Nightingale: Nurse to Soldiers. Preteen Biography S. (Dengler, Sandy) 22cm. Paperback. Moody P: Jul 95. 3.75 0 8024 2627 1 (Whitaker UK)
Suggestions for Thought: Selections and Commentaries. Studies in Health, Illness & Caregiving. (Nightingale, Florence & Calabria, Michael D. (Ed.) etc.) 23cm.218. Paperback. Univ. Pennsylvania P: Mar 94. 15.95 (at 06/94) 0 8122 1501 X (Whitaker UK)
Cassandra. (Nightingale, Florence & Poovey, Mary (Ed.)) 22cm.250. n.e. Paperback. New York UP: Apr 93. 17.25 (at 05/97) 0 8147 5775 8 (Whitaker UK)
Florence Nightingale. (Keen, Norman) D8.38. 14ill. Paperback. JH Hall: Jun 83. 2.95 (at 12/96) 0 946404 05 4 (Whitaker UK)
As Miss Nightingale Said. (Nightingale, Florence & Baly, Monica E. (Ed.)) 30cm.xvi,136. Ill. Paperback. Scutari P: Dec 91. 8.99 (at 02/96) 1 871364 56 6 (o.p.) (Whitaker UK)
Notes on Nursing: What it is and What it is Not. (Nightingale, Florence & Skretkowicz, Victor (Ed.)) 23cm.xlii,212. n.e. Paperback. Scutari P: Jul 92. 16.95 (at 04/97) 1 871364 63 9 (Whitaker UK)
God Bless You, My Dear Miss Nightingale: Letters to Florence Nightingale, 1867-70. Stockholm Studs. in English. (Rappe, Emmy Carolina & Johansson, Bertil (Ed.)) 1M8.60. Ill. Paperback. Almqvist: May 77. 4.50 91 22 00097 6 (Whitaker UK)

Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell

April 4

Scarthin Books welcomes Jo Bell for two poetry-writing workshops. Each session will last three hours and include tea or coffee. If you’ve read How to Be a Poet, her book with Jane Commane, you’ll have a flavour of Jo’s teaching style – entertaining, intensive and aimed at getting the best new poetry out of every participant. Jo is running two sessions for us: one for all comers, one for women only.

In this session open to men and women, we use the treasure trove of source material stacked all around us in the shelves of Scarthin Books. We’ll dive into books of technical or specialist language, steal other poets’ phrases and draw on the riches of historical and fictional text to refresh your own writing. Expect the unexpected – drawing on the arcane and absurd to generate new work. This session will include some forms like the golden shovel and the cento, and you should leave with four or five new drafts to work on.

£20 to attend. Booking required. Please contact us at the Bookshop to book your place via 01629 823272 or click here to book on via Eventbrite.

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Reading and Signing with Richard Lumsden

April 7

We are very excited to announce that Richard Lumsden will be giving a reading of his debut novel ‘The Six Loves of Billy Binns’ at Scarthin Books.

This will be followed by a Q&A and signing and is a free event. No booking required.

‘This uplifting and powerful debut is beautifully written, full of emotion and will tug at your heartstrings. A book about love, self-forgiveness and redemption, this is a must-read and will appeal to fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ Sarah J Harris, author of THE COLOUR OF BEE LARKHAM’S MURDER

Richard Lumsden has worked as an actor, writer and composer in television, film and theatre for 30 years.
As an actor his films include Downhill, Sightseers, Sense & Sensibility and The Darkest Hour, as well as
numerous television shows and theatre productions. THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is his first novel.

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Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell - Women Only

April 18

*** Women only workshop ***

As Feminist Book Fortnight approaches, Jo Bell offers a women-only poetry writing workshop. This session will generate new work from poets at all levels, and if you want to read the results at our evening event on May 4th you will be welcome to do so. We will use classic texts by and about women from Mary Wollstonecraft to Caitlin Moran. Channel your wit, wisdom rage and hope for the future into new poems. This women-only session gets the best writing out of the richest source material – your own experience.

£20 to attend. An eventbrite will be set up for this but if you can’t find it yet, contact the bookshop to book your place on 01629 823272 or click here to book via Eventbrite.

Poetry Portraits with Jo Bell

April 27

Local, acclaimed poet Jo Bell will be in our Art room from 11am onwards writing tailor made poems for you!

Come and have a chat about what you’d like her to write about and go away with a poem no one else has.

This is a free, open event to all.

Jo’s books include ‘Kith’, ‘How to be a poet’ and ’52. Write a poem a week’. She’s actively involved in The Poetry Takeaway, writing tailor made poems at Festivals and was featured on Nationwide’s advert ‘Voices Nationwide: Building the Building Society’.

Our new Artist-in-Residence for 2018 is……… Jan Flamank

“I am so delighted to be Artist in Residence at Scarthin from March 2018, and am buzzing with ideas about what I want to do. I will spend time each month in this fabulous bookshop, and make new work that is inspired by the place, the people and the wild array of books! I use mixed media in my artwork, and having time in the shop will give me further incentive to include text and stories in my work, and be influenced by the treasure that fills every room there. Some of this artwork will be visible in the shop, but there will also be work that is hidden, awaiting discovery as people browse the shelves and corners of the shop…..

Please come and find me in the art room, I will be there monthly throughout the year. I look forward to meeting lots of lovely Scarthin people in the year ahead.”