The Nightingale Ancestors

The surname Nightingale is from the Old English nihtegale meaning 'night-singer', nightingale' which was a common nickname for a sweet singer. My Nightingale ancestors came from Yaxley, Huntingdonshire.

View Nightingale Family Tree

Born in 1802 at Yaxley, Huntingdonshire, Susanna was the second daughter of John and Isabella Nightingale (nee Bossingham). Susanna grew up in Yaxley with her family, including elder sister Ann. In 1825 she met the recently widowed James Langtoft, and on 16th September 1825 she married him at Yaxley, and she became step-mother to his son William. In 1827 Susanna gave birth to their first daughter together, Sarah, followed by Susanna (1830). Soon after Susanna's birth they moved to Newborough, Northamptonshire. Sadly Susanna died in January 1831, aged just 10 months. Only 5 months later they suffered the loss of Sarah, aged 4 years. In 1831 Susanna gave birth to their son John, but he too died in infancy the following year. James worked as a labourer and in 1833 they had a daughter Eliza, followed by Rebecca (1840), and Isabella (1843). During the early 1850s James and Susanna became friends with John Vine Chapman, a Farmer, who had recently moved to Newborough. In 1854 their daughter Eliza married John's son Ashwell. In May 1855 James' eldest son, William was accidentally burnt to death in an accident. Susanna was present at the deaths of both John Vine Chapman and his widow, Elizabeth. James and Susanna continued to live in Newborough, and by 1871 he had retired from working as a Labourer. Susanna died in September 1874, just two months after James, aged 71 years. She was buried next to him at St Bartholomews Church Yard, Newborough, on 14th Spetember

Return To Top of Page