Mary Seacole

Mary Seacole was born in 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica to a Scottish army officer and free Black woman.

Mary’s mother was a great believer of herbal medicines and learnt of many traditional remedies from slaves brought over from Africa. She regularly treated the sick and Mary soon followed in her mothers footsteps.

Mary became a very successful businesswoman running taverns and boarding houses in the Caribbean and Central America, all the while continuing to learn about medicine.

From her travels Mary had great knowledge of treating cholera, yellow fever and dysentery. So when she heard that many British soldiers fighting in the Crimean War had contracted cholera and malaria, she went to London and offered her knowledge and services to the British Army.

Her offer was turned down; some believe this was due to racism, others because of the prejudice against women’s involvement in medicine.

Many soldiers were dying due to the cholera epidemic and there was a public outcry so the government decided to act.  They chose Florence Nightingale (who had little practical experience of the disease) and a team of nurses to go to Turkey and treat the soldiers.

Mary tried to join Nightingale’s team, but again was rejected.

In 1854, because of Mary’s passion and self belief she decided to go to the Crimea herself and see what assistance she could be. She visited Skutari, the hospital where Florence Nightingale and her team were working, but again was turned away.

Mary knew she could be of service and was not easily deterred. By 1855, using local debris; driftwood, packing cases and iron sheets, the British Hotel was built. Here she fed and looked after the wounded. The hotel was near the battlefield and often the first port of call for wounded soldiers, Mary was also known to have treated soldiers from both sides actually on the battlefield itself.

Mary was fondly known amongst the soldiers as ‘Mother Seacole’ and very highly respected for her skills, knowledge of both traditional and modern medicine and also her bravery. She was known to be caring and always wearing bright colourful clothing and hats.

Many soldiers chose to be treated by ‘Mother Seacole’ even though hospitals and army authorities would not cooperate with her.

Florence Nightingale met with Mary several times but repeatedly declined her offer to join her staff, even though her success rates were notably higher than at Nightingale’s hospital.

After the war ended in 1856 Mary Seacole returned to England.

Florence Nightingale, with friends in high places got much recognition for her war efforts and became celebrated as ‘The Lady of the Lamp’ and Mary Seacole was near enough forgotten.

However a letter was published in The Times calling for Mary’s efforts to be recognised.  A four day festival, with over a 1000 performers was held, an event that was one of the largest of its kind and Mary Seacole was recognised and awarded a Crimean Medal, the French Legion of Honour, and a Turkish Medal.

In 1857 Seacole published an account of her travels and her experiences in the Crimean war entitled The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, which became a bestseller of its time.

Mary continued her work both in England and also Jamaica for many years until she died in London on May 14, 1881.

After her death Mary Seacole’s story was again practically forgotten. Florence Nightingale, being white and middle class, was seen to be a more suitable nursing hero of the Crimean war and for a century dominated this role.

Mary Seacole’s book was republished in the UK in 1984, but it was not until the late 1990’s that her pioneering work as a woman entering medicine, and her contribution to the history of nursing has been acknowledged outside of the Caribbean.

Mary Seacole was voted Greatest Black Briton in 2004 and in 2005 a portrait of Mary wearing her medals was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Read the poem Back Home reminiscing about the Caribbean.

Read about the involvement of the Caribbean, Africa and India in the 1st and 2nd World War in Black History Month in the UK.

See who initiated Black History Month in the USA.

Find out about about West Indian Culture.