What did Mary Seacole do in the war?
Crimean War Mary Seacole, née Mary Jane Grant, (born 1805, Kingston, Jamaica—died May 14, 1881, London, England), Jamaican businesswoman who provided sustenance and care for British soldiers at the battlefront during the Crimean War.
Where did Mary Seacole live in Jamaica?
City: Kingston, Jamaica. Mary Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who became a heroine of the Crimean War. She was a mixed-race nurse who cared for British soldiers at the battlefront during the Crimean War by setting up a “British Hotel” where she provided assistance and relief to servicemen wounded on the battlefield.
Who is the statue of Mary Seacole?
Statue of Mary Seacole outside St Thomas' Hospital. Mary Seacole was one of the pioneers of nursing during the Crimean War.
What are some good books about Mary Seacole?
Elizabeth N. Anionwu: A Short History of Mary Seacole. A resource for nurses and students, Royal College of Nursing, 2005 ( ISBN 1-904114-16-4 ). Mark Bostridge, Florence Nightingale. the Woman and Her Legend, Viking, 2008. Mark Bostridge, "Ministering on distant shores", The Guardian, 14 February 2004.
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How did Mary Seacole change nursing?
As a British-Jamaican nurse in the 1800s, her leadership and courage paved the way for diversity in nursing in the UK after she cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War. Statistics show that ethnic minorities now make up 20 per cent of the UK's nursing profession and 36 per cent of the NMC's workforce.
What was Mary Seacole known as?
1. Mary Seacole was born Mary Jane Grant on 23 November 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Who was Mary Seacole and what did she do?
Mary Seacole, née Mary Jane Grant, (born 1805, Kingston, Jamaica—died May 14, 1881, London, England), Jamaican businesswoman who provided sustenance and care for British soldiers at the battlefront during the Crimean War.
Did Mary Seacole find a cure for cholera?
The local population came to rely on her and she was generally known as the 'yellow woman from Jamaica with the cholera medicine'. Mary's cure for cholera was mustard emetics, warm fomentations, mustard plasters on the stomach and back and calomel, in large, then smaller doses.
Is Florence Nightingale black?
But some historians have long complained that she has become almost as famous as that other nursing heroine, Florence Nightingale… … Born in Jamaica in 1805, she was the daughter of a white Scottish officer called Grant, and a Creole woman, from whom Mary learned her 'nursing skills'.
What nurse was an expert on cholera?
Florence Nightingale's greatest contribution came during the Crimean War. After hearing disheartening reports of the mistreatment of the wounded soldiers and the outbreaks of cholera and malaria, Nightingale and 38 nurses traveled across the Black Sea to the Ottoman Empire.
Who was the black Florence Nightingale?
Mary Seacole's reputation after the Crimean War (1853-1856) rivalled Florence Nightingale's. Unlike Nightingale, Seacole also had the challenge to have her skills put to proper use in spite of her being black.
How old was Florence Nightingale when she died?
90 years (1820–1910)Florence Nightingale / Age at deathIn her later years, Nightingale was often bedridden from illness. However, she continued to advocate for safe nursing practices until her death. Although Florence Nightingale died on August 13th, 1910 at the age of 90, her legacy continues.
What did Mary Seacole use in her medicines?
Mary Seacole, used herbal medicines and other remedies including lead acetate and mercury chloride. She also dealt with a yellow fever outbreak in Jamaica. Her fame as a medical practitioner grew and she was soon carrying out operations on people suffering from knife and gunshot wounds.
What disease is cholera?
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
What is the difference between Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole?
Florence Nightingale was from a very wealthy family but Mary Seacole was not. Mary Seacole was from Jamaica. During this time people from other cultures were not treated with respect. Florence Nightingale educated herself through reading books whereas Mary Seacole learnt herbal medicines from her mother.
How was Mary Seacole difference to Florence Nightingale?
While Nightingale is often acknowledged as the pioneer of modern nursing, Seacole had been practicing herbal remedies and hygiene decades before the European woman. And although both women did incredible work during the war, Nightingale's name lives on, while Seacole's does not.
What was Mary Seacole's nickname?
Mother SeacoleThere, her compassion and dedication earned her the nickname “Mother Seacole.” Mary Jane Grant was born in Kingston, Jamaica, sometime in 1805, although she kept her actual birth date a secret.
Why was Mary Jane Seacole famous?
Mary Jane Seacole (born Grant; 23 November 1805 – 14 May 1881) was a British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War.
How old was Florence Nightingale when she died?
90 years (1820–1910)Florence Nightingale / Age at deathIn her later years, Nightingale was often bedridden from illness. However, she continued to advocate for safe nursing practices until her death. Although Florence Nightingale died on August 13th, 1910 at the age of 90, her legacy continues.
What did Mary Seacole teach us?
She and Grant encouraged their daughter's independence. From them Seacole learned about holistic medicine, hotel management, and the demands of army life. A friend of the family taught her to read and write.
Who was Mary Seacole?
Mary Seacole, née Mary Jane Grant, (born 1805, Kingston, Jamaica—died May 14, 1881, London, England), Jamaican businesswoman who provided sustenance and care for British soldiers at the battlefront during the Crimean War. Meet extraordinary women who dared to bring gender equality and other issues to the forefront.
What did Mary Seacole do after her husband died?
After her husband’s death in 1844, she gained further nursing experience during a cholera epidemic in Panama, and, after returning to Jamaica, she cared for yellow fever victims, many of whom were British soldiers. Seacole was in London in 1854 when reports of the lack of necessities and breakdown of nursing care for soldiers in ...
How did Mary Seacole become famous?
She became popular among service personnel, who raised money for her when she faced destitution after the war. In 1858 a four-day Fundraising Gala took place on the banks of the river Thames, to honour Mary Seacole. Crowds of about 80,000 attended, including veterans, their families and Royalty.
Why did Mary Seacole become so popular?
She became popular among service personnel, who raised money for her when she faced destitution after the war.
What did Seacole do at Blundell Hall?
At Blundell Hall, Seacole acquired her nursing skills, which included the use of hygiene, ventilation, warmth, hydration, rest, empathy, good nutrition and care for the dying. Blundell Hall also served as a convalescent home for military and naval staff recuperating from illnesses such as cholera and yellow fever.
Why did Mary Seacole go to Crimea?
She then attempted to join the second contingent of nurses to the Crimea . She applied to the War Office and other government offices, but arrangements for departure were already underway. In her memoir, she wrote that she brought "ample testimony" of her experience in nursing, but the only example officially cited was that of a former medical officer of the West Granada Gold-Mining Company. However, Seacole wrote that this was just one of the testimonials she had in her possession. Seacole wrote in her autobiography, "Now, I am not for a single instant going to blame the authorities who would not listen to the offer of a motherly yellow woman to go to the Crimea and nurse her ‘sons’ there, suffering from cholera, diarrhœa, and a host of lesser ills. In my country, where people know our use, it would have been different; but here it was natural enough – although I had references, and other voices spoke for me – that they should laugh, good-naturedly enough, at my offer."
What did Seacole do during the Crimean War?
Coming from a tradition of Jamaican and West African "doctresses", Seacole displayed "compassion, skills and bravery while nursing soldiers during the Crimean War", through the use of herbal remedies. She was posthumously awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1991. In 2004, she was voted the greatest black Briton.
Where did Mary Seacole live?
After returning to Jamaica, Seacole cared for her "old indulgent patroness" through an illness, finally returning to the family home at Blundell Hall after the death of her patroness (a woman who gave financial support to her) a few years later. Seacole then worked alongside her mother, occasionally being called to provide nursing assistance at the British Army hospital at Up-Park Camp. She also travelled the Caribbean, visiting the British colony of New Providence in The Bahamas, the Spanish colony of Cuba, and the new Republic of Haiti. Seacole records these travels, but omits mention of significant current events, such as the Christmas Rebellion in Jamaica of 1831, the abolition of slavery in 1833, and the abolition of "apprenticeship" in 1838.
When did Seacole visit London?
In about 1821 , Seacole visited London, staying for a year, and visited her relatives in the merchant Henriques family. Although London had a number of black people, she records that a companion, a West Indian with skin darker than her own "dusky" shades, was taunted by children.
Who was Mary Seacole?
Best known for her work as a nurse in the Crimean War, Mary Seacole will forever be remembered as an incredible woman and inspiring role model.
What is Mary Seacole's book called?
Most of what we know about Mary Seacole comes from a book she published in 1857 about her life. She called it The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands – and it proved a popular read! But following her death, her name was almost completely forgotten for around 100 years.
What did Mary do after the war?
After the Crimean War ended in, Mary returned to London with very little money and in poor health. But her hard work didn’t go unrecognised – many of the soldiers wrote to the newspapers about all she had done for them, and 80,000 people attended a charity gala in 1857 to raise money for her.
What war did Mary Seacole fight in?
Mary Seacole and the Crimean War. Mary returned to Kingston in 1853, but she didn’t stay long. On hearing news of British soldiers going off to Russia to fight in the bloody battles of the Crimean War , she wanted to help.
How long was Mary Seacole forgotten?
But following her death, her name was almost completely forgotten for around 100 years. It wasn’t until the 1970s, in fact, that people started to read about the amazing Mary Seacole and wanted to know more about her.
Why did Mary spend money on soldiers?
Mary used the money spent there to help treat and care for sick and wounded soldiers.
Where was Mary born?
Young Mary was born in Kingston on the Caribbean island of Jamaica, some time in 1805. No one knows the exact date – she kept that a secret! Her father was a Scottish soldier stationed on the island – at that time, Jamaica was part of the British Empire – and her mother was a Jamaican nurse and healer.
Who was Mary Seacole?
Mary Seacole is best remembered as the nurse who set up a “British Hotel” all by herself during the Crimean War to care for the sick and wounded soldiers. She provided food, medicines and other supplies to the injured and convalescent servicemen and served them selflessly.
What was Mary Seacole's reputation?
She became absorbed in her work and gained a reputation as a widely respected nurse over the next few years. A cholera epidemic struck Jamaica in 1850 in which thousands of people lost their lives. It marked a very stressful and hectic period in Mary Seacole’s life though she served her patients with undying commitment.
What war did Mary Seacole learn about?
Her own boarding house was full of patients, many of whom died before her eyes. Mary Seacole was in Panama in 1854 when she learnt of the escalating Crimean War which had broken out in October 1853 between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the Ottoman Empire.
What was Mary's mother's background?
Mary was proud of her multiracial heritage. Her mother was well-trained in traditional Caribbean and African herbal medicines and worked as a healer. She ran a boarding house which was counted amongst the best in their city.
What was Mother Seacole known for?
She became a much respected and beloved figure due to her services to the soldiers and was widely known to the British Army as "Mother Seacole".
Why did Mary Seacole go to Panama?
In 1851, she went to Cruces in Panama to visit her brother who lived there. Shortly after her arrival, the city was swept by an epidemic of cholera. The first patient Seacole treated survived which established her reputation as a knowledgeable medical professional. She received payment from the rich but chose to treat the poor for free.
When was Mary Seacole awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit?
Mary Seacole was posthumously awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1991.
Who was Mary Seacole?
Mary Seacole was one of the pioneers of nursing during the Crimean War . Bringing years of medical experience and combatting racial prejudices, Mary set up her own institution closer to the battlefields of Balaclava and nursed soldiers in the fray, winning their ardent praise and respect as she did so.
What did Mary Seacole learn from her mother?
Mary learnt much from her mother. Blundell Hall was used as a convalescent home for military and naval personnel which further broadened her medical experience. Seacole wrote in her own autobiography that she was fascinated by medicine from a young age and began to help her mother treat soldiers and patients when she was young, as well as observing military doctors on their ward rounds.
Why did Mary Seacole go to Balaclava?
Undaunted and determined to help, Mary decided to head to Balaclava alone to set up a hospital to nurse soldiers, opening the British Hotel in 1855. As well as nursing, the British Hotel also provided provisions and operated a kitchen. She was widely known to British troops as ‘Mother Seacole’ for her caring ways.
What happened to Edwin and Mary's mother?
In 1843, much of Blundell Hall was burnt down in a fire, and the following year, both Edwin and Mary’s mother died in rapid succession. Despite, or perhaps because of, this set of tragedies, Mary threw herself into work, taking over the management and running of Blundell Hall.
Where was Mary Grant born?
Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805, Mary Grant was the daughter of a doctress (healing woman) and a Scottish lieutenant in the British Army. Her mixed-race heritage, and in particular her white father, meant Mary was born free, unlike many of her contemporaries on the island.
When did Mary go bankrupt?
Mary’s financial situation did not improve, and she was declared bankrupt in November 1856.
When did Mary return to Kingston?
In 1853 , Mary returned to Kingston, where her nursing skills were required after an outbreak of yellow fever. She was asked by the British Army to supervise medical services in the headquarters at Up-Park in Kingston.
Overview
Crimean War, 1853–56
The Crimean War lasted from October 1853 until 1 April 1856 and was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the Ottoman Empire. The majority of the conflict took place on the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea and Turkey.
Many thousands of troops from all the countries involved were drafted to the a…
Early career and background
Mary Jane Seacole was born Mary Jane Grant on November 23, 1805 in Kingston, in the Colony of Jamaica as a member of the community of free black people in Jamaica. She was the daughter of James Grant, a Scottish Lieutenant in the British Army. Her mother, Mrs Grant, nicknamed "The Doctress", was a healer who used traditional Caribbean and African herbal medicines. Mrs Grant also ran Blundell Hall, a boarding house at 7, East Street.
In the Caribbean, 1826–51
After returning to Jamaica, Seacole cared for her "old indulgent patroness" through an illness, finally returning to the family home at Blundell Hall after the death of her patroness (a woman who gave financial support to her) a few years later. Seacole then worked alongside her mother, occasionally being called to provide nursing assistance at the British Army hospital at Up-Park Camp. She also travelled the Caribbean, visiting the British colony of New Providence in The Baha…
In Central America, 1851–54
In 1850, Seacole's half-brother Edward moved to Cruces, Panama, which was then part of the Republic of New Granada. There, approximately 45 miles (72 km) up the Chagres River from the coast, he followed the family trade by establishing the Independent Hotel to accommodate the many travellers between the eastern and western coasts of the United States (the number of tr…
Back in London, 1856–60
After the end of the war, Seacole returned to England destitute and in poor health. In the conclusion to her autobiography, she records that she "took the opportunity" to visit "yet other lands" on her return journey, although Robinson attributes this to her impecunious state requiring a roundabout trip. She arrived in August 1856 and opened a canteen with Day at Aldershot, but the venture fai…
Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands
A 200-page autobiographical account of her travels was published in July 1857 by James Blackwood as Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, the first autobiography written by a black woman in Britain. Priced at one shilling and six pence (1/6) a copy, the cover bears a striking portrait of Seacole in red, yellow and black ink. Robinson speculates that she dictated the work to an editor, identified in the book only as W.J.S., who improved her grammar …
Later life, 1860–81
Seacole joined the Roman Catholic Church circa 1860, and returned to a Jamaica changed in her absence as it faced economic downturn. She became a prominent figure in the country. However, by 1867 she was again running short of money, and the Seacole fund was resurrected in London, with new patrons including the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge, an…