In 1853 Mary returned to Jamaica just as a yellow-fever epidemic swept the island.

Mary Jane Seacole (née Grant; 23 November 1805 – 14 May 1881) was a British-Jamaican nurse, healer and businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War. Mary died in 1881 and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Kensal Rise, London. She was affectionately known by the troops as Mother Seacole. She was a ‘doctress’ who practised Creole or Afro-Caribbean medicine and learnt nursing and herbalism from her mother. According to Mary she also met Florence Nightingale: “A slight figure, in the nurses’ dress; with a pale, gentle and withal firm face, resting lightly in the palm of one white hand, while the other supports the elbow – a position which gives to her countenance a keen inquiring expression, which is rather marked.”

By the late 1840s Mary had established herself as a ‘doctress’ to the local British garrison.

The local population came to rely on her and she was generally known as the ‘yellow woman from Jamaica with the cholera medicine’.

Mary Seacole was born in Jamaica more than 200 years ago. Her mother was of African heritage and her father was a Scottish army officer. As well as selling everything from shoes to tooth powder, Mary also rode out to deliver special sick rations and to nurse the soldiers at the battle fields.

She called it The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands – and it proved a popular read! In her autobiography, The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, she describes stopping en route to the Crimea to visit the military hospital at Scutari and take in provisions. Mary was able to diagnose the cause of death as cholera, and she began to treat the first of many cholera patients. Her mother was of African heritage and her father was a Scottish army officer. Mary’s remarkable autobiography was published in 1857, The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands, which is still in print today. With her business partner Mr Day, she set up the British Hotel, two miles from Balaclava. She also rode out to the battlefield to nurse soldiers and would perform operations. She was frequently called upon to tend the sick and dying, successfully treating the tropical fever with locally picked medical herbs. In 1836, Mary married Edwin Seacole but the marriage was short-lived as he died in 1844. In 2004 Mary Seacole was voted the top Black Briton in a poll of 100 people. Although Mary’s mother was black, her father James Grant was a white Scottish army officer and Mary was born a ‘free person’.

In 1850 cholera swept Jamaica. In the same year a number of distinguished officers organised a concert in aid of Mary at Surrey Gardens Music Hall in London.

She sent notices announcing her departure on 25th January 1855 and her intention to establish her own hotel for the sick and convalescing soldiers. Following her mother as a "doctress" practising traditional herbal medicine, and as a hotel keeper, Seacole established a mess, the "British Hotel", at Balaklava during the Crimean War. Persuadée que ses connaissances de la médecine tropicale pourraient être utiles, elle se rend à Londres et demande à rencontrer le ministre de la Guerre. When she left Panama a party was held in her honour. Mary Seacole lived more than 150 years ago and had an adventurous life travelling across many lands to run businesses and help people in need. She continued to practice as a ‘doctress’ in London and when visiting Jamaica. She had a sister, Louisa, and a brother, Edward. Coming from a tradition of Jamaican and West African "doctresses", Seacole displayed "compassion, skills and bravery … In September 1854, Mary heard about the Crimean campaign and she was struck with the thought of looking after the troops she had known in Jamaica. In 1836, she married Horatio Edwin Seacole and settled at Black River in Jamaica. But following her death, her name was almost completely forgotten for around 100 years.

The medical authorities at Up Park military camp recognised Mary Seacole’s skill and asked her to provide them with nurses.

Her mother, Mrs Grant, was of African heritage and her father was a Scottish army officer. In 2004 she took first place in the 100 Great Black Britons poll in the U.K. This was during the period when many black people in the Caribbean were forced to work as slaves. She heard the news of the Crimean campaign and wanted to help the troops she had known in Jamaica. Despite being rejected as a hospital nurse for the British Military Hospitals, she was determined to go. Mary Seacole was born in 1805 in Jamaica.

She is again recognised by the public for her heroic achievements during the Crimean War.

Learning to use traditional medicines.

During the Crimean War, Mary … In 1836, Mary married Edwin Seacole but the marriage was short-lived as he died in 1844.

Mary was often in attendance at the sick wharf, feeding and tending to the wounded soldiers as they prepared to embark for Scutari. Mary’s cure for cholera was mustard emetics, warm fomentations, mustard plasters on the stomach and back and calomel, in large, then smaller doses. Mary closely observed its symptoms and carefully noted how a doctor treated it.

Mary entend parler des mauvaises conditions médicales dont souffrent les soldats blessés pendant la guerre de Crimée. She described this as "a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers", and provided succour for wounded servicemen on the battlefield, and nursed many of them back to health. After returning to London after the war Mary wrote her autobiography The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands, which was published in 1857 and is still in print today. Most of what we know about Mary Seacole comes from a book she published in 1857 about her life. … The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole. Later in 1850, while Mary Seacole was visiting her brother in Panama one of his friends fell sick and died. Mary Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805. Unfortunately Mary received very little money from this.

She died in 1881 and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Kensal Rise. Mary Seacole (née Grant, 1805–1881) was born in Jamaica to a Scottish father and a Jamaican mother. She was affectionately known by the troops as Mother Seacole, because of the care she gave them.

Mary travelled to England arriving in September 1854. In September 1854, Mary heard about the Crimean campaign and she was She stayed in Balaclava for as long as the troops were there and returned to England in 1856 penniless having given away any profit she made. Mary Seacole Mary Seacole was born in 1805 in Jamaica.

T: +44 (0)20 7188 4400 Their marriage was cut short when he died soon after and this tragedy was followed by the death of her mother. Mary learnt with enthusiasm from her mother and by the age of twelve she was helping her mother to look after patients. Mary Seacole lived more than 150 years ago and had an adventurous life travelling across many lands to run businesses and help people in need. Elle propose bénévolement ses services dinfirmière, sappuyant sur son expérience dans les Caraïbes, et demande un poste d« assistant de larmée en Crimée ». She travelled to the Crimea and set up her own business, the British Hotel, which was a general store and also a place where soldiers could come to be nursed. Mary Seacole is sometimes compared to Florence Nightingale and there are those who view both women as important influences on modern nursing practice. E: [email protected]. Mary Jane Seacole (née Grant; 23 November 1805 – 14 May 1881) was a British-Jamaican businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War.She described this as "a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers", and provided succour for wounded servicemen on the battlefield. Mrs Grant was a respected ‘doctress’ who like many Jamaican women practised Creole or Afro-Caribbean medicine.

She was a ‘doctress’ who practised Creole or Afro-Caribbean medicine and learnt nursing and herbalism from her mother. Her autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, was a best seller. Mary Seacole, Jamaican businesswoman who provided sustenance and care for British soldiers at the battlefront during the Crimean War. Among her patients were many British Army and Navy officers and their families. Discover our hand selected merchandise range as well as books on Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale.

For a century her fame and achievements died with those who knew her, but recently she has been remembered and restored to our history. She continued to practise as a ‘doctress’ in London and when visiting Jamaica. She had many joyful reunions with soldiers she had known years earlier in Jamaica.