Celebrating Black History Month Promote knowledge of black history Promote knowledge of black history To enlighten people about the contributions made by black people To enlighten people about the contributions made by black people

Mary Seacole was born in Kingston in Jamaica in 1805.

Her mother was Jamaican and her father was a Scottish soldier.

Her mother was a nurse and treated people with local medicines and herbs.

Mary played at being a nurse with her dolls and pet animals.

At the age of 12, Mary was helping her mother to nurse sick people.

We don't know if she went to school but she could read and write.

Mary loved to watch boats and she wanted to travel.

Mary opened a hotel in Jamaica. She cared for ill soldiers and their families.

When she was young Mary travelled a lot. This was unusual for a woman then.

The Crimean War began in 1854 and Mary wanted to help the wounded soldiers.

She travelled to England, but no one accepted her offer to nurse ill soldiers.

Mary was determined to go to the Crimea and paid her own fare there.

She visited Florence Nightingale's hospital, but Mary had her own plans.

She opened her British Hotel which was 2 miles from the fighting in Balaclava.

She sold soldiers things they needed such as tins of soup, linen, saddles and boots.

She cooked meals like Irish stew and rice pudding for the soldiers.

Mary ran a daily clinic to help ill soldiers.

Mary also helped on the battlefield, at times even under cannon fire.

The men loved her and called her ‘Mother Seacole.’ She was very kind.

At the end of the war she was left with many unsold things in her shop.

When she returned to Britain Mary had no money, but her friends helped her.

As well as the soldiers, many British people liked her.

Mary was given medals by Britain, Turkey and France for her bravery in the war.

She wrote a book about her life. It was a best-seller at that time.

Mary died in 1881 aged 76. She is buried in London in England.

Mary Seacole Born Died 1881.