The spirit of Mary Seacole joins us on our riverside and hedgerow adventures in nature.
Mary was born in Jamaica in 1805 where she developed powerful healing skills using local herbal remedies. She described that her mother, 'a doctress', 'passed her the arts of Creole medicine'. She put her skills to use aiding the sick of the Royal Navy, both learning from and teaching the Navy's surgeons. Her abilities earned her great respect and made her many dear and loyal friendships who remained true throughout her life.
In 1850 she travelled to the then wild and lawless Panama where her reputation was further enhanced as she treated epidemics of cholera (the local doctor having fled the town) - again using natural remedies such as mustard and ginger in her treatments.
Mary's fame though was achieved in the Crimea. At the outbreak of war in 1853 she funded herself to travel to England, leaving in 1854 at the age of nearly 50 to join Florence Nightingale's nursing expedition. Rejected again and again due to racial discrimination she determined to travel to the Crimea on her own and to fund her work there by opening 'The British Hotel' at the front. Where Florence Nightingale was engaged in hospital reform back in Scutari (three days travel away from the front) Mary headed directly to the battle lines.
After six weeks at the port of Balaclava treating the injured on the dock side as they arrived from battle to be left on bloodied stretchers, her intuitive and loving care earned her the respect of soldiers, sailors and doctors alike.
Arriving with her stores at the trenches at the siege of Sebastopol she built her hotel, store, and dispensary out of anything to hand and set about providing home comforts and medical care to soldiers of both sides.
At the height of battle she was to be seen riding amongst the dead and dying of the battlefield wearing a favourite dress and hat, applying remedies, careful surgery, and tender care to the wounded. When Sebastopol fell Mary was the first woman to enter the town, administering to the injured and providing comfort where she could.
Bankrupted by her efforts she arrived back in England to fame and gratitude, having been awarded decorations by the English, French, Russians and Turkish.
Following bankrupcy a four day fund raising festival was held in her honour at the Royal Surrey Gardens with over 80,000 people attending. Later, another fund was raised backed by Queen Victoria herself. She later became masseusse to the Princess of Wales.
As a military paramedic myself who was occassionally able to use natural remedies in acute care situations I empathise with Mary but could never identify my experiences with the harshness and brutality of the conditions she willingly endured or the depth of knowledge and instinctive loving care that characterised her.
I know, as I write this, that this short passage will be inadequate in profiling 'Mother Seacole' and I apologise to you for not being able to do the subject justice.
When you adventure with us you adventure with the spirit of Mary with you.
You can find out more about Mary by clicking here.
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