Crimean War and Florence Nightingale Essay

Submitted By 08lwilliams
Words: 360
Pages: 2

Why is Mary Seacole famous?
What she did
Mary Seacole went to the Crimean War, to help British soldiers. She nursed sick and wounded soldiers. When battles were raging, she gave everyone food, blankets, clean clothes and kindness. The soldiers called her 'Mother Seacole'.
When she lived
Mary was born in 1805, on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. She first visited Britain as a young woman. Later she ran a hotel in Panama. After her adventures in the Crimean War (1854-1856), she lived in Britain. She died in London in 1881.
Why we remember Mary Seacole
Mary Seacole did what few other women did in the Victorian age. She was a traveller. She ran a business. She went to a war. If people refused to help her, perhaps because of racial prejudice, she still did what she believed was right. She risked her life to help others.
In the Crimea
Mary is turned away
Mary arrived in Britain three days before Florence Nightingale left for the Crimea, with a party of nurses. Mary offered to be part of a second group of nurses heading out to join Florence but she was unsuccessful when she was interviewed.
Off to war
Mary was not put off. In London, she met Thomas Day, a friend from Panama. They agreed to go to the Crimea. In January 1855, Mary set off by ship, with medicines and stores. She wrote letters to Army friends telling them her plans.
In Turkey, Mary visited the Army hospital and met Florence Nightingale. Then she took a ship across the Black Sea to the