The Sunday Gleaner March 8, 1987 REAlEMBERING MARY SEACOLE By Frank Cameron eastern Europe. Not being able to travel to the war area. she contrived to form a partnrshlp with one Mr. Day to go to Crimea and open a ODAY IS being observed as Inter­ store. There she was able to be near the scene national Women's Day and in of war. On the way, friends In Malta gave her a keeping with the theme for this letter of Introduction to Florence Nightingale T who was then breaking new ground as founder year. "Women for National Development of the British Red Cross and giving valuable and Peace," it ts an opportune time ti:> service In ihe bitter Crimea War. look at the history of this our nation to Mary Seacole worked unceasingly for the see something of the heritage of which we sick, suffering and dying In the hospitals at have been heirs. This Is a foundation on Sevestopol and Balak.lava on a scale hardly which our national fabric can be fashion­ known before In military history. When the ed. war was over, she returned to England and People are motivated by the pattern of the afterwards Jamaica with a deformed Index past as well as by the challenge of the present finger on one hand which was caused by a and the future. It Is therefore wise to bring Into Russian soldier from whose mouth she was focus today, one of the heroines that this trying to extract a bullet when In his dea~ country produced -- MARY SEACOLE. Despite throes he closed his teeth on her finger. the fact a ward at the Kingston Public Hospital Two medals which she was awarded for her and a hall at the University of the West Indies service In the Crimean War are still In the are named In her honour. there may not be gallery of the Institute of Jamaica. Despite all many In the succeeding generations after her this, however. there were some detractors who death, who remember her accomplishments. regarded her as a sutler, who Is a person These make It necessary for her to be regarded following armies selling provisions and liquor as one of the heroines of this Island and she to troops. She died here In 1881. has been often referred to as the Florence It can be said of her as was said of her Nightingale of Jamaica. Early In her life she travelled extensively, contemporary Florence Nightingale "perhaps Always caring the sick first to England then to Cuba and Haiti and no one woman In all history has been the paid two visits to Panama. On the first such means of saving so many lives as the Lady of She was born at a house In lower East visit, there was an outbreak of cholera and her the Lamp. She seemed never to tire and night Street In Kingston which was known as services were much In demand. From this she after ntght would go softly round the wards Blondell Hall where her mother kept a gaJned great experience. carrying her shaded lamp." boarding house. This was a short distance She married a Mr. Seacole with whom she What the American poet Henry Wadsworth south of the premises of the present Institute opened and for some time managed a store In Longfellow said in paying tribute to Miss of Jamaica. Her father was a young Scottish Black River and when he died. she continued Nightingale In his poem "Santa Filomena," can army officer and at an early age she displayed to be Involved wherever there was a stcJmess also be said of Mary Seacole. a tendency towards nursing and "doctoring" and need for medical help as when an which she Inherited from her mother. epidemic of yellow fever broke out ta JamaJca •A Lady wtth a Lamp shall stand Whenever the opportunity pre.ritlited Itself she In 1853. She was a victim dr lhtt ~ 1n the great history of the land, was always caring for the sick and she herself, but recovered and •as ready to to to A noble type of good. acquired many skills In this jlon. Crimea when the war brok' out In ~µ - lflero(C womanhood." National Library of Jamaica.