JM04 – Mary Seacole

Stitcher: Sir Geoff Palmer

Mary Seacole (1805-1881) was the daughter of a Scottish military officer and a free Jamaican and wrote of her “good Scots blood”. After learning the basics of medicine from her mother, she became a respectable hotelier and entrepreneur. After travelling to England, Seacole made her way to the the Crimea to establish the “British Hotel” where sick and injured officers could recover in comfort, whilst she also gave help to front line troops around Tchernaya. Part club and part hospice, the British Hotel was also Seacole’s business and the peace of 1856 left her virtually bankrupt but certainly a celebrity.

JM04 Màiri Seacole
B’ e Màiri Seacole (1805–1881) nighean oifigeir airm Albannach agus Iameucanach saor agus bhiodh i a’ sgrìobhadh mu dheidhinn a “fuil mhath Albannach”. An dèidh cùisean bunasach leigheis ionnsachadh bho a màthair, thàinig i gu bhith na h-òstair agus na h-iomairtiche air an robh meas. An dèidh siubhal a Shasainn, rinn Seacole a slighe don Chrimea gus an “Taigh-òsta Breatannach” a chur air bhonn, far am faodadh oifigearan a bha bochd agus leònte an slàinte fhaighinn air ais ann an cofhurtachd, fhad ’s a bha i cuideachd a’ dèanamh cobhair air saighdearan aig an aghaidh mu thimcheall Tchernaya. Mar phàirt chlub agus pàirt ospais, b’ e gnothachas Seacole a bh’ anns an Taigh-òsta Bhreatannach ach ged a dh’fhàg an t-sìth i ann an 1856 cha mhòr banca-briste, gu dearbh b’ e neach iomraiteach a bh’ innte.