Mary Couzens - Editor’s Feature: Beyond Black History Month Mary Seacole (1805-1881) and Forgotten Woman - The Story of the Life and Travels of Mary Seacole Cleo Sylvestre as Mary Seacole photo courtesy of Rosemary Branch Theatre
Rosemary Branch Theatre 2 Shepperton Road
Written and performed by Cleo Sylvestre
“I trust that England will not forget one who nursed her sick, who sought out her wounded to aid and succour them, and who performed the last offices for some of her illustrious dead." Sir William H. Russell, the famous Times newspaper Crimean war correspondent, 1857
About Mary Seacole In 1984, the autobiography of Mary Seacole, originally published in 1857, was once again in print, thanks to the efforts of Ziggi Alexander and Audrey Dewjee, editors of an edition published by Falling Wall Press. The Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole in Many Lands details the life of a brave, determined nursing pioneer that history had all but forgotten. For far too long, Mary Seacole had remained hidden in the shadows outside of the glow of that very famous 'Lady of the Lamp', Florence Nightingale. Mary Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1805, of a Scottish soldier, and a Jamaican mulatto, and acquired her nursing skills from her mother, who ran a boarding house for invalid soldiers. Although she was considered 'free', because she was of mixed race, she and her family had very few civil rights, and were barred from voting, holding public office, or entering professions. Amazingly for the time, Mary, whose 1836 marriage ended with the death of her husband, Edwin Horatio Seacole, godson of Admiral Horatio Nelson in 1844, travelled to many destinations, including Cuba, The Bahamas, Haiti, Central America, and Britain, gathering medical information wherever she went. In 1844, on a return trip to Britain, when the war office refused her request to nurse soldiers in the Crimea because of her ethnicity, Mary funded her own trip there, thus establishing her place in history as 'Mother Seacole.'
Review of Forgotten Woman Cleo Sylvestre’s one woman show about the life and times of Mary Seacole, Forgotten Woman definitely filled in a gap in my shamefully limited knowledge of Black History. Like many people, I’d heard of Mrs. Seacole, as a kind of Black Florence Nightingale, but it wasn’t until I saw this informative, entertaining play, that I was able to get an idea of the extent of her strength of character and genuine selflessness. Forgotten Woman is based on Mother Seacole’s autobiography, entitled, The Life and Travels of Mary Seacole, which became a bestselling book when it was first published in 1857.
Multi-talented actress/playwright Cleo Sylvestre imbues her depiction of Mary with the knowing mix of buoyancy and reality which would have been Mother Seacole’s saving grace in times of trouble. Throughout the performance, I had the distinct impression that the actress had given herself over to the role, and was thoroughly enjoying herself in the process. After all, educating people would have been one of Mrs. Seacole’s fortes, and the purpose of Forgotten Women is the same. Mary Couzens
Editor’s Note : Forgotten Woman has received very positive feedback from its audiences at among other venues, The Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery and Florence Nightingale Museum, which is especially apt, in light of the fact that 2005 marks the centenary of Mary Seacole’s birth.
On October 11th, 2005, a green commemorative plaque was installed on the wall of Mary Seacole’s former home at 147 George Street, W1 by the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Tim Joiner in the presence of many well wishers and dignitaries. This brave, pioneering nurse was also voted number one in a poll to elect the Top 100 Black Britains of all time, conducted by The Guardian last year, despite the fact that her likeness is absent from the London Crimea War Memorial, (erected in 1915) which stands near the junction of Lower Regent Street and Pall Mall, and displays, among other icons of that era, a statue of Florence Nightingale. In 2003, a campaign was launched by Clive Soley MP (now Lord Soley) for Ealing Acton & Shepherds Bush to have a statue erected in Mrs. Seacole’s honour in London, but additional funding will be necessary before a fitting memorial to the truly benevolent spirit of this great woman can become a tangible reality.
For more information, or to contribute, see Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal www.maryseacoleappeal.org.uk. The Guardian list online can be viewed on - www.100greatblackbritons.com
On November 20th, 1973, a ceremony was held in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green to re-consecrate the grave of Mary Seacole, which had recently been re-discovered and cared for by a group of kindly Jamaican women.
Due to the success of the October performances of Forgotten Woman, there will be another 4 shows at weekends in November! Saturday and Sunday - November 5 and 6 And the following weekend – 12 th and 13 th All shows at 2.30pm Families welcome!
Forgotten Woman - The Story of the Life and Travels of Mary Seacole
written and performed by Cleo Sylvestre Tickets – £5.00 each, £3.00 concessions
London N1 3DT Book Now!
To book, ring the Rosemary Branch Theatre's 24 hour box office - 020 7704 2730 and pick your tickets up on the door, or e-mail Cecilia Darker, Artistic Director*
The Rosemary Branch Theatre is easily accessible via the following buses: 73 bus from Oxford Street
For more info about the Theatre, Upcoming Plays and Shows, Bar or Tempting Menu, contact * (along with Cleo Sylvestre)
Suggested Reading for Nurses and Students : A short history of Mary Seacole: a resource for nurses and students by Professor Elizabeth Anionwu, Published by the Royal College of Nursing, July 2005. The book costs £4.50 and can be ordered from RCNDIRECT on 0845 772 6100 - quote publication code: 002499. B Book information courtesy of http://www.maryseacole.com
The Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole in Many Lands was printed in a Penguin Edition in Feb. 2005
Coming Soon…
Another ‘Must See’ at the Rosemary Branch Theatre
GRASSROOTS THEATRE COMPANY The Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2 Shepperton Road, N1 5BE November 14 at 7.30pm minimum donation £10
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