In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon

by Helen Rappaport

From New York Times bestselling author Helen Rappaport comes a superb and revealing biography of Mary Seacole that is testament to her remarkable achievements and corrective to the myths that have grown around her.Raised in Jamaica, Mary Seacole first came to England in the 1850s after working in Panama.  She wanted to volunteer as a nurse and aide during the Crimean War.  When her services were rejected, she financed her own expedition to Balaclava, where her reputation for her nursing—and for her compassion—became almost legendary.  Popularly known as ‘Mother Seacole’, she was the most famous Black celebrity of her generation—an extraordinary achievement in Victorian Britain.   She regularly mixed with illustrious royal and military patrons and they, along with grateful war veterans, helped her recover financially when she faced bankruptcy. However, after her death in 1881, she was largely forgotten. More recently, her profile has been revived and her reputation lionised, with a statue of her standing outside St Thomas's Hospital in London and her portrait—rediscovered by the author—now on display in the National Portrait Gallery. In Search of Mary Seacole is the fruit of almost twenty years of research and reveals the truth about Seacole's personal life, her "rivalry" with Florence Nightingale, and other misconceptions. Vivid and moving, In Search of Mary Seacole shows that reality is oftem more remarkable and more dramatic than the legend. 

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

Audiobook

Published February 17, 2022

About the author

Helen Rappaport is a historian specialising in the Victorian period, with a particular interest in Queen Victoria and the Jamaican healer and caregiver, Mary Seacole. She also has written extensively on late Imperial Russia, the 1917 Revolution and the Romanov family. Her love of all things Victorian springs from her childhood growing up near the River Medway where Charles Dickens lived and worked. Her passion for Russian came from a Russian Special Studies BA degree course at Leeds University. In 2017 she was awarded an honorary D.Litt by Leeds for her services to history. She is also a member of the Royal Historical Society, the Genealogical Society, the Society of Authors and the Victorian Society. She lives in the West Country, and has an enduring love of the English countryside and the Jurassic Coast, but her ancestral roots are in the Orkneys and Shetlands from where she is descended on her father's side. She likes to think she has Viking blood.

Helen is the author of 14 published books with 2 forthcoming in 2022:

"In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon" - Simon & Schuster UK, 17 February 2022

"After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris through Revolution and War" - St Martin's Press USA, 8 March 2022

For her next project she is working on a biography of Juliane of Saxe-Coburg aka Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia

Follow her also on Facebook at:
HelenRappaportWriter

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard a little about Mary Seacole before but didn't know much so I was immediately intrigued in picking up this biography of her work and life and was not disappointed. Well written and while it was a rather long ebook it didn't feel at all sluggish to get through.

[Katie.dorny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Seacole is an ICON - what a wonderful book detailing this woman’s life from Jamaica, then Panama, England to the Crimean War and and back again.

Without this author’s work at discovering Mary and her life (plus her social celebrity in Victorian times) I would never have heard of her. Which considering her influence in Britain during her life would have Ben a travesty.

This book was rich in detail and storytelling, a new bit of British history that I’m so glad to have discovered.

[Adaeze Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic fantastic book.

It was almost like watching a documentary- fascinating history with pictures. I learnt so much more about Mary Seacole and it has lead me to read more about mixed race people in the Victorian times and earlier, and feels good to know people like me existed hundreds of years ago 🥹

[Melissa S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Seacole was one of the subjects of my masters thesis and at the time I was more concerned with handing it in on time than I was in learning more about this fascinating historical figure. So it was so awesome to stumble across this book recently and rekindle our acquaintance. Rappaport has conducted exhaustive research to fill in the many gaps in Mary's life and creates a balanced and detailed account of her life and legacy, although I would have liked even more of the author's own research journey. Really enjoyable.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I knew about Mary Seacole before now was that she was a nurse and she wasn’t Florence Nightingale. Well it turns out she wasn’t even a nurse - or was she? What’s clever about this book is that it isn’t just a straight biography of Mary Seacole. It also deals a lot in truth and interpretation - in the fact that Mary Seacole’s own memoir was littered with omissions and untruths aimed at better satisfying the narrative her white English Victorian audience craved. And the fact that the precise definition of her story and contribution has been obfuscated by differing interpretations of what a nurse, and indeed a 19th century Black woman, should be - is nursing a regulated job, or does nursing just mean to provide care? If it’s done - god forbid - for profit, notoriety, or even just for basic sustenance, does that taint it? In addition to learning a lot about this formidable lady, the book was an interesting look at how a biography is never fixed, and Mary Seacole’s history is still being constantly written and rewritten.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really interested to read this biography of Mary Seacole a nurse in the Crimean war. I had heard of her only in recent years when the school I worked at began teaching the year two children about her rather than Florence Nightingale. So a definitive biography giving an insight into the life of this 19th century woman sounded to good to pass up.
Alas it turned our it was not for me. The Sunday Times described it as "lively and entertaining". I am not sure I was reading the same book. As someone who has done quite a bit of genealogical research I found the many instances where it was stated that this or that record, couldn't be found, and the constant supposition - maybe this happened 0r maybe that but we really don't know - quite irritating. Needlessly long and detailed descriptions of historical background didn't help my reading experience either. I found myself wishing I could just read Mary's own autobiography which Ms Rappaport quotes frequently throughout the book. I ended up skim reading to the end in an effort to finish. In fairness I do feel I have learn't more about this fascinating woman but I can't say I enjoyed the experience.

[MzMay · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can't criticize this book for lack of research. It is thorough. 2 stars because Rappaport seemed so intent on poking holes in Seacole's autobiography, as if trying to prove her lying. Much of this was in aspects unimportant to Seacole's role in history. For example, does it really matter who owned the boarding home? Things like that. It made her positive remarks about Seacole seem insincere.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biographer Helen Rappaport has brought to new life the dynamic, daring, caregiving Mary Seacole, whose memory was for many years forgotten, in this remarkable look at history, racial issues, medical treatment and women’s liberation.

Seacole was born in Jamaica in 1805 to a local woman, Rebecca Grant, and a Scottish father serving in the British military. Grant ran a boarding house and practiced her healing skills based on traditional herbal remedies. Both these skill sets were inherited by Seacole. She married a British merchant who may have wanted her for her nursing abilities, as he was an invalid whose passing invoked her wanderlust. She journeyed on her own to Panama, where her brother operated a boarding house, and she learned even more about standard medical practice from his patrons.

Perhaps most significantly, though, Seacole began to develop various poultices that often had a positive effect on those suffering from the plague of cholera. In Panama, meeting Americans and encountering the “n” word for the first time, and during a later stay in England, she gained perspective about the way that people of darker skin tones might be treated by whites in the wider world.

When the Crimean War was in its early stages, Seacole applied through official channels to use her nursing skills there. Turned down in nearly every instance, almost certainly due to her race, she simply did what she generally did when faced with resistance and went there on her own. She opened a little boarding facility for the sick and wounded, and treated soldiers not only with her naturopathic remedies but also with good humor, warm drinks and home-baked sweets, earning from her patients the well-meant sobriquet “The Good Samaritan of the Crimea.”

Recognition of Seacole’s positive, folk-based approach to healing and the many lives she may have saved with her self-devised techniques has caused some controversy. Some see it as unfairly supplanting Florence Nightingale’s place as a founder of modern nursing. But Seacole gradually has been given her fair due in England and elsewhere, and doubtless will garner further acclaim thanks to Rappaport’s vivid portrayal.

The author of such works as THE LAST DAYS OF THE ROMANOVS and CAUGHT IN THE REVOLUTION, Rappaport has applied her researching talents to introduce us to and broaden our understanding of Seacole. Though she composed her own short but lively autobiography after the Crimean War, Seacole remained largely unknown until recently. Not only has Rappaport tirelessly ferreted out many obscure facts about Seacole and her family and associates, she also discovered, purchased and displays in this work a painting made of her heroine that now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

Mary Seacole was, as Rappaport asserts, “a self-starting, self-supporting woman in a white man’s world.” Her story, which still holds mysteries that Rappaport eventually hopes to uncover, offers a new generation “the face of Everywoman.”

Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott

[Cazi3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in my 60s and was not aware of MS at anytime during my education , but for the last 10 years I may never have heard of her. A massive thank you to the author and the extensive 20 year in the making.

Born in the early 1800s in a time where prejudice and white supremacy was the norm and colonialism was at its height in the West Indies. I can understand the frustration in the research, in finding out more personal information about Mary’s immediate heritage including her true father, siblings half or otherwise and daughter have led the author down many a blind alley, probably due to Mary always having to be on her guard and being aware of her place in society which was not meant for oppressed people of colour. She was still able to show humour and humility in the darkest of circumstances.

The bravery , pride and self belief Mary showed throughout her relatively long life for that time is simply remarkable. Her resilience and endurance was nothing more than astounding for such a time. Panama and the Crimean war stood out most for me and dully noted by many a high ranking officer with medals awarded noting her courage and humility during the Crimean war. A first for a woman of colour !

Her stoicism and determination in such horrific circumstances amongst death and disease brought shame and gratitude that I was not born in such a time, as I would not have wanted to endure the sheer hardship let alone the obvious assumptions that my colour would always be a disadvantage and I at best may have ended up as a house maid. Here we are more than a century later and the truth amongst such heroines are being revealed, making my life and those of my children a bit easier. The likes of Katherine Johnson, with her extraordinary brain and magic figures for the NASA project. How many more black historians that have left their mark are yet to be revealed.

The discoverer of a land can write their own truth but like in the case of MS, real events cannot lay buried forever. In turn may Mary Seacole’s extraordinary life be in our hearts and minds forever and taught in our classrooms along with the real truth of the notorious Florence Nightingale whom I heard about before I was 5. I’m so pleased I’ve read this book and will recommend it to others 5⭐️

[Michael Bully · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get the impression that here in Britain the life of Mary Seacole has become trapped in some sort of culture war : The very title shows that the author has picked her side as it were. Personally I would strongly encourage anyone interested in Mary Seacole just to read her own autobiography 'The Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole in Many Lands' as a starting point. The above author is a very esteemed historian who does their research thoroughly but felt at the end of the book didn't really recognise the 'Mary Seacole' from this biography compared from reading 'The Wonderful Adventures '......In her own words, Mary Seacole comes over as someone emphasising their mixed raced origin, proud of being part Scottish, a business woman, an entrepreneur, skilled in the hospitality industry and her shop in the Crimea near the battle lines flourished until Peace was declared and the servicemen started to leave the region.Her work ethic was strong. Mary Seacole was capable of being racist and anti-racist during her time in Jamaica and her travels in Central America. Her loyalty to Britain and the Empire, to the royalty was fierce. Mary Seacole was certainly trying hard during her travels to help the sick and show basic human empathy. In the Crimea she would give away stock to soldiers who could not afford to go to her hostel/shop. But feel that in the above biography too little analysis was offered in looking at the Mary Seacole's approach to medicine and her claims to be such a skilled nurse which many of her 21st century admirers highlight. This biography seemed to be too planted in the pro- Mary Seacole camp. With a more objectivity, could have been so much better.

[Etta Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

[bookcover:In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon|
Fascinating account of a nineteenth-century woman born in colonial Jamaica who traveled much, making a name and a way for herself. She is perhaps best known now for her work as a "nurse" in Crimea during the war in 1854-56. I put the word "nurse" in quotation marks, because her services were neither exactly what would be labeled nursing today, nor were her works limited to caring for the ill. I'll leave my comments at that for now.
I first knew of Seacole's life and story through her own account, published in 1857. (I read a version republished in the late-twentieth century.) Rappaport's history fills in many of the gaps in Seacole's autobiography and explains why Seacole presented herself as she did. These gaps surround Seacole's position as a mixed-race "free" woman--especially related to family life and interpersonal relations. That is, her siblings, her children, her parents are part of the mysteries Rappaport unfolds, with evidence or, when without evidence, by fully acknowledging what facts are available. In addition to the family issues, Seacole's military medals and their validity have been debated since the nineteenth century, and Rappaport provides her view of how these awards and the debates about them came to be.
Perhaps most interesting to me, from the perspective of nursing, was the vexed relationship between Seacole and Florence Nightingale. Also interesting from the perspective of travel and an entrepreneurial woman was Seacole's time in Panama.
No regrets about reading this book!

[Tiana Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book I thought I knew a fair bit about who Mary Seacole was, it turns out I barely touched the tip of the iceberg in understanding Mary and the life she lived and the impact she had. This book is a brilliant piece of history, it is well researched and draws on current historical schaolarship and evidence. It also works to bust down many misconceptions that have commonly been told about Mary over the years, some of which she managed to create all by herself.

Mary Seacole was clearly a force to be reckoned with in her time. Fiercely independent, determined and ambitious both as a Black person but also as a woman. She challenged all that was considered normal and did whatever she saw fit. Her ingenuity knew no bounds and she had a reputation for juggling multiple plates at a time, be it nurse, cook, business owner, supplier, or friend. She adapted to the environment she was in and made friends in the right places.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the formidable, powerhouse that was Mary Seacole. However, it is a heavy read in terms of critical historical analysis so you must be in the right frame of mind to take on this reading challenge. You will need to concentrate properly as you take in Helen Rappaport's theories and evidence, in order to really appreciate and to really discover who Mary Seacole was.

[Margaret HG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, well read by the author, who carried me along through Mary's life and added an impressive level of detail. Even when there was a lull in her adventures I enjoyed learning more about Mary's life and times and the many myths that surrounded her, often scotched along the way by the author. Mary was loved and appreciated by the men she supported but was not given the lasting public recognition she deserved until recently. This book forensically documents her life and her achievements but is much more than just a factual account. It warmly portrays her personality, her bravery and her ingenuity in meeting and overcoming the many challenges and barriers she faced. An excellent book that should ensure Mary and her ribbons are remembered and should help her keep her rightful place in history.

[Liz G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm ashamed to say that I had not heard of Mary Seacole until she featured in a 'Doctor Who' episode. I immediately wanted to find out more and lucky for me, one of my colleagues at work happened to be reading this book and recommended it to me.

I found the book to be well written, informative and eye opening and it inspired me to post about this read on other social media platforms to spread the word about this highly inspirational woman who I feel has been white-washed from our (the UK's) history.

Slight spoiler but I also really want to visit sites in London where there are artworks depicting this incredible woman.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched and written book about a woman who has become something of an icon in today's culture. Deservedly so for her remarkable courage and initiative in travelling independently to the Crimea to see what she could do to support the soldiers suffering from disease and injury. We share the author's frustration at the difficulties of finding original source material and she is refreshingly honest about the difficulties involved. She also locates Mary firmly in the context of her time resisting the temptation to impose contemporary values on her.

[Valorie Mcclelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Seacole's life is a fascinating story, but the book can be a bit of a slog to read. It is more of a history book, including comments about the author's research and conflicting information about Mary's life, rather than a story of her life. I would have preferred if there was more of a narrative flow and the conflicting information and research details relegated to notes. But, certainly worth a read for those interested in learning more about unsung female heroes.

[Katie]

Another random library find, this was both an informative history lesson covering a person & events I was not familiar with, and a voice to the biographer's/genealogist's challenge in fleshing out fully and correctly a human life based only on what documentation might remain. I often wonder what stories and intrigues lie behind an immigrant manifest entry or marriage record...

[LittlePiscesReading · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Lisal Kayati Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating well-researched read!

[Freya Hutchins]

Review TBA

[Vivien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting how much information can be gleaned from meticulous research. I listened to the audiobook, not sure I would have actually read it. Mary Seacole was an absolutely amazing woman. Shame that there were no more discoveries about her daughter.