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I search the web and raise money for the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal with Everyclick. Join me: http://www.everyclick.com/elizabethanionwu For information concerning Mary Seacole events please click here to go to Events page. Wednesday 20th August 2008: Written confirmation from Crossrail with reassurance concerning status of Mary Seacole Blue Plaque site. Here is an extract [the key section put in bold by me]: 020 3023 9100 Dear Elizabeth Anionwu, ......The above property is within the consultation
limits as defined by the Safeguarding Direction.
However, this property will not be affected by the
Crossrail project. Tuesday 19th August 2008 Nursing Standard have been given a verbal assurance that No. 14 Soho Square, W1D 3QG [unlike nearby houses] will NOT be affected by the Crossrail redevelopment. I am still awaiting written confirmation from Crossrail. Possible threat to Mary Seacole Blue Plaque site? I have received this letter from Gavin Smith at Liverpool University: _______________________________________________________________________________________ August 17th 2008 Dear Colleagues, I have contacted Gavin for more information as I have found it impossible to locate the relevant information on the Crossrail link website but have emailed them so fingers crossed that more details will be forthcoming - I couldn't find anything about it on the Greater London Authority site either http://www.london.gov.uk/ . If anybody does find the information please do contact me via elizabeth.anionwu@tvu.ac.uk !!
Expressions of interest from artists are invited. The Trust is also keen to receive recommendations from the public for accomplished artists thought to be appropriate as well as possible benefactors and sponsors willing to support the memorial. Requests for information should be made in writing and sent no later than the 21st of July 2008 to: Ms Philomena Davidson The Davidson Arts Partnership (DAP) 34 Quainton Street London NW10 0BE or by email: phil@davidsonarts.com Saturday 10th May 2008 Here is a photo taken by Elizabeth Anionwu at the wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of Mary Seacole - organised by the Mary Seacole Memorial Association. Amongst the dignitaries featured is Dawn Butler, MP for Brent South - far left in image.
The new branding design for the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal [see left] was undertaken [free of charge] by Lucy of Davidson Arts Partnership - many thanks! We are also very grateful to the sculptor Fowokan [aka George Kelly] for allowing us to use the image of a bust of Mary Seacole that he sculpted. The new logo was launched at the fundraising dinner on 21/2/2008. Some photos of the event below courtesy of David Gee photographer and Nursing Standard.
Please click here on Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal (MSMSA) if you would like to make an online donation. Many thanks! Please click here on Latest News page from the appeal website to be up-to-date with various developments. March 2008: The Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Award scheme has been announced for 2008 and applications are invited by Wednesday 7th May 2008. Leadership awards are worth £12,500 and development awards are worth £6,250. The closing date for applications is 7th May 2008. Application forms with further details will be available to download from March 2008 on the Chief Nursing Officer’s website http://www.dh.gov.uk/cno as well as the following participating organisations’ websites:
Or may be obtained by email from Bukola Samuel at the Department of Health on bukola.samuel@dh.gsi.gov.uk . Completed forms must be returned to Bukola Samuel to arrive no later than Wednesday 7th May 2008. For further details click here for Leadership Award flyer and click here for the Development Award flyer [both in PDF format]. 29th November 2007: At last!! Mary Seacole Blue Plaque is unveiled at 14 Soho Square, London W1D 3QG in front of a huge crowd of supporters. The ceremony was jointly organised by English Heritage and the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal
Left in picture: The Right Hon. Margaret Hodge MP, Minister for Culture who made a speech at the unveiling. Right in picture: Professor Elizabeth Anionwu, CBE FRCN, Vice-Chairperson of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal who unveiled the Blue Plaque to Mary Seacole. They are looking out of the window of 14 Soho Square that overlooks the Blue Plaque. Mary Seacole resided here in 1857, the same year that she wrote her autobiography. Tottenham Court Station is the nearest tube station. Use the Oxford Street exit and then take the first left into Soho Street to Soho Square.
Pupils from Wyvil Primary School, Vauxhall in Lambeth join dignitaries at the unveiling. They had recently done a project about Mary Seacole in collaboration with Black Cultural Archives. 7th November 2007: GM TV reports the results of the health insurer BCWA survey showing that 9% of 1,019 people questioned recognised the name of Mary Seacole. This compared with 35% for Florence Nightingale. 13th September 2007 - Brilliant news re
Blue Plaque for Mary Seacole! I have been informed by Caroline Mathews, Blue Plaques Coordinator for English Heritage that the Blue Plaque for Mary Seacole has at last found a home and will in due course be seen at 14 Soho Square W1D 3QG in London, an address where Mary once lived. Here is her message: 'I am pleased to tell you that English Heritage has now find a obtained consent from Red Bull technology to erect a blue plaque at 14 Soho Square, London. Further details on the plaque unveiling will follow shortly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing practice for its continuing support'. So watch this space.... October 2007: You can now read Mary Seacole's 1857 autobiography FREE online via the Project Gutenberg online library via: http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=588279 17th August 2007: Mary Seacole is featured in list of Britain's Greatest Black Achievers in an exhibition at Liverpool's International Slavery Museum www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/ Click here to read feature in The Independent. August 2007: RETIREMENT OF PROFESSOR ELIZABETH ANIONWU Professor Elizabeth Anionwu retired on the 1st August 2007 and in the same month all staff at the Ealing site [Westel House] where the Centre was based are relocating to Paragon House, Thames Valley University, Boston Manor Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 96A - [near the entrance of the M4 motorway]. Dr Dave Sookhoo, Principal Lecturer [Research] dave.sookhoo@tvu.ac.uk will devote part of his time to continuing the activities of the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice. Thames Valley University have given Elizabeth the honorary award of Emeritus Professor of Nursing. This will allow her to maintain a 'virtual' link with the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences as she will retain her university email address elizabeth.anionwu@tvu.ac.uk As part of her new role Elizabeth will continue to update this section of the website that is concerned with Mary Seacole. BUT for queries concerning aspects of Diversity work at the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences please email: dave.sookhoo@tvu.ac.uk Thank you. 24th July 2007: Click here to read the article by Stuart Flitton in The Times today concerning the Artist Selection Panel that has been chosen for the Mary Seacole Memorial and other updates on the appeal. 20th June 2007: My sincere thanks to Bob Webzell ARPS, Photographer and Senior Lecturer in Health Care at the Faculty of Health & Human Sciences, Thames Valley University [TVU] for providing me with the following images of the late Mrs Connie Mark, BEM MBE. Bob took them at the concert that launched the TVU Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice on 16th July, 1998 at Ealing Town Hall. As you can see, the photos show not only Connie in full swing recounting the poems of Louise Bennett but also the wonderful reaction of the audience. What a brilliant memory of Connie.
18th June 2007: £500 raised at the funeral service of Mrs Connie Mark on Friday 15th June has been donated to the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal following the wishes of her daughter Amru Goodrich. Some Published Obituaries of Mrs Connie Mark 16th June 2007: click here to read the obituary of Mrs Connie Mark published in today's Guardian and written by Margaret Busby. 2nd August 2007: click here to read The Times obituary. 22nd August 2007: click here to read The Independent obituary by Clayton Goodwin. 3rd June 2007: Passing of Mrs Connie Mark BEM MBE It is with great sadness that the news has been announced that Mrs Connie Mark, BEM MBE died on Sunday
3rd June 2007.
Connie was a founder
member and President
of the Mary Seacole
Memorial Association
and was one of the
main pioneers
involved in the
efforts to renovate
and maintain the
grave of Mary
Seacole.
Connie worked
tirelessly to
promote the
achievements of Mary
Seacole to young and
old. We are
all in her debt.The photo on the right was taken by Elizabeth Anionwu in 2003 when Connie is seen at an event held in her honour to celebrate her 80th birthday held at the Priory Community Centre in Acton, London. Those included in the photo include Margaret Noel of the Descendants Group [of which Connie was a Patron]; Sister Monica Tywang, former Chairperson of the Mary Seacole Memorial Association; Keith Waithe, flautist , Mia Morris, Director of Well Placed Consultancy and the Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham. View the photo gallery below for more pictures of Connie from the collection of Elizabeth Anionwu.
I am particularly grateful for her stunning performance at a concert on the 16th July 1998 that launched the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at Thames Valley University [TVU]. The event was held in Ealing Town Hall and 400 people attended - Connie, 'Jamaican storyteller and singer', was the star of the evening. Her repertoire included well known classics of an other beloved Jamaican woman, the late Mrs Louisa Bennett ['Miss Lou'] - Connie had the audience in stitches. Black and white photo courtesy of TVU. I was also very impressed with her contribution to the 2000 BBC Hidden History documentary about Mary Seacole. Lord Clive Soley, Chairman of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal, has always acknowledged that it was Connie (one of his former constituents) who influenced his decision to set up the Appeal. Here is his tribute to Mrs Connie Mark:"Connie was a remarkable woman of generosity, warmth and commitment. Her photographic record of the contribution to the war effort by so many people from the Caribbean was itself a testimony to her love of both Britain and the Caribbean and all we stood for. My memory of Connie is about Mary Seacole. Many years ago she asked me as a relatively new Member of Parliament for Hammersmith to come to the grave in Kensal Green to start an annual memorial service. Connie said to me “Mary really ought to have a proper memorial somewhere in central London”. I made a mental note of that and resolved that in due course I would try and make her wish come true. When I retired from the House of Commons and went to the Lords I decided it was time to launch the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal. The appeal has now been promised a site at St Thomas’ Hospital opposite the Houses of Parliament and McAlpines are committed to constructing the Memorial at cost price. The Committee has raised close to £50,000. We are on our way to making Connie’s dream come true. I am just very sorry that she will not be with us when it comes to fruition. But I know she will be there in spirit. Thank you Connie – you were the inspiration". Clive Soley, Lord Soley of Hammersmith. Chairman of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal. 12th June 2007.
Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mrs Connie Mark, BEM, MBE: Born Kingston Jamaica: 21st December 1923 - Died 3rd June 2007, London, England. Here are some links of interviews that enable us to hear and see Connie in action:
1st May 2007: Baroness Valerie Amos, who will lead the panel announced the composition of the Artists Selection Panel [see list below] as well as the location of the site chosen for the Mary Seacole Memorial which will be in the grounds of St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, just across the river from the Houses of Parliament. Baroness Amos will head a distinguished panel including Steve Deuchar Director Tate Britain; Lord Smith of Finsbury the former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Professor Elizabeth Anionwu, Head of the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at Thames Valley University; Alexander Amosu the ring tone billionaire and Philomena Davidson, the former president of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. April 2007: Those of you out there with your own MySpace sites, how about becoming a friend of Mary Seacole and spreading the word about Mary and the Memorial Appeal?? Just visit: www.myspace.com/maryseacole News items going back to 2005, the bicentennial of the year Mary Seacole was born 15th June 2007: This is the deadline for submission of completed forms for the Mary Seacole Leadership Development Awards - 2007 Funded jointly by the Department of Health and NHS Employers, the Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards are awarded in association with Amicus CPHVA, The Royal College of Midwives, The Royal College of Nursing and Amicus. These annual awards for nurses, midwives and health visitors in England honour Mary Seacole's name and acknowledge her achievements. Development Awards of up to £6,250 [click here for flyer] and Leadership Awards of up to £12,500 [click here for flyer] are available. For further details please contact one of the above organisations or email Bukola Samuel at the Department of Health on bukola.samuel@dh.gsi.gov.uk Wednesday 9th May 2007
Launch of Dutch version of Marys'
autobiography: Wonderbaarlijke Avonturen... (Wonderful
Adventures....)
The very first Mary Seacole Symposium in Breda, Holland witnessed the launch of an exciting updated Dutch version of Mary's autobiography book that was recently discovered to have been published in 1857!
For more details about the book visit: www.symposium-hbo-verpleegkunde.blogspot.com/ or email Mrs Corry Derks: cjam.derks@avans.nl
March 2007: A very big apology to all the brilliant pupils of Wantage Church of England Primary School (Oxon) http://www.wantageceprimary.ik.org/ for my failure to write back straight away with a BIG THANK YOU for the wonderful letters they sent me following their project about Mary Seacole. Mary would be so proud of you!! I was so impressed with their knowledge of Mary's work in the Crimean War. I was also very moved with the way that they expressed their admiration for Mary's bravery and commitment to the wounded soldiers. Well done! Elizabeth. Click here for details about the first (free) Mary Seacole symposium in Holland (Wednesday 9th May 2007) and, in London, the Annual Memorial Service followed by Wreath-Laying at the grave of Mary Seacole (Saturday 12th May 2007). December 2006: two buildings named after Mary Seacole are due to be formally launched this month, one at Enfield NHS PCT and the other at Greenwich University - more details in due course. 24th November 2006:
The historian Helen Rappaport informs me that that
her book 'No Place for Ladies: The March 2007: click
on this link to read a review of the book in The Times
online newspaper 10/3/2007:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/history/article1492169.ece 23rd November 2006:
I have received the
following photo and email from Kathy George about her
son Ryan (10 years) whom I met at the
Museum of
London on Sunday 29th October 2006 when he and his
parents attended the family events about Mary Seacole:
'Ryan attends St Saviours RC Primary
school in Lewisham, he is in class 6. His class
teacher is Ms Ettridge. His class had to a project
as part of Black History month, Ryan chose Mary
Seacole as he has had an interest in her for a
couple of years since learning about her at
school. It was just perfect also that there was so
much going on at the museum that weekend to assist
him with his project'.
Ryan says " I think Mary Seacole was
a very brave nurse and a very kind person. She put
her own life at risk to look after the soldiers. I
have enjoyed finding out all about her. I really
enjoyed the Mary Seacole day at The London Museum"
November 2006 A 2nd and slightly revised paperback edition of the wonderful biography of Mary Seacole by Jane Robinson has been published by Robinson Press.
9th October 2006: The Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards were presented to the 6 winners by Chris Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer for England, at a ceremony held at the Jamaican High Commission in London. Here are the full details as set out in the RCN press release: 'Six exceptional NHS nurses received the prestigious Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Award at an awards ceremony hosted by the Royal College of Nursing, CPHVA, Royal College of Midwives, UNISON, Department of Health, and NHS Employers. Chief Nursing Officer Christine Beasley presented the awards at the Jamaican High Commission on Monday, 9 October 2006. The awards are jointly funded by the Department of Health and NHS Employers. They provide an opportunity to black and minority (BME) nurses, midwives and health visitors to undertake a year-long project or an educational/development activity, to enhance patient-focused care. The winners of the two leadership awards will receive a bursary of £12,500, and the four development awards winners receive a bursary of £6,250. Christine Beasley said: "I am absolutely delighted to be presenting this year's Mary Seacole Leadership and Development awards. The standard of the proposed projects was extremely high. I have no doubt the work will have a positive impact on the quality of care given to BME patients in the NHS." Sandra Anto-Awuakye is a Lecturer Practitioner in Health Visiting at City University/Newham PCT and Plaistow Hospital. She will use her leadership award to undertake a pilot study exploring child-rearing and discipline practices of families from the Pakistani community. Reva Stewart works as Immediate Tier Development Co-ordinator at Bradford City PCT & Social Services. Her leadership award will be for a project looking at improving access to intermediate care services for the black and minority ethnic community within Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT and Social Services. Of the four development awards winners, Lihua Wu is a staff nurse at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Her development award will be for an exploratory trial to assess the nurse-led structured telephone follow-up of weight management in Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Florence Kanikasamy works as a midwife at Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital. She will use her development award to evaluate the strategies adopted by a maternity service to implement care pathways set in the National Service Framework on normal birth. It focuses particularly on the extent to which the needs of BME women are met. Mandakini Amin works as Health Visitor/Community Practice Teacher at Hinckley and Bosworth PCT. Her development award will be used to look at how to implement Equality and Diversity schemes in the workplace, by developing a teaching and assessment tool. Theodora Machingambi, a Mental Health Practitoner employed at Dudley Beacon & Castle PCT, will be undertaking the Human Givens post-graduate psychotherapy diploma'. 2nd August 2006: Nursing Standard (Page 10) reported that Liverpool City Council has proposed that, as well as recommending that the statue of Florence Nightingale be restored to its original condition, there should also be a statue of Mary Seacole. I am extremely grateful to Chris Jones, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health at Edge Hill University in Liverpool for letting me see sight of the full motion tabled by Councillor Steve Munby. Chris is leading the campaign to restore Liverpool's monument to Florence Nightingale and can be contacted via: jonesch@edgehill.ac.uk Councillor Munby's motion of the 12th July 2006 included the following: 'Council also notes the equally important and often neglected contribution of Mary Seacole to the development of nursing and believes it would be singularly appropriate to mark Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture, whose motif is 'The World In One City', by erecting a statue of Mary Seacole at a suitable location near the statue of Florence Nightingale, at the same junction or on Princes Avenue'. Chris informs me that there was a broad spectrum of support that resulted in the motion being agreed following inclusion of the amendment by Councillor Warren Bradley, seconded by Councillor Richard Marbrow to submit the motion to the Public Arts Steering Group for their consideration and views. Many thanks to Councillor Steve Munby [Riverside Ward Labour Councillor] for sending me the following quote on the 7th August 2006: "I am delighted the Council has agreed to honour these two outstanding figures in the history of nursing. I was keen to get action on the neglected statue of Florence Nightingale to mark the 200th anniversary of her birth. But given the location of the statue - in Toxteth, the heart of Liverpool's black community - it seemed fitting that it should be twinned with a new statue of Mary Seacole. Mary was a figure of equal significance in the development of nursing, but her legacy has often been obscured by racism. Hopefully this will help put that right and pay equal tribute to these two great figures." Good luck Liverpool! 1st August 2006 Click here to read, in today's issue of The Times newspaper, an article by Stuart Flitton 'Seacole memorial a step closer'. 18th July 2006 Today the National Portrait Gallery celebrates their 150th anniversary with the issue of a series of 10 postage stamps of 10 Great Britons who have portraits in the NPG, including the one of Mary Seacole. See coverage of it in 13th July issue of The Times newspaper item 'Nurse has stamp of a Great Briton'. I was delighted to have recently (13th April 2006) discovered this information on the Phil Stamp First Day Covers website. 15.6.2006: Many thanks to Steve Oliver of PHIL STAMP COVERS for alerting me to a change to his website link and my apologies to those who found that they were unable to access it. I have been abroad on holiday so only just able to update the link - sorry! 14th July 2006: News from the Florence Nightingale Museum. Due to demand the Mary Seacole exhibition that was launched on the10th May 2005 at the Florence Nightingale Museum has now been extended until March 2007. Also on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October 2006: Florence Nightingale Museum 2 Lambeth Palace Road London SE1 7EW Tel:+44 (0) 20 7620 0374- Meet Mary Seacole in person: Black History Month special. 'Come and meet our actress in role as Mary Seacole at the Museum. Find out how she overcame obstacles, and showed great bravery in her mission to the soldiers in the Crimea'. Performances at 12.00, 1.00, 2.00 and 3.00. Trails and prizes available. 30.6.06 Mastermind (29/6/06) Didn't Lesley do well on Mastermind last night?! Not only did she demonstrate fantastic knowledge about Mary Seacole (which was her specialist subject) but also in general knowledge - as a result she scored the top mark (22) overall. Many more people will now have learnt something about Mary Seacole. Well done and all our congratulations for the next stage Lesley! Thursday 29th June 2006 Mary Seacole is due to be featured on Mastermind on BBC 2 TV at 10pm - see 4th May entry below. 27th June 2006: Formal opening of the Mary Seacole Library, University of Central England (UCU), Birmingham. More details soon. 19th May 2006: Queen opens new Mary Seacole Health Building at Brunel University. Many thanks to Mike, a student at the university, who emailed me prior to the event in order to let me know about this occasion. 4th May 2006: Mary Seacole due to be featured on Mastermind between now and September 2006 [date now known to be 29th June 2006]! I have just received this wonderful email from Lesley Edge: "I wanted to let you know that I was recently filmed as a contestant on BBC's Mastermind programme and Mary Seacole was my specialist subject. I have visited your website on countless occasions during my research and found it to be a really warm and friendly website - it also obviously gave me a lot of useful information as well about Mary. ....Thank you so much for maintaining such a wonderful website about Mary Seacole and promoting her in the way that you do." Lesley will inform me when she hears what date the programme will be transmitted - it could be anytime between May and September 2006. Good luck Lesley! 23rd March 2006 Click here to read an article by Stuart Flitton in The Times newspaper about the Benefits Reception held at the House of Lords on 23rd March for the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal. The event was co-hosted by Lord Soley of Hammersmith (Chairman of the Appeal) and Her Excellency the High Commissioner of Jamaica, Ms Gail Mathurin. Also present were the President and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing. The objective of the event is to appeal to donors to assist in raising the £475,000 needed for the appeal. Click here on Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal if you would like to make an online donation. Your support is sorely needed - many thanks! Many thanks to the Crimean War Research Society for encouraging visitors to make an online donation to the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal by creating a link directly to the Appeal site. As Vice-Chairperson of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal it would be fantastic if this type of support could be considered by other websites. 8th February 2006 Click here to view and listen to the poem to Mary Seacole recorded by David Neita for BBC London Video Nation. It is recorded in George Street, London at the site of the Westminster Council Green Plaque that commemorates an address where Mary lived. 1 February 2006 Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards
Jointly funded by the Department of Health and NHS Employers, the awards provide opportunities for successful applicants to undertake a project, or other educational/development activity, to enhance patient/client-focused care. Applicants should be members of one of the listed professional bodies and the work should be completed within a year. To download a flyer (PDF format) click here
The professional organisations named below, the DH and NHS Employers, work closely together to ensure successful candidates are fully supported during their scholarship year: For more information via the site of the Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health click here 28 January - 2 April 2006 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery are hosting the brilliant 'Black Victorians. Black People in British Art 1800-1900' that was recently in Manchester - (click on the link to see some images courtesy of BBC online). Address: Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH, Tel: 0121 303 2834. Do try and visit this excellent exhibition! Black Victorians explores the presence of people of African descent in 19th century British art and features 100 works (painting, sculpture, photos, drawings) including the portrait of Mary Seacole by Albert Charles Challen that has been on view at the National Portrait Gallery in London. This is the first major exhibition of its kind in Britain and gives a fascinating and often surprising insight into a small but significant section of Britain's population at this time. The exhibition challenges the view that there were few black people in Britain at this time and reveals a cast of characters including entertainers, churchmen, sportspeople, artists' models and politicians. Black Victorians is curated by writer and curator Jan Marsh and is jointly organized by Manchester Art Gallery and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Admission is free. December 2005 Should Mary Seacole be featured on a £5? Follow the debate & make your own views known!
16th October 2005 - University of Central England (UCE) open a Mary Seacole nursing library. 12th October - Department of Health funded Mary Seacole Leadership Development Awards: 3 winners announced at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Royal College of Nursing. The awards are administered jointly by the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives, UNISON and the CPHVA. Lord Warner, Minister of NHS Delivery, gave the keynote speech and presented the awards. Itai Nyamatore is a member of the Royal College of Nursing. She began the project whilst working as a Team Manager at Derbyshire Mental Health Trust and is now Strategic Nurse Manager at Northampton Primary Care Trust. The award will enable her to undertake research in delivering equitable care in mental health services. This will look at supporting named nurses and care co-ordinators to develop their capability and competencies. Denise Henry is a Royal College of Midwives member and is Practice Development Midwife at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital, London. Her research will look at setting up and co-ordinating an integrated care pathway for women with female genital mutilation. Barbara Featherstone is a UNISON member and is Modern Matron at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust. She will use the award to look at mental health promotion within a BME Group suffering from Chronic Physical Conditions. The above information is taken from the RCN press release The awards are funded by the Department of Health, and provide an opportunity to black and minority ethnic nurses, midwives and health visitors in the NHS in England to make positive and lasting contributions that promote high quality patient and client-focused care. Details of how to apply for next year’s awards will be available in March 2006. To go on the mailing please send an SAE to Mary Seacole Awards, Room 304, RCN, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN. Saturday 1st October 2005 - There was virtually standing room only at Westminster Cathedral for the Mary Seacole Bicentenary Eucharistic Service. The event was organised by the Mary Seacole Memorial Association (MSMA). At the end of the service £600 was collected for the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal Thank you! 1st October 2005 - 8 January 2006 - Manchester 'Black Victorians. Black People in British Art 1800-1900' (click on the link to see some images courtesy of BBC online). Manchester Art Gallery. Black Victorians explores the presence of people of African descent in 19th century British art and features 100 works (painting, sculpture, photos, drawings) including the portrait of Mary Seacole by Albert Charles Challen that has been on view at the National Portrait Gallery in London. This is the first major exhibition of its kind in Britain and gives a fascinating and often surprising insight into a small but significant section of Britain's population at this time. The exhibition challenges the view that there were few black people in Britain at this time and reveals a cast of characters including entertainers, churchmen, sportspeople, artists' models and politicians. Black Victorians is curated by writer and curator Jan Marsh and is jointly organized by Manchester Art Gallery and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Admission is free. Manchester Art Gallery Mosley Street Manchester M2 3JL. Tel 0161 235 8888 www.manchestergalleries.org The exhibition travels to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 28 January - 2 April 2006 Unveiling of a Green Plaque commemorating the life of Mary Seacole - 11th October 2005 A Green Plaque will be unveiled at 147 George Street, W1 by the Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Tim Joiner in the presence of many dignitaries and well wishers. For more details contact Nubian Jak via info@nubianjak.com or telephone: 0800 093 0400. Also forms part of a Heritage Celebration 2005 celebrating the diverse past of the capital - includes:
Friday 28th October (Thursday night/Friday morning) "Mary Seacole: A Hidden History" broadcast earlier this year will now be repeated as part of BBC Education programming for Secondary Schools in The Learning Zone on BBC 2 (more details below). For further details click on http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/guide/ 29 September 2005 I received this wonderful email from Owen Thurston, aged 6½ years who is a pupil at St. Catherine's Primary School which is in Bletchingley in Surrey - click here to visit their wonderful website! "I have used your website to find some information about Mary Seacole for my history homework. I have found all the answers I needed. Thank You. lots of love Owen Thurston age 6 1/2". Owen sent me a further email on the 6th October: "I had to show the whole class my work and tell them about the email that you and I sent each other. Miss Bearman said that it was really good and wrote on it a circle with 2HP inside it which means 2 House Points for the Reds. hope to hear from you soon - lots of love, Owen.xxxx"
Many congratulations Owen for this fantastic achievement and also for taking the trouble to give me such positive feedback!! Thanks also to Miss Bearman, (Owen's teacher) and Mrs Ryan, Acting Head, St. Catherine's Primary School, for all their enthusiasm.
22/9/2005 For the latest news from English Heritage concerning the saga of Mary Seacole's Blue Plaque click here to get to our section on the history of this Blue Plaque. August 2005: Lambeth Hospital (which is part of South London and Maudsley NHS Trust) has named a ward after Mary Seacole in Bridge House, a new unit at the hospital.
26th July 2005: The Royal College of Nursing launched their new publication 'A short history of Mary Seacole: a resource for nurses and students' written by Professor Elizabeth Anionwu. The event was held at the National Portrait Gallery in London and included speeches by the RCN President Sylvia Denton, OBE; General Secretary Dr Beverly Malone, RN PhD FAAN; Lord Soley of Hammersmith (Chairman of the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal ) and the author Elizabeth Anionwu. Click on title to download flyer. The book costs £4.50 and can be ordered from RCNDIRECT on 0845 772 6100 - quote publication code: 002499. The book can also be ordered online via the Florence Nightingale Museum 22nd July 2005 Good news from BBC Education about the film that many of us campaigned for wider showing: "Mary Seacole: A Hidden History" was broadcast earlier this year and will now be repeated as part of our programming for Secondary Schools in The Learning Zone on BBC 2 on Friday 28th October (Thursday night/Friday morning). A brief description of the programme is: "A documentary which aims to show how Mary Seacole, Jamaican-born nurse and heroine of the Crimean War has been excluded from its history. 1 x 30 minutes." A brochure containing details of all our forthcoming History programmes for Secondary Schools for 2005 - 2006 has recently been mailed to all such schools in the UK so History teachers will be aware to record the programme. Copies of this brochure can be requested online by filling the form at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/contactus/catalogue_form.shtml Details about the transmission time is available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/guide/ 12 July 2005 A new biography of Mary Seacole by Ron Ramdin published by Haus Publishing as part of their Life and Times series of biographies. Many thanks to Erum for letting me include this very positive email about our site! Tuesday 5th July: Dear Professor Anionwu, My name is Miss Erum Syed , I work as an administrator in an FE college in Epsom. I am writing to congratulate you on a wonderful website! I hope to produce a display on Black History Month - concentrating on Mary Seacole and her bicentenary. You website has been very useful and informative !!! Many thanks for your site and good luck in the future with the interests in Mary Seacole, Best wishes, Erum Syed BSc. Sunday 26th June Channel Four TV showed a one hour programme entitled 'Mary Seacole: The Real Angel of the Crimea' that they had commissioned from October Films. 17th May The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) named the boardroom at 8 Bedford Square after Mary Seacole. The Jamaican High Commissioner Gail Mathurin (GM) performed the official opening. She informed the audience that her mother was the very first person appointed to run Seacole Hall, the original all women residence on the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. Professor Sir Andy Haines (AH), Dean of the LSHTM also invited the following guests to take part in the ceremony:
Photo credit Anne Koerber/LSHTM. Left to right JR, GM, EA and AH. 14th May
Florence Nightingale Museum Mary Seacole Bicentenary Exhibition: 10th May 2005 to June 2006 The Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice, Thames Valley University in collaboration with the Florence Nightingale Museum is delighted to be able to offer discounted tickets to the Mary Seacole Exhibition Please click here to download a voucher to take with you to receive your 20% discount on any individual or group ticket. The exhibition is at the Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas' Hospital (parking level), Lambeth Road, SE1 7EW. Tel +44 (0) 20 7620 0374. Opening hours Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm. Weekends and Bank Holidays 10am to 4.30pm. Last admission one hour before closing. The exhibition is also available for hire: please contact Kirsteen Nixon via kirsteen@florence-nightingale.co.uk Click here to access the Every Generation website and see photos of Sir Trevor McDonald formally opening the exhibition on the 10th May. Also click on BBC News online to see images from the exhibition posted on their site on 24th May 2005.
 27th January 2005 The new biography 'Mary Seacole, The Charismatic Black Nurse who became a heroine of the Crimea' written by Jane Robinson (see photo) and published by Constable (London) was launched at a reception at the Royal College Of Nursing, Cavendish Square, London. The author gave a brief speech and signed copies of her book, which seemed to go like hot cakes! The paperback version is priced £12.99 and can of course be purchased online Picture by Bruce Robinson 26th January
The Home Office has named one of their new HQ buildings in Marsham Street, Westminster after Mary Seacole. The other 2 were named after Robert Peel, founder of the Metropolitan Police and Elizabeth Fry, prison reformer. Click here to see a feature written on 15 February 05 by Matilda MacAttram on Healthweb, part of the 1990 Trust. Picture courtesy of RCN publications. Tuesday 11th January
A lost portrait of Mary Seacole was unveiled at a press conference at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG). Painted in 1869 by the unknown artist Albert Charles Challen, it was brought to their attention by historian Helen Rappaport who owns the print. She has lent it to the gallery and it is now on display in Room 23, the Crimean Room, in the National Portrait Gallery, St Martins Place, London WC2H 0HE. Do go and see it!! Helen has also written an article about Mary Seacole for History Today 55 (02) Feb 2005: 9-15. Please note: Portrait is currently part of Black Victorian exhibition in Birmingham between 28 January to 2 April 2006. See above for more details.
4.1.2005 Happy new year to everybody. It is of course 200 years since Mary Seacole was born and I am aware that there are many activities being planned to celebrate this bicentennial event. As soon as final details are provided they will of course be posted on this site. BBC 2 are keeping me informed about the showing on BBC 2 of the 2000 Hidden History series 30 minute documentary on the life of Mary Seacole previously only transmitted on the digital channel. Update: it was shown on Monday 7th March, 2005 at a very late time of 11.20pm BUT better late than never as they say! July 2005: informed by BBC Education that it will also now be repeated as part of their programming for Secondary Schools in The Learning Zone on BBC 2 on Friday 28th October (Thursday night/Friday morning). Thanks for all those involved in the campaign, particularly Tony Warner of the 100 Black Men of London organisation. Last updated: 20/08/2008 |
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The
Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal Trust wishes to
commemorate the life of the outstanding nurse and
Britain’s greatest black Briton, Mary Seacole, by
commissioning an artist of international standing to
design and produce a contemporary memorial to be sited
in St Thomas’ Hospital, London.
Rudolph Walker, Cleo
Sylvestre, Lord
Soley & Prof Anionwu
Cleo Sylvestre,
actress taking a bow
after her
performance as Mary
Seacole
Diners watching
MSMSA Appeal video
Steve Pound MP,
auctioneer for the
night, in full swing
Juliet Alexander
holding donated
Wedgwood Vase
February 2005 saw the launch of the Penguin Classics edition of 'Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands'. (Price £9.99) which is edited by Professor Sarah Salih.
