Our Own Vivandiere Mrs Seacole as depicted in Punch, 30 May, Mary Seacole. Storytelling. At your school

Transcription

1 Our Own Vivandiere Mrs Seacole as depicted in Punch, 30 May, 1857 Mary Seacole Storytelling At your school

2 Contents National Curriculum links and session description 1 Practical guidelines 2 Pre-visit and follow-up activities 3 Visual symbols 4-5 Character profile 6-7

3 Curriculum links The visit will link to both KS1 and KS2 History work on Mary Seacole, Victorian Britain and black history, and will focus on the life of a significant person. It also links to work on Florence Nightingale and People who help us. Although Mary Seacole is often studied during Black History Month, study of her life is relevant throughout the year, and an understanding of her life experiences, and the reasons for her actions, will help pupils develop a deeper understanding of the diversity of experiences within Victorian Britain and across the British Empire. Session description The actor/storyteller will be dressed in costume as Mary Seacole, but comes in and out of character, so that children are not confused into thinking they have met the real Mary Seacole, and so that the storyteller can answer pupils questions out of character, reflecting back on Mary s life in general. The storytelling is fun and interactive. Pupils will be encouraged to dramatise parts of the narrative and to ask and answer questions. This session will last 45 minutes. 1

4 Practical guidelines Your session Please check your confirmation letter which will confirm the time of your session. If there are any problems please contact the SEN Officer on or Cancellation charges We are able to offer these sessions free to schools thanks to generous funding. However, any cancellations will incur a charge. For details of cancellation charges, please see To maximise the enjoyment and value of the visit please: ensure there is a member of staff available to greet the storyteller. They may need some help carrying equipment ensure that you have at least one adult for every 15 children and that the adults are in the session at all times introduce the group to some general background information about the Museum of London note that this session is best suited to a drama/storytelling space in a classroom or a drama room where pupils can sit in a semi-circle facing the storyteller remember to have your camera. Photography is encouraged during the session and can be useful for follow-up work and as an enjoyable way to remember the visit. 2

5 Pre-visit activities 1. Discuss the role of doctors, nurses and other members of the medical profession and look at how this role has changed over the centuries. 2. Look at which has excellent information about Mary Seacole. The site includes an interactive map showing her journey and many links to resources such as radio, newspaper and magazine articles related to Mary Seacole. 3. Use the visual symbols to familiarise pupils with the key vocabulary for this session. Copy them and use them as flashcards or as a card game (snap, pairs, etc.) 4. You can also browse the Museum of London online learning resources for materials to introduce pupils to the themes and concepts they will encounter during their session. These are all available in the Teachers section of our website Follow-up activities 1. Make a multi-sensory display with pictures of Mary Seacole and the Crimean War, herbs to smell, bandages to feel, etc. 2. Create a picture diary of Mary s adventures. 3. Make a storyboard of an incident from Mary s life or act out it out for the class. 4. Create a class dictionary using writing, sign language or symbols of all the new words encountered during this topic. Other useful links (for use before and after the visit) Excellent resources, interactive games, worksheets, images. 3

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8 Character profile Mary Seacole Name: Mary Seacole Born: Cardiff, Wales You will be meeting Mary in 1851 You will be meeting Mary Seacole in 1855 in the Crimea, behind the frontline attending to wounded soldiers. Family history Mary Seacole was born on the island of Kingston in Her father was a Scottish army officer and her mother a native of Kingston. As she was of mixed race, Mary was called a Mulatto. Her mother was a doctor using traditional herbal medicines from Jamaica and English medicines to cure disease. Being a doctor was one of the few jobs open to black women. Mary often helped her mother attend the sick, including British army officers. Eventually Mary took over the running of her mother s boarding house and became a skilful and respected medical practitioner. Mary decided to travel to Cruces in Panama and there she helped treat victims of a cholera epidemic. She returned to Jamaica where she learned about the war in the Crimea. She was desperate to help tend the soldiers and so she went to England hoping to go to the Crimea from there. 6

9 Help/rejection Mary applied to the War Office in England for money to set up a hospital in the Crimea. Unfortunately her application went unanswered. She tried to see the Secretary of War, Sidney Herbert, but she was told that he was too busy. She then tried the medical department but was once again unsuccessful. She even applied to be an assistant to Florence Nightingale, but was told that there were no vacancies. People who were prejudiced against the colour of Mary s skin had refused her money and jobs. Her role in the Crimea There was no organised provision of food to soldiers in the Crimea. Instead sutlers sold food and drink to them. Soldiers had to pay out of their wages for over-priced meagre portions of bread, meat and occasionally cheese. Mary decided that she could recoup the money she had spent on her fare to the Crimea by becoming a sutler herself. When you meet Mary she has recently opened the British Hotel, with the help of a distant relative, Mr Day. The British Hotel is very different to the other canteens. She serves wholesome food at reasonable prices, along with homemade drinks. Mary also administers medicine to the soldiers who come to the British Hotel and attends to the wounded soldiers behind the frontline, ignoring the dangers of being so close to the battle itself. 7