Once she had reached Crimea , Seacole established the British Hotel . There , she sold supplies to soldiers and offered them medical assistance . A journalist from The Times , William Russell , visited the British Hotel and was fascinated by Seacole . Soldiers told him how well she cared for soldiers – including enemy ones – and visited the battlefield herself to offer sandwiches and bandages to the troops .

After the war was won , Seacole was unable to sell the British Hotel and the financial hit was devastating . The Times newspaper featured another article from Russell , where he demanded recognition for

Seacole . He organised a party for her that included a message of congratulations from Queen Victoria .

Seacole published the Wonderful Adventures of Mrs . Seacole in Many Lands in 1857 , the first autobiography to be sold by a free Black woman in the British empire . It became a bestseller and helped to break down misconceptions and prejudices about women and Black people .

Mary Seacole remains an iconic figure to this day . UK television series Doctor Who even wrote an episode that featured Seacole fighting against aliens and a memorial statue of her sits in the gardens of St Thomas ’ s Hospital in London , the UK ’ s first statue to honour a Black woman .

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