Mary Seacole

[John Simkin]

The only known oil painting of the 19th century woman voted the greatest black Briton has just been found during a car boot sale in Burford. The painting of Mary Seacole can be found here:

[John Simkin]

In 2004 Mary Seacole was voted the top black Briton of all time. However, as her biographer, Jane Robinson, has pointed out. Seacole would have loved the idea of being considered a Briton (she was born in Jamaica). However, she hated the idea of being classed as a black person. Her father was a white Scottish army officer (her mother was black). The most she would admit to was being “yellow”.