A Study in Synchronicity... Through A Nun Doll

Synchronicities... or coincidences?

Sometimes due to their personal nature and the fact that they can be so complicated, synchronicities can be hard to lay out in a meaningful way that clearly shows the weirdness to someone uninvolved with the subject in question. We keep telling you about the continual wave of synchronicities that we are wading through involving bricks and nuns, and a great example of this high strangeness we are experiencing surrounds an antique nun doll of Mother Joseph. We decided to break down the majority of "coincidences" surrounding this doll, and will lay out the rest for you in an upcoming episode of Two Witches Podcast.

2020 Was Not A Fun Time For Brick Management, Either.

One of the patterns of Synchronicities that continues to motivate us to unravel what may be happening here is what could be simplified as a pattern of repeats, or resonances. Even the timing of this Hidden brick story unfolded just as the world was beginning to deal with Covid-19. Current times and circumstances parallel the work that Emilie Gamelin, Mother Joseph and other nuns coordinated to do during various plagues of their own times. Nuns have taken care of the sick and dying of their communities throughout history when everyone else was too scared to face typhus, cholera, the flu and other deadly diseases. Mother Joseph couldn't be taken down by anything other than her own body, painful metastatic breast cancer eventually blinded her and took her life in 1902.

This Witch Needed A Rebuild.

Many of these brave pioneer nuns, including Emilie Gamelin, lost their lives caring for others when others would or could not. It makes sense to us that when people in 2020 were desperate for help, these Sisters knew what to do and chose to answer the call. 2020 was particularly challenging for SJ, as they finally had a spinal surgery that was long overdue. When SJ had a rough time medically, unbelievably it appeared that Mother Joseph came to help. Incredibly, MoJo appeared to do that for several other people that have called on her recently.
Because MoJo seems so fond of making SJ spill their guts to Two Witches listeners about the personal nature of these Synchronicities that continue to unfold for them, there is a big backstory on this surgery as well... that directly leads back to Season 2 of Hellier (EDIT: See Episode 11.5).
Vancouver, Washington's Providence Hospital.
During the pre-op process in late October/early November 2020, SJ ended up visiting the Chapel in the Vancouver Peacehealth Hospital to see some historic items from the first local hospital, the St. Joseph's Hospital that Mother Joseph founded on site of the Providence Academy. Being the granddaughter hospital of the first PNW hospital, there is a history wall here at Peacehealth that SJ went in search of after their pre-surgery tests were completed. While there prior to their surgery, and also when in the hospital on surgery day, SJ had some experiences they still can't explain. Immediately prior to this first... spiritual experience at the hospital, they saw an antique nun doll inside a case in the hallway outside the chapel, and oddly, they desperately wanted it.
Being instantly drawn to it, they tweeted what they were willing to do to get one, and their research... and subsequent obsession... into nun dolls began. While SJ still really wants one of these dolls, which appears to be a particular Blessings/Genuine Nun Doll, they no longer are willing to sell body parts. There's no need to anymore, as a one of a kind handmade MOTHER JOSEPH (yes, it was noted as being her, specifically) nun doll somehow fell into their lap. This doll is a synchronicity story that unfolded in real time over Thanksgiving weekend 2020, when SJ was in the thick of surgery recovery and having a really bad time of it... so bad they began to feel hopeless.

F*cking Idaho. Again. Dangit, MoJo!

SJ's world fell apart in Idaho multiple times as a kid, once at age 11, again at 14, then at 15, and eventually they made a really bad decision there, marrying a man there that eventually led to the back injury they were now needing surgery for to avoid permanent disability after years of chronic pain. Like we said, this was heavy emotional stuff to deal with, and they were in no hurry to do so. This abusive man is still in Idaho, and SJ made a promise never, ever to go back ever again as a result when they escaped. We introduced you to SJ's dad Big John in Episode 3, and how he made his feelings known about us publicly talking about gnarly family stuff to try to make sense of this synchronicity story. This was particularly cathartic for SJ, as Big John once had his daughter make him a promise - to never let anyone operate on their back, as he had a worse time after his own rebuild attempt and regretted it. Even though the logical part of SJ's brain realized surgery was the only way forward, going against a promise to their dad was not easy to come to terms with. There are many additional synchronicities around Idaho that SJ hasn't wanted to focus on specifically around this emotionally charged situation.
It turns out that Mother Joseph traveled extensively in Idaho, and specifically spent time in the area where SJ's shitty ex-husband currently resides. SJ believes that this doll was basically MoJo daring them to get off their butt, get over being afraid of a bad man from long ago, and just go see what the hell is going on in Idaho that has to do with Mother Joseph. Mother Joseph keeps making us deal with our shit, especially stuff we don't want to think about anymore that we are somehow afraid to do. It's not fun, but it's important work, and MoJo pushes us to be better humans like a parent would. SJ is fully expecting to discover MoJo was around them in Idaho long before SJ ever knew of her... again.
The possibly Hidden brick-built Dewey Plaza Hotel in Nampa Idaho, sadly demolished in the 1960's, became a synchronicity with Andrea at Christmas.

Nampa, Idaho - Suburb of Boise and SJ's Weekly Band Practice.

SJ went to Boise High School in the early 1990's which was right in downtown Boise. Involved with the local Alternative and Punk scene, SJ and their ex operated an all ages punk club called the Crazy Horse for two years. Prior to that, SJ attended band practice in a town west of Boise about half an hour away called Nampa. We already talked about how Nampa became part of a Christmas gift synchronicity on Episode 4 of Two Witches. In the 1990s Nampa was a dying town. We don't know what it looks like these days, but around the time SJ was driving there on a weekly basis to play punk rock in a garage, a woman in Nampa named Athena purchased a nun doll from a store called Adele's Doll Shop in Walla Walla, Washington.
Having someone in Walla Walla become interested in honoring Mother Joseph makes sense, as she basically built all the social services there like she did in Vancouver. The Mother Joseph doll itself (the porcelain) is antique French porcelain from around 1920. Adele's Doll Shop closed in the late 90's. The newest date that the doll could have been completed in Walla Walla is 1998, the year SJ moved to Oregon. Just wait until you hear about the doll's clothes.
The St. Mary's Mission (with St. Michael) as seen in 1913 - part of the Catholic settlement that Mother Joseph helped build in Walla Walla, Washington.
The first St. Vincent's Academy in Walla Walla was built by Mother Joseph.

Is SJ's Husband Related To EVERYONE In This Story?

SJ bailed on Idaho for good in 1998 and moved to Portland, Oregon, where eventually they met and fell in love with Dave, a single dad who you met on Episode 6 of Two Witches. Creating a blended family with Dave led to SJ's move across the river to Vancouver, Washington, something they weren't happy about at the time, and felt like a sacrifice. It wouldn't be too uncommon for Dave to be distantly related to some people in the brick story as he grew up around here, but at this point (Jan. 2021) he is related to SIX people involved in this tale. Adele of Adele's Doll Shop who commissioned this unique nun doll is one of them. The porcelain doll's features, particularly the nose and jaw, is a good likeness of MoJo, the only "flaw" being the eyes are brown, and not blue as hers were.
The handwritten tag describing the Mother Joseph nun doll, likely written by the deceased "Adele", who is related to SJ's husband.
As far as we can tell this doll is a prototype, made by Adele herself, and it's clearly a labor of love. The habit of the doll was made by a place called "Our Mutual Friends" in Seattle - these habits were hand-sewn in meticulous detail by a woman named Tonya Williams. The fabric materials of their doll habits came from actual nun habits. Yes, practicing nuns previously wore the fabric making up the repurposed habits of these handcrafted dolls. In addition, the doll's habit is historically accurate, down to the last detail, including the painted boots. Tonya used authentic Catholic medals if they were needed and only made a few dolls a year. She is retired and her dolls are sought after by collectors. SJ cannot find record anywhere of another MoJo doll like this, or even a mention of another doll from this "series," despite looking at nun dolls obsessively now since November 2020.
SJ didn't pay $110 (old retail price from 1990s) for this old doll that fell into their lap either.
The doll's vintage handwritten tag lists it as the first of a series for NW Historical Women, with an original retail price that SJ couldn't have afforded, had that been the cost on ebay. SJ was the first and only bidder. Thanks, MoJo.
Much like the 1871 brick, SJ instantly became irrationally attached to this doll, immediately placing her in a place of honor on their main altar. SJ felt like they were meant to have this one of a kind doll and that Mother Joseph led them to it because they so admired the one in the hospital the day before their difficult surgery. So... it was made when SJ was in Nampa, their spouse is related to the woman in Walla Walla that made it, it's highly collectible, it is specifically a doll of the person who has against all odds become their spiritual guide, and they also paid far less on ebay than what it's clearly worth. When you add it up, it becomes a lot... that's also only the beginning.
Before SJ got the doll, the seller, who’s name turned out to be Athena, messaged SJ after payment. She must have searched SJ's buying history on ebay, which is all books, bricks, and nun stuff:
Athena huh? Oh, this is getting really interesting now.
Let's talk about Athena, because there is a LOT to unpack here from this short list.
Athena was an orphaned Goddess. If you've been paying attention to the pattern of "Orphan stuff," orphans are why Mother Joseph, who was fierce like Athena, built her buildings.
Athena was also the female counterpart of Ares - Mother Joseph was an Aries (born April 16), and had big, big Aries energy, not taking crap from anyone, ever. She also learned to wield her father's tools (thunderbolt) effectively like Athena did, and just like SJ and Andrea did too.
Athena was also one of three Virgin Goddesses... big Mother Mary vibes. One of the current, active Synchronicities that is "contagious" is Mother Mary and the Seven Dolors, which are linked to the Founding of the Sisters of Providence.
MoJo has been talking to Witches, and now even Buddhists that follow us are paying attention to Mother Mary too.
Mary and the Seven Sorrows are appearing for many of those of us following this Hidden brick story, and it seems to be a live Synchronicity currently unfolding. Continuing down our list, Athena sprang from Zeus's head, full-grown and clothed in armor - the black and white habit that Mother Joseph was so fond of could be seen as her spiritual armor.
According to Homer's account in the Iliad, Athena was a fierce and ruthless warrior. Of course, the Iliad is the stereotypical hero's journey... Just like MoJo's life of adventure and building the west... Just like Greg's journey in Hellier... Just like SJ breaking up with their mom and dealing with their shit... and all three of us breaking familial patterns, orphaning ourselves in some way as we pursue our true hidden powers. The pattern repeats, synchronicity is the result.
The owl was Athena's bird, and owls are also a known and generally accepted recurring Synchronicity symbol, landing in the middle of the Hidden brick story in places like the "Never Normal" Fargher Lake. Additionally, olive wood is associated with Athena - SJ was able to acquire a vintage rosary from Lourdes that was identical to one of Mother Joseph's in a similar synchronistic way to how they managed to bid and win the rare nun doll. This phenomenon repeated itself a third time with another similar surprise that Andrea hasn't even learned about yet, because SJ already ruined Christmas over this shit and isn't about to blow up her birthday too (Edit: See Episode 11.5).
Some of the pretty lies the Aegis development materials are putting out to the public as they bend the rules to destroy a historic site.
Owls are a known symbol for Synchronicity, for us and others.
Still not enough for you? One of Athena's symbols is the AEGIS - the name of the development site that is endangering part of the Providence Academy (see bottom of page here). Always one to make people work for rewards, MoJo had to make sure the doll came from Idaho and made it synchronistic enough that SJ could realize it again was HER that did this... and finally deal with their issues around refusing to enter an entire state because of one abusive asshole. Clearly, if we want to get to the bottom of this weird Hidden brick story, we have to do the tricks for the treats, just like Andrea did as a kid on Halloween. Mother Joseph responds to and typically expresses her pleasure somehow to our direct acknowledgments of her. As a result, we now are going to make a point to thank her on every episode of Two Witches going forward, as we like the treats she keeps giving us, and she also deserves it. One of the places SJ goes when feeling unmoored is Mother Joseph's grave in the cemetery that bears her name here in Vancouver. SJ's had some interesting experiences here, so they decided to bring their Mother Joseph nun doll to the cemetery to properly thank her for bringing it to them. There are even more synchronicities going on with this when you dig deeper into Athena, but we need to save some for the podcast.
SJ added new layers of ritualing to a rare handmade nun doll with hidden family ties.

SJ's Getting Really Weird With Nun Dolls Now.

Similarly, it also became important to SJ that after spinal surgery that the front steps of the Providence Academy were the first ones they navigated with their new back. It felt like they were taking baby steps to a new life as they finally turned a corner. SJ realized then that Mother Joseph had been acting as both spiritual guide and mother for a long time, they just hadn't noticed. It took a moment to come to terms with how they felt about this, given their negative past experiences with the Catholic church. When they began to incorporate their antique Lourdes Rosary that was just like MoJo's in magick practice, direct lines of communication suddenly seemed clearer, possibly because they were finally surrendering and "speaking MoJo's language." SJ's olive wood (Athena's symbol) rosary, originally washed in water from the miracle fountain at Lourdes where Mother Mary appeared to make it holy, is identical to one Mother Joseph had. It is the only one they saw online for sale that is an exact copy of the one MoJo owned. Mirroring the nun doll, SJ was able to buy it on ebay for a reasonable price and was the only bidder. When SJ first received the rosary it had clearly been on a shelf for years and needed some TLC. They cleaned and then "reloaded" it with fresh Lourdes water from the same fountain during a protection ritual. They then allowed the remaining holy water to absorb into the 1871 Hidden "Mother brick" that we believe may be a hypersigil created by MoJo herself to get our attention.
SJ's olive wood (Athena's symbol) rosary from Lourdes that is identical to one Mother Joseph also had.
Despite loving their new Mother Joseph nun doll, it bothered SJ that the doll was missing her tools. MoJo's scissors and hammer were known to hang from her habit belt... so SJ purchased some small tools for her and added them. SJ realized the huge amount of energy they were pumping into this nun doll that they now talked to, prayed to, and interacted with that was handmade by the ancestor of their life partner, was unusual... even for them. SJ almost felt compelled to do right by her, wondering if this ritualing of the doll could lead to "haunted" egregore/tulpa type behavior from it, and if this was part of where the reports of "haunted dolls" in the Paranormal scene keep coming from. This train of thought led SJ to the world of HAUNTED NUN DOLLS, her latest weird obsession.
It bothered SJ that the otherwise accurate Mother Joseph doll was lacking the tools always seen hanging from her belt.. so they fixed it. Yes, she has tiny clay bricks too.

The Haunted Nun Doll Museum of Michigan.

If synchronicities to Idaho weren't enough, SJ's research into haunted nun dolls went right back to their birthplace of the state of Michigan, the National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods and its associated Nun Doll Museum, which is noted by visitors to be haunted. SJ discovered while taking an online tour of inside this museum that the collection includes a Sisters of Providence doll, likely from the same series as the one they saw before surgery in the hospital. SJ's hope is to visit this Michigan Museum as soon as Covid-19 fucks off and they can travel safely and finally attend MIParacon too. The Museum and famous National Shrine of the Cross made from a Redwood tree (Bigfoot, anyone?) is right on the way to this paranormal convention that has become a "bucket list" item for them.
The Sisters of Charity of Providence doll in Michigan's Nun Doll Museum.

"There's People In Them..." Here's How You Get Haunted Nun Dolls.

Researching the haunted nun doll museum, SJ discovered a story about an elderly devout woman named Margaret Alsup that donated 75 handmade nun dolls she made over her lifetime of travels with her deceased husband. During these journeys she shared her faith and life with many people of different religious orders. These Sisters she befriended then donated materials so she could make accurately dressed, hand-sewn nun dolls using their used habits and authentic medals, just like Tonya with Our Mutual Friends in Seattle did. Mrs. Alsup recently donated her lifetime collection of dolls to the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia.
In the above interview about her donation to the Archdiocese, as she lovingly describes her dolls, pointing to them and explaining the painstaking detail she has put into them, she hesitantly says (see above video): “I know them. I think there are people... in my life that I think...are in - are kinda in them. These were my friends, that's all.” We think that Mrs. Alsup probably made some haunted nun dolls, and would like to meet them - especially this Sisters of Providence doll she made. Photos of her doll from the Archdiocese's Facebook.
"There are people in them."
"They're my friends, that's all."

Nuns = Original ANTIFA. Really.

So why do we think pioneer nuns like Mother Joseph were so awesome? Make no mistake that the founding of social services was definitely tied to white evangelicalism by the Catholics and others in America and Canada... and this wasn't without problems. But in general, when you look at pioneer nuns like Mother Joseph and their work, it becomes clear that they have always tried to be on the right side of history. Their work as nurses and teachers of the poor and downtrodden has put them in peril several times when they refused to discriminate against others. MoJo would be appalled at crap like QAnon, their believers and their bullshit, and not just because they took a literal shit in the National Statue hall where her statue representing Washington is located. (Not very smart to piss off these nuns, in my opinion.) In fact, I think these pioneer badass nuns could be called part of the original ANTIFA.
SJ came across this sweet little Black 1950's nun doll while searching for old stuff at thrift stores in Washington. The doll was a clear nudge for them to look into the nuns' links to civil rights.

French Nuns Were Beheaded for their Faith.

Nuns have always been ready to become martyrs for their faith or the greater good, and they've backed up their ideals with actions. In 1790, the French Revolutionary government passed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which outlawed religious life. Thousands of Christians were killed by the guillotine, mass deportations, drownings, imprisonments, shootings, mob violence, and other methods of "sheer butchery".
In 1794, 6 members of the Carmel of Compiègne, France (11 Discalced Carmelite nuns, 3 lay sisters, and 2 externs) were executed by the guillotine towards the end of this so-called Reign of Terror, at what is now the Place de la Nation in Paris. Those whom refused to denouce their faith and were executed as a result are now collectively known as the Martyrs of Compiègne. Nuns usually are willing to stand up when no one else will, even at the risk of death.
Founded in 1887, the St. Francis Orphan Asylum in Normandy, Missouri was run by the Oblate Sisters of Providence which was the first Catholic order of Black nuns. This order focused on the education of Black children.
Modern nuns are still speaking up about social issues. Sister Helen Prejean, noted author and one of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Augustine, is one of the most famous anti-death penalty advocates still working today. Her story was romanticized in the movie "Dead Man Walking" starring Susan Sarandon, which was based on one of the books she wrote about the issues with the death penalty. Sister Prejean still "tweets" daily about injustices, using modern social media tools to continue to be a vocal advocate to reform the current prison system that perpetuates and continues racial and income inequality. There is also a forgotten history of Black Catholic nuns. The Black Oblate Sisters of Providence broke many racist stereotypes about Black women, previously seen as having morals "too loose" to be religious women.

Nuns' Role in Educating Free Blacks After the Civil War.

Sister Prejean's line, the Sisters of St. Joseph (who came from Le Puy-en-Velay in southern France to St. Augustine, Florida), have always been involved in similar equal rights work, even going to jail for teaching Free Blacks to read after the civil war.
These religious women call themselves "JOSEPHITES." Sara's middle name is Jo, after Big John's favorite grandpa- so they are a Josephite in a different way. Sidenote: SJ never particularly liked the name Sara, and never felt like a girl, vocalizing this from age 3 on. Using Jo or the initials SJ was something that SJ always preferred to "Sara". No one in their biological family would acknowledge this preference - despite the fact that two of SJ's brothers used their middle names by choice and it was a non-issue for them to do so. Clearly, their uncomfortableness was with SJ being nonbinary, not their name or pronoun preference.
A nun doll made by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Augustine. SJ wanted it but didn't buy it.
The brick St. Benedict the Moor school in St. Augustine, Florida, during better days.
Tag of the handmade nun doll from St. Augustine.
The sisters established Florida’s first Catholic school for Black students in 1867 along St. George Street in St. Augustine and also established later schools in Key West and in Ybor City. With the financial help of a wealthy heiress named (now) Saint Katharine Drexel, the Sisters of St. Joseph opened St. Benedict the Moor School in 1898. Sadly, paralleling the Providence Academy, this important historic brick site linked to St. Katherine is in danger and has been left to deteriorate.
The Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine, along with other religious groups like the Protestant American Missionary Association, educated Black students in private and public schools in Florida for several decades until “an Act Prohibiting White Persons from Teaching Negroes in Negro Schools” unanimously passed in Florida without debate and was signed into law on June 7, 1913. This made the nuns' continuing education of Blacks freed by the Civil War officially illegal. The sisters knew the racist law was bullshit, so they did what they wanted, and were actually hauled off to jail for defying it as they fully expected to be when they continued to teach.
In April 1916, the St. Augustine Sheriff, on orders from then Governor and giant asshole Park Trammell, arrested three white nuns - Sister Mary Thomasine Hehir, Sister Mary Scholastica Sullivan and Sister Mary Benignus Cameron for “unlawfully teaching negroes in a negro school.” The arrest of the Catholic sisters attracted national attention and may have even helped propel an open bigot and conspiracy theorist to Florida’s Governor's seat. This is sounding a little familiar to the situation in 2020, isn't it? Two Bishops eventually took the fight all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for the right to educate all. Another asshole, Baptist preacher Sidney Catts, who was also an insurance salesman when he ran for Governor as a Democrat in 1916, concocted elaborate conspiracy theories designed to stoke the fears about Catholics among Protestant and other white voters. Much like the asshole in the White House from 2016-2020, this racist conspiracy-theory pushing politician was a criminal, and went to trial for various charges including involuntary servitude (AKA SLAVERY - why he didn't want Black people to learn to read) and bribery. Catts was eventually acquitted by an all white jury on the slavery and bribery charges. Federal charges for aiding and abetting in counterfeiting and distributing $1,000,000 in fake bills were also later dropped. Eventually the arrested nuns were released, the Court aquitting them on the grounds that the 1916 law did not apply to private schools such as the Catholic institutions the Sisters ran.
One of Asshole Governor Catts' fear mongering ads before his election.

MoJo's Link To a Forgotten Hero of Modern Nursing, Mary Seacole.

Mary Jane Seacole (1805 – 1881) was a British-Jamaican nurse, healer and businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" during the Crimean War that served as a hospital for the battle's soldiers. Her important contributions to the history of nursing are minimized and forgotten, mostly due to racism. Seacole displayed "compassion, skills and bravery while nursing soldiers during the Crimean War," through the use of herbal remedies she learned from traditional Jamaican and West African "Doctresses". Mother Joseph made a stop in Jamaica in November 1856 on her way out to Oregon and learned from some of these Doctresses. The Sisters appreciated local herbal medicine they learned of in their travels, adopting some techniques to their own work. Their use of Spruce Gum for bronchial issues that they learned from the native Indigenous people in America is a great example of this.
Forgotten Black nursing hero Mary Seacole. Florence Nightengale repeatedly dodged her offers to help through the Crimean war, blaming her "reputation" for her desire to keep distance.
When MoJo was in Jamaica learning local Doctress medicine on her way to Fort Vancouver, Seacole had just returned to England destitute and in poor health after the war. Like the Sisters of Providence, Seacole also faced cholera and other diseases as she nursed patients herself. Mary Seacole was posthumously awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1991 and in 2004 was voted the greatest Black Briton. Her life and work are largely overshadowed by a white person who was a secret hater that we have all heard of in the history books - Florence Nightingale. Interestingly, Nightingale referred to themselves in the masculine, as for example "a man of action" and "a man of business". They also kept up a prolonged correspondence with Irish nun Sister Mary Clare Moore, one of the original Sisters of Mercy, with whom they had worked in Crimea.
Having encountered Seacole in Scutari (a district in Istanbul, Turkey) during the Crimean war, Nightingale reportedly wrote:"I had the greatest difficulty in repelling Mrs Seacole's advances, and in preventing association between her and my nurses (absolutely out of the question!)... Anyone who employs Mrs Seacole will introduce much kindness - also much drunkenness and improper conduct". Wow, what an asshole thing to say, Mx. Nightingale.
Celebrated Women's rights icon Florence Nightingale, aka "Lady with the Lamp," who undermined Mary Seacole, is a historic example of toxic white feminism and the quiet brand of racism Black people still experience.
Seacole wrote in her autobiography, "Was it possible that American prejudices against colour had some root here? Did these ladies shrink from accepting my aid because my blood flowed beneath a somewhat duskier skin than theirs?" Seacole knew what was up. Listen to Black people! Florence Nightingale fans still try to minimize Seacole's social work. Sociology professor Lynn McDonald, co-founder of The Nightingale Society, which promotes the legacy of Nightingale, tried to minimize Mary Seacole's contributions to medicine in a December 6, 2013 newsletter: "While her cures have been vastly exaggerated, she doubtless did what she could to ease suffering, when no effective cures existed. In epidemics pre-Crimea, she said a comforting word to the dying and closed the eyes of the dead. During the Crimean War, probably her greatest kindness was to serve hot tea and lemonade to cold... She deserves much credit for rising to the occasion, but her tea and lemonade did not save lives, pioneer nursing or advance health care."
Other historians that aren't complete jerks point out claiming Mary Seacole only served "tea and lemonade" does a disservice to the tradition of Jamaican "Doctresses" such as Seacole's mother, Cubah Cornwallis, and we agree. Doctresses used herbal remedies and hygienic practices in the late eighteenth century long before Nightingale was ever working with patients. Seacole's nursing experience also far outweighed Nightingale's and involved preparing medicines, diagnosis, and even minor surgery. That's a lot more than just making tea.
One of the two known photos of Mary Seacole, taken in 1873 by Maull & Company in London.
The Times war correspondent William Howard Russell spoke highly of Mary Seacole's skill as a healer, writing: "A more tender or skilful (sic) hand about a wound or a broken limb could not be found among our best surgeons." Seacole is also cited as an example of "HIDDEN" Black history in Salman Rushdie's controversial "The Satanic Verses" (1988): "See, here is Mary Seacole, who did as much in the Crimea as another magic-lamping lady, but, being dark, could scarce be seen for the flame of Florence's candle."
Mary Seacole's forgotten and restored grave in London.
Sisters of Providence Spruce Gum herbal medicine bottle.
Mary Seacole's grave in Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery, London, was rediscovered, restored and reconsecrated in 1973. In 2016 a statue by Martin Jennings honoring her was installed on the grounds of St. Thomas' Hospital in London. History books need to catch up and honor Mary Seacole as she deserves. She continues to be another Hidden hero, as Rushdie described her in his banned book. Rushdie's life is continually threatened over "The Satanic Verses," some calling the book mentioning Seacole hate speech against Muslims.
MoJo and Mary, as SJ named their second nun doll.
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