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| Glenda Forde with Danny Keen and his portrait of Mary Seacole |
Glenda
Forde, Chair of the Mary Seacole Memorial Association unveiled a
portrait of Mary Seacole at City Hall Norwich on Monday, October 1.
The portrait by Jamaican artist, Danny Keen, will be on display at
City Hall until Wednesday, October 31, marking Norfolk Black HistoryMonth.
Mary
Seacole, the 19th
century Jamaican nurse, entrepreneur, adventuress, and writer is
remembered for her work caring for sick British soldiers during the
Crimean War. She has strong Norfolk connections through her husband
Horatio Hamilton Seacole. Officially he was the godson of Horatio
Nelson and Emma Hamilton, but it is believed that he may have been
their natural child.
Danny
Keen's portrait of Mary Seacole was commissioned by the Mary Seacole
Memorial Association. Glenda Forde, the association's Chair said: “I
would like to thank Danny Keen for his wonderful portrait of Mary
Seacole, which celebrates a unique connection between the UK, Norfolk
and Jamaica.”
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| Danny Keen's portrait of Mary Seacole |
Danny
Keen added: “It has been a great pleasure to paint Mary Seacole's
portrait. She is an inspirational figure, with this close connection
with Norfolk through Horatio Nelson. Jamaica, to my knowledge, is the
only place where you can visit one of Nelson's homes, which today is
cared for by the Jamaican National Trust.
Norfolk
Black History Month runs throughout October with a busy programme of
art, music, film, talks and history events celebrating 70 years of
the Windrush generation, and also marking the centenaries of the end
of World War I and the Representation of the People Act, which gave
women the right to vote. For the full programme of events see
www.norfolkblackhistorymonth.org.
