Mary Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805. She helped care for injured soldiers during the Crimean War. In 1854 she decided to come to England and ask to be sent as an army nurse to the Crimea. Unfortunately, she was rejected due to racial prejudice, so she made her own way there and set up a medical store and hostel near Balaclava.

On the battlefield she nursed the wounded and was known by the name of 'Mother Seacole'.

When she returned to England in 1856, she was not recognised for the work and achievements in the Crimea and after suffering from bankruptcy she decided to publish her life story to raise money.

Blue Plaque: 157 George Street, London W1 in 1985.

Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje was a Black South African translator, journalist, editor, author, musician, politician and community leader.  He become a leading figure, at times taking on the South African Union government almost single-handedly in defense of his people’s constitutional rights. All his life he stood by what he thought was morally right.

He wrote Native Life in South Africa, an exposé of the sufferings of the African people in South Africa when the newly-united Union of South Africa started to restrict access to land.

Blue Plaque: 25 Carnarvon Road, E10 in 1986

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