There’s something about Mary

I have a bit of a Mary obsession. We’re talking Lady Mary Wortley Montagu here, not the blessed virgin. If you’ve not heard of her, you’re in for a treat because this incredible woman was a true game-changer in the world of medicine. Though, she’s never quite got the recognition she deserved.

Picture this: it’s the early 18th century, and smallpox is wreaking havoc in England. Lady Montagu, a brilliant writer and thinker, had already lost her brother to the disease and even battled it herself, leaving her with permanent scars. But during a visit to Constantinople, she stumbled upon a mind-blowing discovery in the Turkish harems.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu with her son, Edward Wortley Montagu, by Jean Baptiste Vanmour. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

Harem curious

In these harems, Lady Montagu noticed something extraordinary: the women had flawless, unblemished skin. It turns out that they had conquered smallpox through a procedure called inoculation, which drastically reduced mortality rates.

Armed with this knowledge, Lady Montagu had her own children inoculated, despite the procedure’s controversy. She launched a determined campaign to bring this life-saving intervention to England and let me tell you, she faced some serious public criticism along the way.

But Mary didn’t let that stop her. She boldly urged the royal family (George II in case you’re wondering) to adopt inoculation, and thanks to her efforts, countless lives were saved. Lady Montagu was the driving force behind introducing this revolutionary medical practice to England, yet sadly, she never received the formal recognition she deserved.

Despite facing scorn from some members of society, Lady Montagu teamed up with a doctor to continue inoculating wherever she could. She even defended herself in print, posing as a man. Historians say this was to protect her social standing (her reputation was at times a little bit iffy).

Here’s the thing: the Royal College of Physicians’ 18th-century smallpox hospital (formerly found in Whitfield Street) owes its very existence to Lady Montagu’s unwavering conviction. However, there’s not a jot of thanks to Mary for all her courtly influence. Don’t you think it’s about time Mary gets the official recognition she deserves for her instrumental impact?

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was a brave innovator and a true force for change. Her tireless efforts laid the groundwork for better health, and it’s high time she takes her rightful place in medical history. Yes, we all know that Jenner discovered the smallpox vaccine in 1796, but very little credit has gone to Lady M and her trial run.

Playing high stakes

Now, here’s the bonus part about Mary; I found out about her fascinating life when I fell down a guiding rabbit hole. I was standing outside Jonathan’s Coffee House wondering if there had been female investors caught up in the South Sea bubble of 1720 (as you do) and would you believe, there were a few. Lady Mary was among them, but sadly she hadn’t made a fortune. She was also being blackmailed by a French admirer who had repeatedly pushed Mary to invest on his behalf. He promised her a new life, but as soon as is his money was lost, he turned nasty. Mary was forced to tell all to her husband who was not best pleased. Nor was the writer, Alexander Pope, who had tipped her off about the money-making scheme in the first place. Apparently, he was so disgusted that she been entrapped by a possible French lover that he refused to talk to her.

I’m not the only one who has been fascinated by her antics. She was a woman ahead of her time, she was foolish and reckless but lived life to the full. Sadly, many of her surviving letters were burnt by her daughter who was worried about her own mother’s impropriety. Think 18th century AbFab and you’ll get the picture. There are plenty of reading resources about Lady M but not the Netflix series, not yet anyway.

 

About the Author

Bex Couper is a former journalist with a passion for the untold story. She is a City of London Green Badge Guide and is currently training for her London Blue Badge, she offers walks about Pioneering Women in the City and many more, visit www.walkswithbex.com