Herstory for the modern girl.

WYSK: Scotland’s Botanical Babe, Elizabeth Blackwell.

In this WYSK, let me introduce you to one hella determined Scottish artist. Her story is inspiring and wild, and her hard work as a successful illustrator in the 1700’s is definitely worth the read. This is the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, Scotland’s botanical babe.

Elizabeth Blachrie was born some time in the early 1700s, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Her father was a successful merchant, and she lived a relatively comfortable life; she was trained as an artist, and had a real talent for creating beautiful illustrations.

There’s not much written about Elizabeth’s early life, but her story picks up when she secretly marries her second cousin, Alexander Blackwell. Blackwell was an educated man, who ran a medical practice in Aberdeen, where he worked as a doctor – despite having no medical training. The couple stayed in Aberdeen while this questionable business was operating, but when Alexander’s qualifications were challenged, he and Elizabeth packed their things and moved over 500 miles away, to London.

Arriving in London, Alexander became associated with a publishing firm, and the couple began a new life together; enjoying luxuries, becoming parents to a son and daughter, William and Ann, and experiencing family life in the capital. Things seemed pretty good for the Blackwell’s.

With a little experience gained in the publishers, Alexander decided to set up his own business – neglecting the fact publishers had to have four years training and belong to a guild before they could trade. He was heavily fined by local authorities for flouting the rules, and between the penalties and his lavish spending, the Blackwell’s found themselves heavily in debt. The publishing business was closed down, and Alexander was sent to a debtor’s prison.

Desperate and essentially destitute, with her two children to take care of, Elizabeth found herself in dire straits. By a stroke of fate, she came across a physician’s book, which described and depicted plants from the New World and their medicinal properties. She had an idea, so crazy it just might work.

There Will Be Blood: Ancient Warrior Queens of Vietnam

*A traditional Vietnamese Dong Ho painting on Dzo paper, depicting the Trưng Sisters riding into battle; shared by the VN Women’s Museum.*

Let this little Haggis take you back to a time long, long ago; to a place far from the reach of the ancient Roman Empire, but very much in the grasp of the next best (see: worst?) thing – Han China.

In 40AD Nanyue, or Nam Viet, a revolution was stirring, and two sisters atop the backs of elephants were about to lead the charge against their Chinese overlords. The daughters of a provincial sheriff, highly educated in literature and martial arts – among other things like war strategy and handling dangerous weapons – were a hurricane; a force to be reckoned with.

For over 150 years before these heroines were born, Han China had used what is presently modern day Vietnam as a vassal state, “a foreign servant”, and heavily taxed the locals, exploited and abused them, and imposed a patriarchal Confucian ideology upon the once matriarchal society. When Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị were in their 20s, this colonialism was still in force, and they sought to topple it, along with their oppressive governor, To Dinh.