Dr James Barry a woman ahead of her time 1

The identity of Dr James Barry as Margaret Bulkley has been incontrovertibly established. This course will present recently uncovered information about the life of this mysterious and gifted woman, and place her life story against the historical and political backdrop of her era, which included the battle of Waterloo, the Crimean War, the ‘year without a summer’ (1816) and the legendary figures of Napoleon and Florence Nightingale. Dr Barry's posting at the Cape, the longest of her career, was only the first of ten appointments that included Mauritius, Jamaica, St Helena, Barbados, Antigua and Trinidad. The final lecture will recount her posting to Canada and the reason for her being sent back to Britain to be examined by a medical board. It will offer an evaluation of Dr Barry’s character and legacy.