"I am going to write a history so uncommon."

                                                                  - from the childhood diary of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

A History So Uncommon:  The Life of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu is a program about one of 18th century Britain's most outstanding female personalities - Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762).  Beautiful, unconventional, outspoken and adventurous, Lady Mary significantly influenced her age in the fields of health, travel,and fashion and was also an accomplished author and poetess.  Our event is is timed to coincide with International Women's Day; Lady Mary, a women of substance herself, was the wife of the British Ambassador to Constantinople. As such, our event includes an authentic Turkish dinner with Belly Dancing entertainment at Pittsburgh's esteemed Bosphorous Mediterranean Cuisine along with a presentation by Kim Szczypinski of Britsburgh's Board and Duquesne University about Lady Mary's extraordinary life.

Members login and register for $55 tickets; Non-Members $60

As a young woman, Lady Mary defied her father, Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke Kingston-upon-Hull, to marry her own choice of husband, Edward Wortley Montagu. Following the birth of the couple's first child, a son, Mary contracted smallpox at the age of 26, a ravaging disease from which her own brother had died and which at this time was the most devastating disease in Europe.  She survived, but the disease disfigured her face, marring the beauty for which she had been renowned. When Montagu became ambassador to the 'Suplime Porte' or Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1716, she accompanied him, exhibiting a taste for travel and adventure that would stay with her throughout her life. In Turkey, as a woman, she had access to the harems of their Ottoman hosts, which were denied to male European travelers. In her letters home, she wrote of the Turkish women with respect, describing their great kindness and hospitality towards her and debunking the erroneous ideas other (mainly male) travelers had written about the religion, customs and treatment of women in the Ottoman Empire. She also wrote of the Turkish women's beauty, customs and traditions, dress and social liberties and limitations. She adopted Ottoman influence in her own style of dress, creating a fashion rage for Ottoman style when she returned to the UK. 

Most significantly, Lady Mary learned in the harems of the Turkish technique of "engraftment" - a form of early innoculation or vaccination for smallpox. So impressed was she with this technique in light of her own experience with smallpox, that she took it back with her to England, where she held vaccination salons, encouraging the adoption of the practice among her own countryman. To both demonstrate its safety and to protect them from an epidemic of smallpox then raging, Lady Mary successfully innoculated her own children.

The presentation about Lady Mary Wortley Montagu will focus on her life, character and influence, particularly in the fields of innoculation, travel writing and intercultural experience, impact on the world of fashion, and her literary achievement.

For more information, contact Kim Szczypinski of Britsburgh's History Society at kimberly2859@msn.com

Dinner Format:  Meals will be served on platters, family style, 4 persons to a table.

Menu:

Platter of Assorted Cold Turkish Appetizers (Dolma, Tabuli, Piyaz, Baba Ghanoush, Hummus)

Platter of Assorted Hot Turkish Appetizers (Borek, Falafel, Fried Zucchini, Spinach Borek)

Platter of Assorted Turkish-Style Kebabs (Chicken, Lamb OR Vegetarian Option:  Falafel, Imam Bayildi and Veggie Platter)

Platter of Assorted Turkish Desserts

Tea and Soft Drinks

BYOB

Programme of Turkish Dinner, Belly Dance Entertainment and Talk About Lady Mary Wortley Montagu:

• 6:30PM - 6:45 PM   Gather and mingle

• 6:45 PM-8:00 PM    Dinner and Turkish Belly Dance performance by 'Jemeena'

• 8:00 PM- 8:45 PM   Presentation on Lady Mary Wortley Montagu by Kim Szczypinski

• 8:45PM - 9:00 PM   Q & A and conversation

On-street parking is available nearby.

Tickets: Members $55; Non-members $60

Explore fascinating British-themed topics with the guidance of experts and enjoy the company and conversation of fellow enthusiasts as a member of the Britsburgh Society. Society members enjoy our Arts, Beer, History, Mystery Lovers and Literary and Tea Society events. If you are not already a member, we would like to invite you to consider becoming a Britsburgh Society member. To become a member, visit the Britsburgh membership page.

Britsburgh supports COVID-19 Vaccination. Save lives and get vaxxed! For information on how to get yours visit CDC.GOV

COVID-19 policy: Proof of full vaccination and booster or negative PCR test within 36 hrs of event required. 

THE BRITSBURGH TEAM