Remedy & Resilience

Exhibition curated by Chloe Moreton. Artists: Jenny Dalby, Zoë Eady, Martha Madden, Gaz Roberts and Ian Tothill

This is certainly true of Thornton. Once a remote village; narrow streets and poor sanitation proved a breeding ground for disease and infection.

Prior to the development of the NHS, a hyper localised healthcare system boasted its own surgeons, midwives, and hospitals and even an entrepreneur who could have changed Thornton’s future.

Reflecting on a poignant 18 months for healthcare, ‘Remedy & Resilience’ puts the heritage of our wellbeing under the microscope. Artists respond to the trying times of the nineteenth century when population spiked and cholera, smallpox and tuberculosis were all commonplace in Thornton.

In this new exhibition, activities Assistant Chloe Moreton explores the resilience of Thorntonities from 1800’s onwards:

The exhibition presents a set of visual treats which bring to life a body of research from the Thornton Antiquarian Archive, including Thornton’s very own quack ‘Soothsayer’ and the story of the ‘Maggotorium Sanatorium’. Artists have responded to these unusual and often bizarre remedies and the journey of Thornton’s campaign for better healthcare