Remedy & Resilience

Exhibition opens Friday 1^st October

Exhibition closes Sunday 19^th December 2021

Curated by Chloe Moreton

Artists include Jenny Dalby, Zoe Eady, Martha Madden, Gaz Roberts, Ian Tothill and Chloe Moreton 

People are Resilient.

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 year 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 Thorntonites from 1800’ onwards:

–    Meet Harry Mack – Thornton’s very own quack ‘Soothsayer’ and fortune teller whose incantations can heal all your aches and pains.

–    Read the story of the ‘Maggotorium Sanatorium’ where you could purchase a pint of maggots to cure your tuberculosis. At the time – one of Thornton’s biggest exports!

–    Learn about the natural remedies developed to fix almost any niggle. Indigestion? Suck on a piece of coal, Toothache? Eat some fisheyes!

The exhibition presents a set of visual treats which bring to life a body of research from the Thornton Antiquarian Archive. Artists present responses to these unusual and often bizarre remedies and the journey of Thornton’s campaign for better healthcare.