DID you know that Westbury has had no less than three hospitals? The first opened to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and the last closed in 2012 amid huge local opposition, and every single one was run with money raised from the community.
Westbury Museum’s April exhibition turns the spotlight on the changing face of healthcare in our town. As well as spotlighting the ways local people fundraised thousands of pounds for their hospitals with carnivals, fetes, films, galas and much more, the exhibition looks at how we managed before hospitals.
It highlights home remedies using everything from goose fat to herbs and looks back at the days when chemists sold over-the-counter remedies like quinine, arsenic and laudanum!
The exhibition runs throughout April and organisers are hoping visitors will drop by to share their own memories or healthcare and home remedies.
“Westbury people were remarkable in the way they funded their hospitals; there was such a great community spirit, and I think we should remember and celebrate that,” said Sally Hendry, chair of the heritage society that runs the museum.
“And we are sure lots of people will remember home remedies from their family traditions – please come and share them with us,” said Sally Hendry chair of the heritage society that runs the museum.
Westbury Museum is on the first floor of the library and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It features exhibitions and artefacts from Westbury’s past, from gloving to clothmaking.
