The George Marshall Medical Museum on the site of the current Worcestershire Royal Hospital, contains a rich array of often unique medical artefacts to interest enthusiasts. Amongst the rarest items is a child’s ‘pneumonia jacket’ used in the 1850s, and the horns supposed to belong to Blossom, the cow used by Edward Jenner to develop the first smallpox vaccination. Stars of the show are the set of death masks discovered in the basement of the former infirmary. They may have been cast from the heads of hanged criminals in Worcester gaol by 19th century doctors studying phrenology. Get in touch if you’d like to be guided around the George Marshall Medical Museum to find out more about the 1800’s apothecary shop or surgery display.
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Mums encouraged to step forward and share their birth stories
Mothers are being asked to come forward and share their birth stories at events being run across the county this autumn and winter.
The project, run by the George Marshall Medical Museum and funded by UK Research and Innovation through a partnership with the University of Worcester, has been designed to both celebrate the strides made in maternal health and rediscover some of the naturalness of birth.
Events are being held across Worcestershire over the next few months to talk about changes in birth and hear mothers’ memories of their pregnancy and births. Those who are willing to be part of more in-depth research might be asked to audio record their stories to add to the collection at the museum.
Louise Price, Curator at the George Marshall Medical Museum, based in the Charles Hastings Education Centre near Worcestershire Royal Hospital, said:
“There have been many changes to maternity services over the decades and we want to understand them through the memories of those who experienced them. We’ll be holding the events across Worcestershire and inviting those who have experienced birth to come and join us.”
Oral historian Nadia Stone, from storytelling organisation Storypinned, will be running the events with the museum. She said: “I remember when I was pregnant with my first child and my retired neighbour told me that when she was expecting her first child, her medical team had been unable to agree on whether she was carrying one or two children. Without the common use of ultrasounds, there was no way to be certain. I couldn’t stop thinking about that. People don’t often realise how interesting their stories are, but whether they gave birth in the 1960s or the 2020s, we hope Worcestershire’s women come and share them with us.”
The events will all be held from 10.30am to 12.30pm:
• Friday, November 21: Perdiswell Young People Leisure Club, Perdiswell Park, Worcester
• Friday, December 12: Museum of Carpet, Stour Vale Mill, Kidderminster
• Friday, January 16: Droitwich Spa Community Hall, Heritage Way• Tuesday, January 27: The Wellbeing Tree, St John Street, Bromsgrove
• Friday, February 27: Park View Community Room, Victoria Park Road, Malvern
• Friday, March 20: Forge Hill Museum, Needle Mill Lane, Redditch
• Friday, March 27: The Hive, Sawmill Close, Worcester
Anybody unable to make these meetings but wanting to share their story can email the team at birthstoriesmatter@gmail.com or call 01905 760738.
The project is part of a wider Voices of Motherhood study being run by Dr Anna Muggeridge at the University of Worcester, which will look at how women have been politicised by their experiences of fertility and childcare.
