Local History Group 1 members recently visited one of Chester’s hidden gems; the University of Chester’s ‘Riverside Museum’ of Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, situated at the University’s Wheeler Building near Chester Castle.
We had an excellent guided tour, with enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers from the University’s ‘Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society’ Historical Society’ (FHMS). They made us most welcome and were really pleased to showcase Riverside’s treasure trove of medical artefacts and share their stories of life in the medical profession and how it has changed.
The museum’s main collection includes items from the world of medicine, nursing, midwifery, and social work. Highlights included a personal letter from Florence Nightingale; original items from a Cheshire Doctor’s Country Practice; early surgical instruments, and from a maternity and children’s ward. We also viewed several beautiful stained-glass windows, rescued from the former Chester Royal Infirmary, including three widows from the old children’s ward, which have pride of place at the Wheeler Building.
Riverside also has a fascinating ‘First World War: Returning Home Exhibition’ which provides an insight into what a soldier invalided back from the Front would have found on his return. Using local examples wherever possible, the exhibition covers aspects such as medical advances, the psychological effects of war, volunteering, and volunteer nurses.
The Riverside currently has limited opening times to the public but is definitely worth a visit (check out their webpage on the University of Chester’s website). We had a really enjoyable visit to the Museum which more than made up for a few travels delays we experienced on our journey to/from Chester that day (including unplanned for rail replacement bus ‘tours’ of the Wirral!) but this did enable everyone to truly ‘Live, Laugh, Learn’ together!
