Since re-opening at the end of July, the team at East Surrey Museum has put up a number of new exhibitions and displays and introduced lots of safety measures to protect staff and visitors against COVID 19.
Museum Curator, Peter Connelly, said: “Our major exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of St. Lawrence’s Hospital in 1870. Many local residents were involved with the hospital over the years, either working there or attending the many sports clubs and social activities.
The hospital was a significant presence in Caterham, employing not just medical staff but also numerous support staff. The exhibition tells the stories of two famous patients, Pte Samuel Gibson, one of the last survivors of the Battle of Waterloo, and Joey Deacon who was born with cerebral palsy. Joey became a successful author through the telling of his life story ‘Tongue Tied’ and was featured on the TV show ‘Blue Peter’. The exhibition also brings the later years of the hospital to life through artefacts and photos of the many people who worked there and participated in the social events before the hospital finally closed in 1994.
The exhibition is on now at East Surrey Museum at 1, Stafford Road, Caterham, open 10am-5pm Wednesdays and Thursdays and 10.30am-4pmSaturdays. Admission is free but donations are welcome.
