Today's post is a guest blog from Katie Kettle, a volunteer at East Grinstead Museum, who provides us with a special insight into the relationship between the Guinea Pig Club and the town of East Grinstead. Archibald McIndoe was one of Britain’s few plastic surgeons at the beginning of the Second…
Historic baking – 19th century cinnamon biscuits
When Lauren suggested a series of blogs based around historical recipes I went straight for this recipe for cinnamon biscuits from a book belonging to a Mrs Goacher of Jessops Farm, Ashurst, and dating from 1867 (Add Mss 14940). I love anything cinnamon flavoured and with only five ingredients this sounded like my kind of…
Continue reading ➞ Historic baking – 19th century cinnamon biscuits
Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: psychological rehabilitation
McIndoe and his team at QVH unquestionably accomplished great things in the treatment of severe burns, and in the subsequent surgical reconstruction of disfigured faces, hands and other parts of the body. Yet the achievements of McIndoe’s regime at the hospital extended far beyond physical repair. Many previous posts in this series, including the recent…
Continue reading ➞ Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: psychological rehabilitation
From Windsor to West Sussex: Wedding Fashion from the Archives
While the country gets swept along in the media frenzy of the royal wedding this weekend, here at WSRO we’re looking back at some of the memories and celebrations that are preserved in our collections. On Saturday, all eyes will be on the young couple, and every detail of their day will be scrutinised for…
Continue reading ➞ From Windsor to West Sussex: Wedding Fashion from the Archives
A Call to Arms! – The Royal Sussex Regiment Heritage Project
West Sussex Record Office are developing an exciting new project to catalogue, digitise and provide access to the historic collections of The Royal Sussex Regiment dating back over 260 years. This will be a ground-breaking opportunity to use the combined collections to develop innovative ways for people of all ages across the UK and beyond…
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Historic baking – 18th Century Sponge Biscuits
At West Sussex Record Office, our aim is to make our extensive archive collections ‘come alive’ for our researchers, and engage them with the history of the county they call home. Many records create a vivid image of what life was like for our ancestors, but none do the job quite like the commonplace books…
Continue reading ➞ Historic baking – 18th Century Sponge Biscuits
Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: treatment of burns
We're very pleased to introduce this guest post which has been written by distinguished plastic surgeon, Mr Tom Cochrane, who was not only consultant plastic surgeon at Queen Victoria Hospital for many years, but also honorary plastic surgeon to the Guinea Pig Club. Throughout this time, he has supported the Guinea Pigs in many other ways, giving his time selflessly…
Continue reading ➞ Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: treatment of burns
Priory Park 100
In 2018 it will be 100 years since the Duke of Richmond and Gordon gave Priory Park to the people of Chichester for their leisure and as a perpetual memorial to those who lost their lives in during WWI. Priory Park 100 is an initiative run by the Friends of Priory Park to celebrate this centenary…
Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: Guinea Pigs for life
This is the second of two posts about the Guinea Pig club. As discussed in our previous post (see ‘Introducing the Guinea Pig Club’), the Guinea Pig Club began its existence as a social and drinking club. However, it was not long before it became much more than that. Archibald McIndoe was quick to recognise…
Continue reading ➞ Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: Guinea Pigs for life
Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: Introduction to the Guinea Pig Club
‘It has been described as the most exclusive club in the world, but the entrance fee is something most men would not care to pay and the conditions of membership are arduous in the extreme.’ Archibald McIndoe on the Guinea Pig Club One of the most remarkable legacies of the war years at Queen Victoria…
Continue reading ➞ Queen Victoria Hospital Archive Project: Introduction to the Guinea Pig Club
West Sussex Record Office 