Year 11 Historians Explore the Gruesome Past at Thackray Medical Museum

REPORT BY MRS CAUCHI, HUMANITIES TEACHER

Our Year 11 GCSE History students recently enjoyed an unforgettable trip to the Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds, where they explored the fascinating and often gruesome history of healthcare.

The museum offers immersive galleries that chart the evolution of medicine; from grimy Victorian streets to modern-day medical breakthroughs. Pupils wandered through mock alleyways of 19th-century Leeds, visited a seventies-style sexual health clinic, and discovered how the world responds to medical crises. They also had the chance to witness the innovations that have shaped how we care for ourselves and each other.

A highlight of the visit was a hands-on workshop on the History of Surgery, where pupils stepped back in time to experience a Victorian operating theatre. Leevi F-W, Oli W, and Ellis T took on their roles with enthusiasm and skill - Leevi as the screaming patient, and Ellis and Oli as the trusted surgeons. The quick 30-second surgery vividly demonstrated the horrors of medical practice in the Victorian era, complete with the unforgettable smell of rotting flesh and barbecue to add to the realism. It’s safe to say this is an experience they won’t forget in a hurry!

The museum was excellent and the trip tied in perfectly with the GCSE curriculum unit - Britain: Health and the People. As pupils now reach the end of their Medicine Through Time topic, this visit provided a valuable and engaging summary of key ideas. We encourage all students to continue reviewing this material as we begin our final topic: Elizabethan England.