A heritage project exploring memories of health care is continuing after Lostock Hall Medical Centre opened in Dardsley House.

The Doctor, Doctor project is exploring the heritage of Dardsley and the history of going to the doctor in Lostock Hall  and surrounding areas.

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The Lostock Hall Medical Centre opened in the Brownedge Road building on Monday 18 March. Originally built and used as doctor Thomas Sharples’ home and surgery in the 19th century, Dardsley was later home to his son and GP Sydney Sharples.

From the 1960s to the 1990s, the building was used as an NHS Pricing Prescription Bureau. LHMC is building on this heritage in partnership with Lancashire Museum Service, and with funding from a Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Read more: How you can be part of a heritage project celebrating health care in Lostock Hall

The next Doctor, Doctor event will take place on Friday 22 March at the new surgery. People who worked at Dardsley or attended the doctor there are being invited to share their memories.

Project coordinator Belinda Scarlett said: “Since October we have been busy training volunteers, recording oral histories of people’s memories of healthcare in Lostock Hall, and delivering memory sessions at local community venues.

“We have employed a researcher to look into the history of the Sharples family and Dardsley. In addition we have developed ‘memory boxes’, containing objects from the history of healthcare. The memory boxes will be used to deliver more community events throughout 2019. 

“Our small but fantastic team of volunteers has been interviewing our oral history participants and undergoing training to help them do this. 

“We will be recording the memories of the people who attend on Friday 22 March to form part of our oral history archive. The recordings will also be shared with Manchester University as part of their NHS70 archive.”

For more information and to get involved, email Belinda at belinda.scarlett@googlemail.com.