A collection of pharmacy history dating back more than 160 years could form the centrepiece of a new Plymouth tourist attraction, with the Park Pharmacy Trust seeking a business partner to help bring its ambitious plans to life.
The proposed attraction, to be known as The Exploratory, would combine heritage, health, science and technology, featuring historic chemist shops, interactive displays and practical workshops for adults and children.
The trust, currently based at Thorn Park Lodge in Mannamead, is working to preserve the history of a time when chemists prepared medicines by hand, dispensed remedies from glass bottles and used equipment very different from that found in modern pharmacies.
Much of the historic material is currently in storage, although a substantial collection is housed at Thorn Park Lodge, which serves as the trust’s headquarters.
The collection includes the original fittings and equipment from the historic C J Park pharmacy, which were once displayed as a complete walk-in chemist’s shop at Plymouth’s Merchant’s House.
According to the trust, the historic display was subsequently put up for auction by Plymouth City Council and purchased for £26,500 by entrepreneur Martin Miller, who had plans to recreate the pharmacy as a tourist attraction in North Devon.
Following his death, the collection was gifted back to the museum.
Speaking to Plymouth Post, the trust’s chairman, Dr Jan Knight, explained that they already have potential premises in mind and believe that, with the right business partner, The Exploratory could become a new visitor attraction for Plymouth.
The plans include creating two historic pharmacies. One would recreate the original C J Park chemist’s shop, complete with its furniture, fittings and traditional products, giving visitors a glimpse of how medicines were prepared and sold more than a century ago.
Visitors could also try traditional pill rolling techniques and potentially earn a certificate recognising their proficiency.
The second would recreate the trust’s Cookworthy pharmacy, selling traditional perfumes, cosmetics and materials for making soaps, lotions and creams. Staff in period clothing would demonstrate how these products were made in the past.
The attraction would also feature interactive displays and practical workshops lasting around 15 minutes, allowing children and adults to explore the history and science of pharmacy.
The collection traces its origins to 1864, when Mr Saunders opened a pharmacy at 1 Mutley Plain. Charles J Park purchased the business in 1875 and moved it to 27 Mutley Plain.
At the time, pharmacists prepared many of their own remedies, using ingredients sourced from around the world.
Historical records describe wooden drawers filled with medicine labels, coloured glass bottles, handwritten prescriptions and traditional dispensing equipment.
The pharmacy remained a familiar part of Mutley Plain for generations, later being run by Park’s son, C Armstrong Park, and daughter Muriel, both of whom had been apprenticed to their father.
Armstrong Park remained a familiar figure to customers until the pharmacy closed on 31 December 1983.
Its contents and furniture were due to be auctioned in January 1984, but the Mannamead Conservation Society intervened, purchasing the entire collection and establishing the Park Pharmacy Trust.
The collection was subsequently installed at the Merchant’s House after the museum approached the society about recreating the original chemist’s shop as part of its displays on Plymouth’s social history.
Today, the Park Pharmacy Trust hopes to bring this important part of Plymouth’s medical and commercial heritage back to life for future generations.
The proposed attraction would combine history, education and practical experiences, offering something for families, school groups and visitors interested in the city’s past.
With premises already being considered, the trust hopes that finding the right business partner could turn its vision into reality, creating a distinctive new tourist attraction while helping secure the future of a collection that tells the story of pharmacy in Plymouth.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post