Online Talk: Sir Archibald McIndoe, Pioneering Plastic Surgeon & the Guinea Pig Club

Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the fascinating story of Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig Club!

Sir Archibald McIndoe was based at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, during WWII.

An eminent plastic surgeon, he pioneered techniques in plastic surgery, rebuilding the bodies of the airmen who had suffered horrific burns. These men formed a club called the Guinea Pig Club and their story is commemorated in an exhibition at East Grinstead Museum.

McIndoe not only rebuilt the airmen’s bodies but gave them hope and helped them heal mentally. The town of East Grinstead played its part by welcoming these men and taking the recovering airmen to their hearts, becoming known as “The town that didn’t stare”.

Alex Sewell is a volunteer speaker on behalf of East Grinstead Museum. His talk brings the McIndoe story alive through a fascinating selection of photos and audio clips.

Please note: some images in this talk depict people with burn and surgical injuries which may be distressing.

By Alex Sewell

Joining the Talk

The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 9th July. Limited places are available.

Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free

Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.

The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.

During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.

Please note: Please ensure you have a good internet connection and bandwidth before joining the talk. Bentley Priory Museum does not accept responsibility for user-end connectivity issues (such as loss of internet or sound/video distortion).

About Annual Membership

Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities.

Buy Annual Membership online here.

Support Bentley Priory Museum

As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.

If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!

DONATE HERE