Take a look. Are you interested in knowing a bit more about Workington Heritage Group and the work we do to preserve local heritage? The Helena Thompson is both a museum and a community venue serving the town of Workington and the surrounding area. This elegant Georgian house is a Grade II listed building was bequeathed to the town by the late Helena Thompson.
Originally the building was in the care of the local authority but it is now managed by Workington Heritage Group under licence from Allerdale Borough Council. The museum, which is accredited by the Arts Council, reflects the area's history, industry, culture and social life through displays, interactive audio and visual information units and digital information.
Originally the building was in the care of the local authority but it is now managed by Workington Heritage Group under licence from Allerdale Borough Council. The museum, which is accredited by the Arts Council, reflects the area's history, industry, culture and social life through displays, interactive audio and visual information units and digital information.
Services
Building History
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Park End was built around 1740 to provide a residence for the Steward of the Curwen family whose estates were centred on Workington Hall. At that time Charles Udale was the Steward. His daughter Sarah married Benjamin Thompson, a local solicitor, who at a later date also acted as Steward for the Curwen family.
Museum Rooms
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The Costume Gallery is now a fabulous venue for weddings and seminars and other events. Councillor Joe Holliday donated his share of Cumbria County Council funds to this room which meant we could remove the old heavy wooden panelling and redecorate the space, turning it into the lovely light room you see today, which includes digital video equipment.
The Collection
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The original collection at the Helena Thompson Museum reflected the interests of the family and their way of life in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and certain subjects in which Miss Helena Thompson was particularly interested. The collection consisted of costume and textiles; antiques and curios; family possessions; portraits and domestic chattels dating from the second half of the eighteenth century.
The Gardens
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The Lord of the Manor, John Cook kindly donated rose bushes which were named in memory of P.C. Barker who lost his life during the floods of 2009. Unfortunately, the rose bed acquired some kind of blight and the remaining roses had to be removed and were planted in Vulcans Park. We have repurposed the rose bed with a rockery, which is now quite an imposing feature in the gardens.
Group Tea Talk & Tour
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Why not book an afternoon tea in the museum for your group? At the same time, our volunteers are able to give you a talk. When booking please ask which talks are available at that time. Later you will be given a guided tour of the museum seeing the many artifacts we have on display. We can tailor these visits to suit your requirements and budget.
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