News – Sick to Death

Unlock history. ‘Chester Cells’ Opening Oct 24th

A dark Victorian cell with light coming in through a small window and an open red door.

Historic ‘Chester Cells’ opens to the public for the first time ever for expert-led guided tours

Chester Cells is a new guided history tour that takes you into the depths of crime and punishment in historic Chester.

Located beneath the iconic Chester City Town Hall are the remains of an old Victorian police station and its lock-up cells. Over one hour visitors will be guided through a labyrinth of rooms, discover their histories, and hear real life stories about many of the people who spent time within these walls: hundreds of police officers, thousands of criminals, and a few innocent victims.

The cells will be opening from October 24^th and will be open every weekend and during the school holidays.

The new attraction is being delivered and created by Big Heritage who are the team behind Deva Roman Experience and Sick to Death, also based in Chester, as well as Western Approaches HQ in Liverpool, a Top Secret WW2 bunker, and new attractions being developed in Birkenhead. The team at the CIC uniquely shape history by creating engaging attractions that invest in the facts but also use story-telling and immersive designs to make them fun, memorable and engaging for all.

The team have worked with local and national archive records, specialist historians and museums, and set designers, to ensure the tours offer an authentic and historically accurate experience that brings the history to life. They have also been gathering stories from people who worked in the Police Station and Magistrate’s Court, adding to their archive of research for the future.

Venue manager Rob Foulkes, from Big Heritage said: “We have spent months researching and discovering fascinating stories relating to Chester’s criminal past as well as stories of The Town Hall’s history as a court and cells and its past ‘guests’ of the cells. Our tour reveals this history and takes visitors on a walk into areas of the building in a way that has never been seen before.

The tours are ideal for groups or people of all ages and we have ensured as well as factual, the tours will be fun and will reveal more stories of Chester’s past.”

The team behind Chester Cells would like to thank the Town Hall and its staff for their support on this new attraction and for helping to make more of Chester’s history open to the people of and visitors to Chester.

The entrance to Chester Cells will be on Princess Street, under the old Police Lamp. Tickets can be bought online and each tour groups holds up to x15 people (private groups can be arranged by emailing bookings@bigheritage.co.uk). To book go to chestercells.co.uk

Tincture of Iodine (BP)

1 Text: Some of you may have experienced the sting of iodine yourself. Ouch - indeed! But did you know about its significant link to British medical history? Part of a collage image that joins together as you scroll left to right. A scrapbook effect with a green background under the text. A photo of a young white boy and his mother in a 1960s kitchen having a plaster applied to his knee, there are graphic red ‘zaps’ above his head. At the right is most of a glass bottle labelled Tincture of Iodine that crosses over into the next image.*

2 Text: We were very interested to learn more about Dr J Lionel Stretton of Kidderminster, who was instrumental in the development of tincture of iodine, when his great grandson Chris visited Sick to Death last month. Continuing the scrapbook feel, a black and white sepia photograph of a middle aged white man with a large moustache, in a suit and tie, is framed in old fashioned photo album corner.* From the left the iodine bottle is visible and to the right is the handle of a scalpel.

3 Text: Humans have been performing surgeries for thousands of years, but one of the main causes of death and complications over that time wasn’t necessarily the surgery itself, but the infections that could set in afterwards. Underneath the text is a brown piece of card and some masking tape. The blade of a scalpel is seen on the left. There is a black and white woodcut image of a man having his leg amputated by three other men, it’s been frames with an over the top gilded ornate frame. To the right are some green oversized bacteria and part of an orange high vis bag.

4 Text: In the early 1900s, at a time when many doctors and surgeons were working to improve upon early antiseptics to reduce infections post-surgery, Dr Stretton was focused on the refinement of tincture of iodine. His 2.5% solution, tincture of iodine BP (British Pharmacopoeia), was first published in 1909 in the British Medical Journal and soon became the standard used around the world – it can still be found in many first aid kits and emergency survival kits today! The top of this image shows a piece of white card with some tape in the corners. The text on the bottom half is backed by green paper. To the left the other half of the bacteria graphic and the orange high vis bag can be seen (it is now obviously a first aid kit). In between the paragraphs of text is half of a screenshot for the British Medical Jo(the rest carries on in the next image). London: Saturday October 15th, (the rest carries on in the next image).

5 Text: This specific formulation was strong enough to be antiseptic, but gentle enough to avoid skin irritation, it had a long shelf-life, and wouldn’t fumigate the wards (something nurses certainly seemed to appreciate). The majority of this image is a black and white photographs of nurses, all women, in uniform, as well as perhaps some clergy with a sister/nun and a vicar/priest. There is also a man in a dark suit with a moustache and a man in a white uniform also with a moustache. It’s from the early 20th century, taken outside. The photo is cut off at the right side. To the left is the rest of the screen shot that says (ournal.) and (1910.)

6 Text: And that fact that it still stained the skin yellow? Well, this was actually good thing, as it meant you could easily confirm that a patient had been treated with the antiseptic pre-surgery and during post-operative care. It was simple, efficient, and effective! The rest of the black and white photograph is seen here on the left, with three nurses in uniform and two men in suits, both with moustaches.* Behind some of the text are splotches of transluscent yellow. There is a green bottle of tincture of iodine u.s.p. that says ‘caution poison’ and an effect of green gas behind it. To the right is a cotton ball with a dark orange liquid on it (iodine).

7 Text: Standardising the formulation and use of tincture of iodine BP saved innumerable lives throughout history, especially before the discovery of antibiotics; from soldiers on the battlefronts of World War I to children with a common scraped knee. Behind the text is torn paper. Then below are crossed modern fabric plasters to form an X, a green bottle of tincture of iodine B.P., and a cardboard tube of (Io)dine Ampoule for External Use, with a small glass bulb filled with a dark reddish brown liquid.

8 Text: So, thank you to Dr Stretton and thank you to Chris for bringing this fascinating story of medical history to all of us here at Sick to Death. At the top is a slightly blurry photo of an older man, with a large white moustache, in a suit and tie*. It’s frame with brown scrapbook details. To the right is half of a green circle with a white cross inside.

9 Text: If you’re interested in reading more about Dr Lionel Stretton, you can visit https://johnlionelstretton.com/ for a more in-depth history of his life and work. *Thank you to Chris Stretton for providing access to photos from Lionel Stretton Family Collection to include in this post. On the left is the other half of the green circle and white cross. Below the text, which is on white paper with brown tape, is a black and white photograph of an early 20th century white family outside in a garden. There is a moustached man sat in a wicker chair, to the right is a women in a striped dress and jacket with large sleeves and collar. From the left, starting on the ground and then moving behind the man in the chair, as three children: a boy in the cap sat on the ground holding a cricket bat and ball, a girl in a dark dress and jacket, wearing a straw hat, holding a tennis racket, and a younger boy in light trousers and shirt, as well as a cap, stood straight up, one hand resting on a cricket bat, the other at his waist.

Some of you may have experienced the sting of iodine yourself. Ouch – indeed! But did you know about its significant link to British medical history?

We were very interested to learn more about Dr J Lionel Stretton of Kidderminster, who was instrumental in the development of tincture of iodine, when his great grandson Chris visited Sick to Death last month.

Humans have been performing surgeries for thousands of years, but one of the main causes of death and complications over that time wasn’t necessarily the surgery itself, but the infections that could set in afterwards.

In the early 1900s, at a time when many doctors and surgeons were working to improve upon early antiseptics to reduce infections post-surgery, Dr Stretton was focused on the refinement of tincture of iodine. His 2.5% solution, tincture of iodine BP (British Pharmacopoeia), was first published in 1909 in the British Medical Journal and soon became the standard used around the world – it can still be found in many first aid kits and emergency survival kits today!

This specific formulation was strong enough to be antiseptic, but gentle enough to avoid skin irritation, it had a long shelf-life, and wouldn’t fumigate the wards (something nurses certainly seemed to appreciate). And that fact that it still stained the skin yellow? Well, this was actually good thing, as it meant you could easily confirm that a patient had been treated with the antiseptic pre-surgery and during post-operative care. It was simple, efficient, and effective!

Standardising the formulation and use of tincture of iodine BP saved innumerable lives throughout history, especially before the discovery of antibiotics; from soldiers on the battlefronts of World War I to children with a common scraped knee. So, thank you to Dr Stretton and thank you to Chris for bringing this fascinating story of medical history to all of us here at Sick to Death.

If you’re interested in reading more about Dr Lionel Stretton, you can visit https://johnlionelstretton.com/ for a more in-depth history of his life and work.

*Thank you to Chris Stretton for providing access to photos from Lionel Stretton Family Collection to include in this post.

2025/26 Holiday Hours

As the holiday season approaches, we welcome all Scrooges to visit us for an escape from the sickeningly cheerful events happening everywhere else.

If you are planning to visit during this time of year, please just take a note of our holiday hours for December and January.

Sick to Death will be closed on:

Wednesday, December 24th

Thursday, December 25th

Friday, December 26th

Sick to Death will be open December 27th – December 31st.

Sick to Death will be closed on:

Thursday, January 1st

Sick to Death will re-open as usual on January 2nd.

A dark green background with a circular motif of lighter green leaves and boughs, with red berries and some white star accents. In the centre is a circular cropped photo of a person dressed in a black Santa style outfit, wearing a black plague doctor mask, carrying a brown sack over their shoulder.

Halloween 2025 at Sick to Death

It’s time to get excited for Halloween at Sick to Death!

We are offering both day-time and night-time activities, so there’s something to suit everyone during the October half-term at Sick to Death.

HORRIBLE HALLOWEEN

If you’re after some family-friendly spooky fun join us during the day-time for thrills that everyone can enjoy this Halloween, as you explore the gory story of medicine! A perfectly quirky way to immerse yourselves in the strangest season, with a Halloween activity trail (with trick OR treat prizes), extra fun characters to meet, and even face painting on select days!

Horrible Halloween will be on from Saturday October 25th – Sunday November 2nd. Open from 10am – 6pm (last entry 5pm). Book your tickets now: Sick to Death Tickets Portal

SCARED TO DEATH

If you’re after something more frightening, Sick To Death becomes SCARED To Death with late night openings!

You are invited to explore the gory story of medicine by lantern light as you are stalked around our historic church by perilous plague victims and barbaric barbers! Our grave digger will be on duty, should they be needed… Will you survive the night and all the horrors it has to offer?

For three nights only: Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, October 29th, 30th, & 31st. Open from 6:30pm – 10pm (last entry 9pm). Book your tickets now: Sick to Death Tickets Portal

Recommended for ages 12+ due to frights and scares.