Pickford's House Museum

Pickford's House, a Grade One listed building, was built in 1770 by architect Joseph Pickford as his family home and work premises. Other houses in Friar Gate, Derby's finest Georgian Street, were also designed by Pickford, but Number 41 is the only one which the public can enter and learn what domestic life was like in eighteenth and early nineteenth century Derby.

Most Georgian houses open to the public are stately homes with grand reception rooms, sweeping staircases with priceless furniture and paintings to match. Pickford's House Museum shows the accommodation and furnishings of a late Georgian professional man. The visitor can see the ground floor rooms as they might have been in Pickford's time together with displays of eighteenth and nineteenth century costume.

The kitchen and back kitchen have been reconstructed to about 1830, together with a cellar, pantry and a housekeeper's cupboard, so that visitors can get an idea of what life was like for the servants working below stairs.

On the first floor, a Georgian bedroom and dressing room of about 1815 have been recreated, while on the top floor there is a Georgian servants bedroom. Visitors are able to see the two sides of life in the Pickford's household; the comfort of the family rooms contrasting with the living and working conditions of the servants employed below stairs.

The museum includes changing exhibitions of items from its costume and textile collection and is home to the Frank Bradley collection of toy and model theatres. There is also a lively programme of changing exhibitions and events throughout the year.

Events involving cooking and laundry demonstrations take place regularly and visitors should not be surprised to encounter a class of children all learning to be Georgian servants!

Displays include changing exhibitions of items from the costume and textile collection. Other rooms deal with the history of the Friar Gate area and the importance of Joseph Pickford as a Midlands architect.

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