A Poor Man’s Friend: New Exhibition Reveals the Remarkable Story of Dr Giles Roberts

Our new exhibition tells the remarkable story of Dr Giles Roberts, born at Bridport Harbour – now West Bay – in 1766. Doctor, Methodist preacher, chemist, inventor, scientist and entrepreneur, Roberts led an extraordinary life and became famous for his Poor Man’s Friend ointment.

The inspiration for bringing his story back to West Bay came from a chance discovery by a West Bay Discovery Centre volunteer, uncovering a fascinating connection between Dr Roberts, a local shipbuilding family and the historic chapel that is now home to the Centre.

While researching local history, the volunteer found a dedication to Mrs Cox of Bridport Harbour for her “unwearied devotion” to the welfare of sailors over fifty years in a book produced as a Methodist Sunday School prize.  The book  A Methodist Doctor of Ye Olden Time was written by the Reverend Arthur E. Hutchinson under the name A. Lincoln.

 Mary Ann Cox was the wife of shipbuilder Elias Cox and daughter-in-law of John Cox. The Cox family were devout Methodists who built the chapel. Although it was built after Dr Roberts’ death, the family would have known of his reputation and heard him preaching at Bridport Harbour, where he regularly spoke to local people and sailors.

Interest in Roberts has grown in recent years. In 2025, the Dorset History Centre acquired a ten-page autobiography written by Roberts himself, providing a rare first-hand insight into his life.

Despite suffering smallpox and rickets as a child and not learning to walk until he was five, Roberts became a chemist and druggist, medical practitioner and popular Methodist preacher through determination and extensive self-education.

He developed his famous Poor Man’s Friend ointment, experimented with electricity as a treatment, collected a remarkable Museum of Curiosities, and became known for providing medical care to people unable to afford other doctors.

The exhibition features objects, images, stories and displays exploring Roberts’ life, medicine and everyday life in his time. A programme of events will also include talks, a herbal remedies workshop and children’s activities.

The exhibition will be open during the Centre’s normal opening hours, with reduced winter opening hours from November to March. Admission is free, with donations welcome.