Join the Team
Our day to day offerings and diverse programming would not be possible without our wonderful team of staff and volunteers.
If you are interested in joining us please keep an eye out for our posted vacancies below.
Actor
We are looking for a female / female-identifying actor to play the part of Polly Hewson for a theatrical installation.
Hours: 10:30am-5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday; 9:30am-3:00pm on Tuesdays during term time
Pay: £96 for a full day
Send a CV, cover letter, and any other supporting materials you wish to share to Megan King, Front of House Manager at supervisor@benjaminfranklinhouse.org.
Application due date: 13th January @ 9am
Interview dates: 14th January, 11am-2pm
Main Duties and Responsibilities
The job encompasses two roles:
a) The main character in the Historical Experience is Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin’s landlady who became a ‘second daughter’ to Franklin. Accompanied by Polly, who will assume visitors are there to see Franklin on his last night in London when he had to leave or risk arrest, the visitor will experience a sense of the complexity of the man and the times in which he lived: food, health, botany, and daily living in the basement kitchen; social and personal relationships, musical inventions and political tension on the ground floor; scientific work, political triumphs and woes, and a hurried return to America in the face of the looming War of Independence on the first floor. The dramatic tapestry, with the words of Franklin woven throughout, will remove the traditional distance between museum and visitor, bringing a sense of the urgency and innovation that characterised Franklin’s life in Britain. The Age of Enlightenment will be brought to life, revealing Franklin’s belief in the interconnection of experimentation with personal and social responsibility.
b) You will also play Polly Hewson for a Young Person’s version of our theatrical installation at Benjamin Franklin House. On Tuesdays we are typically closed to the public to allow school visits on-site. The Young Person’s Historical Experience is part of a carousel of activities the children have as part of this visit. The script is written from Polly’s perspective in early 1774, shortly before William Hewson’s death. This is near the end of Franklin’s stay at 36 Craven Street, and thus everything Polly refers to has happened in ‘her’ past. This also allows her to refer to Franklin’s activities in the House in the present tense, which helps to place Polly, and therefore the children, in Franklin’s time.
Volunteers
Our volunteer team is essential to the daily running of the House. By volunteering with us you can meet new people and learn what it’s like to work in a historic house. Our current volunteer vacancies are listed below:
Front-of-House Volunteer
As a front-of-house volunteer you are a vital aspect of our visitor welcome. You will provide a warm welcome to visitors, introduce our main offer the Historical Experience and follow-up with Q&A sessions, as well as process ticket bookings/sales.
Education Volunteer
Our education volunteers support our Education Manager with workshops for KS2 pupils on Tuesdays. This will involve engaging pupils with science demonstrations and interactive games.
UPDATE: January 2025: Applications wanted!
We are currently looking for more Education Volunteers to help support our School Visits and Family Days at Benjamin Franklin House. Please email education@benjaminfranklinhouse.org to apply or find out more about volunteering.
