Year 2 went to Holly Lodge in Richmond Park recently, as part of their topic on the Victorians. They became Victorian school children in the morning, learning their 3R’s (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic), using a slate and slate pencil, playing Stones (a similar game to Jacks) and doing Drill (PE) outside in the sunshine. They found out about the school rules – such as ‘Sit and stand straight, shoulders back, chest out, heads up, eyes front, elbows tucked in and hands on laps’ – and what would happen if they disobeyed them!
In the afternoon, the girls became members of the Victorian Servants’ Academy, finding out what was involved in the jobs of laundry maid, kitchen maid and the valet. They were amazed at the weight of an iron and fascinated by the process of washing clothes by hand. However, the most popular activity appeared to be carpet beating, where the floor rug would be hung up outside and hit to remove all the dust and dirt.
We had a great day and, through a real ‘hands-on’ experience, learnt a lot about the Victorian way of life.
