Year 5 Victorian Day

 

 

Brick-Yard Boy

 

I saw a little brick-yard boy

With body almost bare,

What clothes he had were thin and torn,

And matted was his hair;

And such a little boy was he,

In years not more than three times three.

And yet for very little pay,

He’d work so hard the live long day,

From six at mourn, till seven or eight,

His legs had tumbled ‘neath the weight

Of forty pounds of clay or more,-

And ah, poor lad! His feet were sore.

No wonder, either, for those feet

A many miles had run,

With hurried speed across the floor

Beneath the burning sun;

Poor little slave on British soil.

So young in years, why dost though toil?

 

This term the children have been studying the Victorians in history. During the Victorian Day the children attended a workshop where they travelled back in time and met Sara Louise Elmslie (Syrie), wife of Dr Thomas Barnardo, who founded the first ‘Ragged School’ in London.

 

During the workshop they:-

     Experienced Victorian schooling

• Through improvisation and role play, explored life and work by the Thames river including ‘Mudlarking’   
• Visited a workhouse run by the intimidating ‘Mr Bumble’
• Looked at Crime and Punishment, in particular relating to children during Victorian Times
• Learned a song from the popular Music Hall
• Discovered how Victorian England was transformed through innovation and The Industrial Revolution and took part in ‘The Great Exhibition of 1851’ with special guest Queen Victoria herself!

   

They also made the famous Victoria Sponge Cake as well as played various traditional Victorian school games!

 

 

  

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