The Downs Malvern – Year 2 Victorian Day
17 Feb 2016
Year 2 made the most of the February sunshine on their visit to The Dean Heritage Centre dressed as Victorian children.
As the school bell rang the boys lined up, removed their caps, walked silently into the classroom and sat at the front of the classroom. The girls then followed in and were asked to sit on the back benches. They were told to keep their hats on to stop them fiddling with their hair.
The teacher was very strict and we learnt about how Victorian children would have been punished if they were naughty. Mrs Shardlow and Mrs Sigley were the classroom monitors, handing out the slates, rags and slate pencils. We practiced writing and said our 3x table aloud. We were tested on our listening skills. We listened to The Owl and The Pussy Cat poem and then answered questions about it. The Victorian teacher showed us a back straightener which was used on children who did not sit up straight and we saw some very uncomfortable finger clamps that were used as a punishment. Thankfully Year 2 were all very well behaved and nobody got the cane!
After lunch we visited a Foresters cottage. A family of ten lived in the two bedroom cottage and the children all agreed it would have been a squeeze. Despite the range being lit the house was cold.
The children identified many differences between a Victorian cottage and houses today. Year 2 did some laundry using a wash board and dolly but all agreed a washing machine was a much better way of washing clothes!