Today Year 2 arrived at school looking amazing in their variety of costumes from 17th Century London. We started the day being greeted by our visitor from History Off The Page; Master Turner.
The children were taken back to London on the 2nd September 1666. They became apprentices and found themselves in the market learning skills that would have been common at the time. They visited lots of different stall holders offerings goods and services for sale, including:
- Medicines from the Apothecary,
- Visiting the Barber Surgeon for minor surgical procedures (such as pulling teeth) and some slightly more serious procedures (like cutting of limbs or drilling holes in people’s heads),
- Making book marks Leather worker,
- Candle making with the Chandler,
- Produce some exquisite perfumes with the Perfumer,
- Make delicious bread with the Baker,
- Make casts for jewellery with the Metal Worker, and
- Weaving with the Seamstress.
All the while as the children were learning new skills, the fire was “spreading”. With the flames drawing closer, the children were called into action to try to prevent the fire from spreading. They made bucket lines and fire lines to help tear down local buildings.
By the time we reached the afternoon, sadly the fire had spread and the children came back to help excavate what was left of the charred city; becoming archaeologists, looking for personal belongings and important documents that could help with rebuilding the city.
Thank you once again for taking the time to provide children with costumes, I know that it made the day even more enjoyable. I hope you’ll agree that the children had a really fun day actively learning and experiencing what it would have been like to be in London 1666. I am sure the children will be ready and raring-to-go to find out more as our Great and Ghastly Events in History topic continues.
