Class 4 trip of Quarry Bank Mill

Over the course of the first half term, Class 4 have been exploring what life would have been like for children during the Victorian era. We have done this by exploring the text 'Street Child' in English as well as during our History lessons. To enhance our learning, on Friday 10th November, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Quarry Bank Mill, which was a cotton Mill close to Manchester. Here the children had the opportunity to explore what life would have been like as a child apprentice in the Victorian era.

As historians, they were able to:

  1. Use primary and secondary sources of evidence to make deductions about life in the past.
  2. Understand that proof is really important in order to understand what life was like in the past.
  3. Use historical language related to the past.
  4. Explore how the lives of children have changed since the Victorian era. 
  5. Explore how and why machinery has changed since the Victorian era. 
  6. Recognise the features of Victorian society. 
  7. Empathise with children from the past, comparing their lives with children from the past. 

During the course of the day, the children we able to tour the mill and observe the machinery working. They were able to see how awful and dangerous the working conditions were. The children couldn't believe how noisy the machines were and couldn't imagine what it would be like to listen to the constant drone of the machines. They certainly understood why workers had poor hearing or lost their hearing altogether. 

Whilst on the tour, the children particularly enjoyed learning the gory details of the mill - about common injuries occurred due to poor health and safety. They learnt that women were known to get their hair caught in the machines, which would scalp them! Also that children were sent to clean and scavenge cotton from under moving machines. One particularly dangerous machine, the Mule, moved forwards and backwards within four seconds. The children had to scavenged any loose cotton in under four seconds to prevent being crushed, which unfortunately happened to one child. 

We also had the opportunity to explore the old apprentice house where children from the ages of 9 to 18 lived whilst they were working at the mill. We were told that the ages were only approximates; many children didn't know when they were born and couldn't read and write so they had to do the arm test and see if they could touch their ear. Children came to the mill from the poor house to work or from families who were struggling to afford their keep. They were expected to work six days a week, from 6 am to 6pm, as well as attending school to learn their alphabet and to study Christianity.

The children had to sleep two to a bed, which was known as a coffin bed. The pupils in our class couldn't quite believe where they were expected to go to the toilet during the night: in a bed pot underneath their bed! Poor Travis had to demonstrate how to clean out the bed pot!

The children were also shown popular medical treatments from the Victorian era. If you had a head ache, for example, you were given a burning hot poultice to put on your head which would cause a huge and painful blister. The doctor would then slice open the blister and let the puss ooze out, supposedly getting rid of all of the toxins in the body. In reality, it actually gave them a worse condition than they had begun with and as a result, they would often not complain again. 

Another popular treatment was to use goose fat rubbed in to your chest if you had a cough - something that the children were particularly repulsed by! Also, they used to use leeches to clean the blood if you were feeling unwell. Did you know that leeches are still used today in medicine? 

Overall, we had an absolutely wonderful day learning more about life in the Victorian era. The children asked interesting questions during the course of the day and answered questions showing a great understanding of what they had learnt. 

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"I really enjoyed our trip. It helped me learn more about different times and how different inventions changed over the years. I enjoyed seeing the master at the apprentice house although he was scary." Molly

"I really enjoyed our trip to Quarry Bank Mill because it was a trip that helped me learn more in my favourite subject, History. I also loved looking at the mechanics and the apprentice house. The school masters had horrible punishments. It was really funny when Travis had to clean the potty!" Sky

"I have learnt so many things going on that trip like you had four seconds to escape a machine and the machines were powered by a river flowing fast. " Kayden

"I enjoyed seeing the machines and the apprentice house experience. It was funny when I cleaned the toilet." Travis

"I loved the trip as it was really hands on as we saw some very exciting things. I especially loved the apprentice house as I got to see what life was like. " Immy

"It was a very exciting trip and I really did not want to leave. It was very good to be on a trip that we could stay at for the whole day. I wish to go again some time." Megan

"I thought the trip was very good because we got to learn what it was like in a workhouse for children in the Victorian times." Lottie

 

Well done Class 4. As ever, your behaviour was exemplary (as stated by the tour guide in the apprentice house) and I was very proud to be your teacher.

Mrs Kuffour