Primary 6 have been busy learning about the Victorian Era. This week’s learning focused around comparing the lifestyles of the rich and poor.

Our class novel, Street Child by Berlie Doherty, highlights the plight of a disadvantaged young boy, Jim Jarvis, who ends up in the workhouse after living in the slums and losing his mother to illness. We learn of his suffering and the deprivation he faces on a daily basis. We compared this to the lifestyle of Miss Toward, whose preserved tenement house still stands in Glasgow today.

After our visit to Miss Toward’s home, we were very aware that the comfortable lifestyle she led was in stark comparison to that of Jim Jarvis.

A grand piano for entertainment.

A large fireplace to keep warm.

High Tea treats.

A comfortable bed.

A dresser for beautifying.

Washing basin.

Miss Toward was fortunate enough that she did not to have to leave the tenement and visit the outhouse to go to the bathroom. Her indoor toilet and bath were a real treat!

We loved learning about the daily chores and how they would have been completed during Victorian times. We were given the chance to try out the mangle, which would have been used to wring out the clothes once they had been washed. After this, the clothing would have been hung over the pulley and raised high in the ceiling to dry fully.

One of our favourite tasks was to match modern day items with those from Victorian Times. Here’s how we got on:

Milk jugs, hair tongs, toilet roll, potato mashers, hot water bottles, sponges and medicine!

After looking around Miss Toward’s large kitchen and Livingroom we noticed something in both of the rooms which we found quite bizarre!

We couldn’t believe it!!!

BEDS!