For our history lessons this half term, 3V have been learning all about Crime and Punishment through the ages. This week, we investigated Victorian times. We learnt that the first police force was introduced in London by Sir Robert Peel (and were swiftly nicknamed 'Bobbies' or 'Peelers'). We also learnt that, in Victorian times, criminals were sent to prison to perform 'hard labour' as a punishment for their misdeeds. Prisoners would have to spend hours every day turning a crank, stepping on a treadwheel, picking oakum or carrying a heavy weight around. All activities had to be carried out in silence.
We recreated some of these activities for the children in the school hall: they spent fifteen minutes in total trying three different types of hard labour: the shot drill, the treadwheel and picking oakum. I think they found keeping silent the hardest part!
After they had completed their 'sentence,' the prisoners were marched back to the classroom to write a diary describing their experiences.
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