Testimonials
Alan Griffiths after the Rugby Spring Fair 2009
We recently visited the Rugby Spring Fair event.
All the family really enjoyed the event, Rotary did a great job - ASDA were brilliant to make a cold drizzly day into a most enjoyable family day out.
The Living History stand really looked after the kids, Do give our WELL DONE message to all concerned.
Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council 2008
The 1605 Living History Society have developed this project with a group of very dedicated volunteers. The project is professional as demonstrated through its website and the full understanding of links to the National Curriculum and wider legislation when working with young people.
The project offers direct engagement with young people and the not so young across our local society by using history to demonstrate how we can enable social cohesion through our actions today. The project has been widely supported by the statutory agencies as they can see the relevance and direct links to their own objectives. Young people are interested and excited by the project. They very quickly get involved in the displays and workshops and start to debate the issues.
This award would enable the project to become more widely spread, particularly into socially deprived areas, thus promoting the awareness and greater understanding at that local level needed to tackle such issues as religious and racial tensions.
I fully support the project as it is innovative and unique in its approach to working across different cultures.
Radford Primary School 20th October 2008
- We did dancing in the hall and then the lady taught us how to impress the girls or ladies. We had to hold a girl's hand and dance. One of the dances was called the Farandole.
- In the hall the girls had to curtsy and the boys had to bow, they had to take their hat off at the same time but they didn't show the inside of their hat.
- Later we went to the apothecary, we made medicine and we mashed things in a pestle and mortar. I mashed cucumber and my friend mashed mustard seeds then he dipped his mesh in the mortar that had the mustard seeds in it and put his mesh on my hand, it was quite warm.
- They had to use herbs to cure ill people, only men were allowed to be an apothecary, at that time there was a disease called the Bubonic plague, it came from black rats. They thought that smelling some herbs would make them feel better.
- We went to the surgeon, he showed us a leech that sucks blood the surgeon feeds the leech with his blood when it is hungry. My best part was when my friend pretended to get her arm chopped off by the surgeon. The four humours were called phloem, blood, black bile and yellow bile.
- When I went home I thought it was fun learning about the Gunpowder Plot.
- I really liked the day because I am interested in history. I liked dancing, surgery, apothecary and the armour workshops. It was a stunning day.
- We got dressed in our costumes. Girls were wearing a dull green skirt a white apron, white shirt, white collar with a black bodice and a white bonnet. Boys were wearing a brown tunic, white collar and a black hat.
- The armour was made from steel, the musket balls were made from lead, lead is poisonous. The guns they used were called muskets. The helmets could be used in many different ways, like whacking your enemy round the head, collecting water and cooking food. The half pike was a medium size with a handle of wood and the blade of steel, you used it to defend yourself in battle. They held the pike and walked or ran forward to kill anyone who was in their way. The swords were an amazing work of art because they were so well made.
- One of the guns took two minutes to load, you had to dip some string in saltpetre and make a spark using some flint.
Willenhall Community Primary School 18th February 2008
After our successful first visit to Willenhall Primary school we received a wonderful reference from Mrs. Sheila M. Searle, which you can read below. This is followed by a super selection of comments from the teachers: (View the photo gallery)I am the History Co-ordinator and Year 6 Class Teacher at Willenhall Community Primary School where the 1605 living history society trialled 'The Gunpowder Plot, then and now?' in February 2008. This memorable day involved six classes of children aged 8 to 11 years old.
All children were provided with period costumes (which had been delivered to the school on the previous day) and this, together with the project leaders' magnificent costumes and role play (including Shakespearian speech!) set the scene and created an atmosphere of intrigue.
The introductory Power Point display told the story of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the part played in historical events by the nearby Coombe Abbey; well known to all the children. The presentation was managed sensitively in such a way that children could learn about the religious tensions of 1605 and begin to relate these to issues which still concern us today, relating to bullying, intolerance, terrorism and anti-social behaviour.
Following this excellent introduction children were grouped and led through a series of 'hands on' workshops which showed how people of the period lived and some of the beliefs they held. The Tudor world was brought to life for them by the Apothecary (displaying a great array of strange herbs and potions, and a wealth of knowledge), the Surgeon (very gory!), the Musicians (with a whole range of authentic period instruments, excellent knowledge of them and the ability to play them), the Armourer (with a staggering display of armour and weaponry), the Dancer (who taught the children to perform a courtly dance and one belonging to the poor people living in the countryside) and the Calligrapher (giving the children the opportunity to use the quill and write in the style of the Tudors).
The groups were expertly led by professionals with excellent subject knowledge and the ability to relate to and explain to children of all ages. They were also keen to invite children's questions and encouraged them to express views and discuss issues with the aims of the society in mind: to relate social problems in the historical setting with those of society today.
The day was a resounding success. It has left our children with a lasting memory of the many varied activities, a wealth of information and, I believe, a new perspective and outlook relating to respect for others' differing viewpoints, religious beliefs and cultural traditions. This, in turn, will help to shape the future for our young people by helping to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and encourage cultural and religious tolerance.
As a Primary History Co-ordinator I would recommend this project to all Primary Schools as it supports 'a history curriculum which breaks down barriers between racial and religious groups'. The workshops are linked to the National Curriculum and encourage better understanding of different people, cultures and religions in our local communities and show how we can avoid conflict, persecution and prejudice by having a better understanding of History.
Some comments from the teachers:
- Re-enactors built a very respectful relationship with the children very naturally.
- All children entered into the spirit of the age through wearing and seeing the costumes, they had hands on experience in all areas (dance, apothecary etc), and absorbed an incredible amount of information throughout the day.
- Real experience for pupils 100% better than books.
- Key facts delivered in an interesting way.
- Real experience inspired pupils, they learn more this way.
- A 'hands on' and real taste of history which excited and inspired children, enriched their experiences.
- Can be covered in Tudor module, even though it is at the end of the Tudor period and the start of the Stuart period. Linked to the Gunpowder Plot.
- Children enjoyed the hands on approach.
- It has brought history to life for them. Music session was excellent and delivered with real Panache, thoroughly enjoyable.
- Herbs and treatment very good as the children were unaware of this procedure or purpose of some plants; lovely session.
- Facts put over in a fun way and they love hands on activities, making it very memorable.
- Excellent, because children learned about many aspects of the Tudor/Stuart age with first hand experience.
- It meets several requirements for study units e.g Tudors (rich and poor), Local history study.
- They have participated in 'living history' and benefitted from expert knowledge - better than PowerPoint or books.
