Christmas Below Stairs
Why do we put three spices into the mince pies? What is Lamb’s Wool? And who are the Lord and Lady of Misrule? The kitchens will be decked with holly and ivy to put the whole class in the festive spirit!
Led by two costumed characters – a Victorian kitchen maid and a Housekeeper or Butler – this seasonal session follows a similar structure to “Below Stairs”.
Children will be dressed as maids and footmen and put to work as domestic servants. In addition, this seasonal session provides the opportunity to stir the Christmas pudding and discover many Victorian Christmas traditions.
"So wonderful to be in a real Victorian setting - makes the experience so valuable. Amazing subject knowledge: lots of opportunities to participate."
Grove Park Primary
Duration: 90 minutes
Price: £155 per workshop of up to 32 children
Learning objective
- To experience working life as a Victorian domestic servant and to discover the local and national importance of the Rothschild family who once owned the Gunnersbury estate.
- To discover the origins of some of our Christmas traditions.
National Curriculum links
History
- A study of an aspect or theme in British history beyond 1066
- Historical concepts – similarity, difference and significance, drawing contrasts
- A local history study
English
- Spoken language and listening skills, role-play, increasing vocabulary