Pupils will investigate how people in the Victorian period understood health, illness and cleanliness, exploring the beliefs and practices that shaped everyday life before the advances of modern medicine. Through questioning, discussion and evidence from original objects, photographs and the Museum's historic buildings, they will compare past and present ideas about hygiene and healthcare and consider how knowledge has changed over time.
Taking a guided tour of our period headmaster's house, pupils will find out about the everyday hygienic practices of the different social classes and the medical treatments available to them. They will explore some of the scientific misconceptions of the time, using historical evidence to distinguish between fact, belief and scientific understanding. Throughout the session, pupils are encouraged to ask questions, make observations and draw their own conclusions about the challenges of staying healthy in Victorian Britain.
PLEASE NOTE: The majority of this session takes place in the Headmaster’s house, which is not accessible for wheelchair users.
