The Victorians

As part of its educational work, the Society has compiled a dossier entitled 'The Victorians'. This dossier springs from the work carried out over the past thirty years or so by us at the Public Record Office, now the National Archives, at Kew. The records of the Great Eastern Railway and of its predecessor the Eastern Counties Railway are held there. Some of our members have worked through the Minutes Books of the Boards of Directors and of certain of the committees and have made summaries of them.

We now make these available to researchers on word-searchable CD-ROMs and on printed Information Sheets. We realised these summaries also offered all sorts of glimpses of Victorian life and attitudes in general, derived directly from primary sources, which we felt deserved to be made more widely available to educators. This was how 'The Victorians' project came into being. There is a pupils' booklet which provides quotes from the Minutes and poses questions for discussion. It is anticipated that teachers could amend and develop these as a basis for occasional class work. Some of the items may prove suitable for younger children when they 'do' the Victorians in Years 5 or 6, while others might be more appropriate for older students: whichever, they are offered as 'ideas banks' which might be drawn on to match the aptitudes of the children and the interests of the teacher.

A teachers' booklet accompanies this. It supplies background information and anecdotes on each of the topics which feature in the pupils' text. Click here to view sample pages from the pupils' book and here to see the corresponding pages from the teachers' book.

For Schools and Other Educational Establishments

The full package is available to you. You can receive one by applying on the establishment's headed notepaper to Barry Jackson, 14 Quantock Close, Bedford MK41 9EW. Please enclose a cheque for £10 payable to GERS Publications (this charge is solely to cover costs, including post and packing).

You will receive a folder containing amongst other items a copy of the pupils' book and the teachers' book. There is also a CD-ROM which will enable you to print out further copies, either in whole or in part, according to your needs. This CD-ROM includes pictures for classroom displays and for children to colour in, plus material on rail safety, on Victorian weights and measures, on how to convert prices into their present-day rough equivalents year by year, etc., etc. A site licence is supplied which entitles your school to print out and make any bona fide educational use of the material provided.

For Individuals

You may find the pupils' and teachers' books of interest, and if so you are welcome to purchase a copy of each. You must realise, however, that these are just for your personal reading and normal copyright rules apply. To acquire your own copies, send £4.60 plus 70p P&P payable to GERS Publications to Barry Jackson, 14 Quantock Close, Bedford MK41 9EW.