It was lovely to take the History topic out of the classroom. The house and grounds of Reveley Lodge are a real local treasure. Every wall, nook and cranny is filled with artwork and knick-knacks from the Victorian age. Every doorknob, pane of glass and mirror is ornate. We experienced the strictness of the school room. We wrote on slate and strove to earn our copybooks in the handwriting lesson. Left-handed Poppy conformed to the right hand only rule. We were reminded that many children didn't attend school in the early Victorian period and our brothers’ education would have been prioritised. Laundry maid duties were next and the linens were thrown into the dolly tub. There wasn’t an on button and we all had a go at slooshing the posser and turning the mangle. Luckily, all this hard work was rewarded with cake and tea. Even the eating of Victoria sponge came with rules and etiquette. But it was delicious!

We were very grateful to the staff of Bushey Museum, all former teachers, who gave their time to make our morning so memorable.