January 5, 2012

This is some research I took from several differen webpages, inorder to help the class with Cluedup. This is not my own work.

Victorians

The Mother
The mother would often spend her time planning dinner parties, visiting her dressmaker or calling on friends, she did not do jobs like washing clothes or cooking and cleaning. †Both "papa and mama saw the upbringing of their children as an important responsibility. †They believed a child must be taught the difference between right and wrong if he was to grow into a good and thoughtful adult. †If a child did something wrong he would be punished for his own good. †"Spare the rod and spoil the child" was a saying Victorians firmly believed in.

The Children
Most days middle class children saw very little of their parents. †The children in a middle class family would spend most of their time in the nursery and would be brought up by their nanny. †Victorian children were expected to rise early, because lying in bed was thought to be lazy and sinful. †The nanny would-be paid about £25 a year to wash, dress and watch over them, amuse them, dose them, take them out and teach them how to behave. †Some would only see their parents once a day. †In the evening, clean and tidy the children were allowed downstairs for an hour before they went to bed. †Some mothers taught their children to read and write and sometimes fathers taught their sons Latin.
As the children grew older, tutors and governesses were often employed and boys were sometimes sent away to school
When the children grew up, only the boys were expected to work, the daughters stayed at home with their mother. †They were expected only to marry as soon as possible.

In the Victorian period, work inside and outside the home took up much more time than it does today and working people had far less leisure time. There was little money to spare and no radio, television, cinemas or sports centres. People found all sorts of ways of enjoying what free time they had.
Whilst the Victorians dreamt of improvement and progress through work, the years between 1837 and 1901 saw the greatest development in leisure pursuits ever witnessed. The period gave a more structured approach to leisure, with the creation of parks, libraries, art galleries and museums. In most large towns there were theatres and music halls that were popular and cheap. Men played or went to watch rugby, football or cricket. Technology changed as well, allowing the production of cheap books, newspapers and musical instruments. 'The National Trust' came into being, which helped conserve the countryside and improved transport, which made days out more accessible to everyone.
Victorian class differences also existed in leisure activities. Although the lower classes attended the same events as the upper class, they had there own entrances and locations within music halls, restaurants etc.

Outings and Treats
At weekends, families might go to the park, and listen to a band. Crowds would gather round the bandstand to enjoy the music. Zoos were popular too. Children rode on elephants and camels, and watched the lions being fed. At Easter, there was†Maypole dancing and a May Queen was chosen, and paraded through the streets. Poor children looked forward to treats such as day trips and picnics. These were often run by youth organizations such as the†Band of Hope†and the†Boys' Brigade.
Going to the Seaside
Railways changed people's lives. Families went to the seaside for the day by train. People who could afford it took a week's summer holiday. Seaside towns such as Blackpool and Margate became popular resorts. Trippers and holidaymakers enjoyed things we still enjoy at the seaside today: ice cream, fish and chips, riding on donkeys, paddling and making sandcastles on the beach. In old photos you'll notice most people are wearing ordinary clothes, with trousers and skirts rolled up to keep dry.
Travelling shows
Funfairs and circuses travelled around the country. Funfairs had roundabouts (worked by steam engines), slides and swings, coconut shies, shooting galleries and sideshows with strongmen, fire-eaters, jugglers and fortune-tellers. Circuses put on shows in big tents, and often paraded into the town on arrival with the clowns, elephants, horses and camels. Children laughed at Punch and Judy, a one-man travelling puppet show.
Theatre and Pantomime
The Victorians loved theatre, and most towns had at least one theatre or†music hall. At Christmas, lucky children were taken to the pantomime. This was often a lavish show with exciting special effects (lights, smoke, loud bangs, live animals). Poor children who could not afford a theatre seat might get a job in the pantomime as 'juvenile dancers' or 'crowds'. Children paid a penny to get into the cheap music halls, and came out whistling the latest popular song.