Learning Zone

1. Ask children what they already know about Liverpool

Beatles, Football clubs.

2. Use the interactive white board or print copies of the front page of the Liverpool website

What more information does this give them about the city? The answer is ‘not much’! even under the heading of Culture and Tourism.

This indicates the need for a more informative website about the city and this will be the task for the class. The website does gives the information that Liverpool is aiming to become a World Heritage City. This implies that it has an important past which is worth recording.

Homework could include a look at the website for their nearest city or local town and different types of information available there. Many towns and cities have a history section, which can be used to model a history website or picture folder for Liverpool.

3. Locate Liverpool on a map of the UK

Suggest that the children use their geographical knowledge to guess how the city had developed i.e. as a seaport because it is by the sea. Record responses from 1 – 3 on the white board or large sheet.

4. Finding out more

Explain how we can find out about the growth of cities from a number of different historical sources, including the internet. Demonstrate the search facilities on the Images of England site to the whole class. If appropriate discuss the concept of ‘listed buildings’.

5. Identifying areas of research

Starting with the maritime heading, look at the images (quick search) which can be found for the Victorian period. The Maritime Museum has its own website, which shows how old bonded warehouses have been converted into the museum. There is also a website for the Albert Dock where the Maritime museum is sited and photographs of how other warehouses and yards have been converted.

6. Finding out more

Some of the images will need to be further researched e.g. the graving dock. What does the picture suggest a graving dock would be used for?
How can you find out whether your prediction is correct?

7. Recording the evidence

These Images of England photographs can be saved into a picture folder and this can then be used to write captions for them. Pupils should be encouraged to use their own thoughts about the docks, rather than copy out the architectural information from the Images of England website. A more comprehensive investigation could involve using other evidence (see below) and using this to expand the information about Victorian Liverpool. The City Council is very open about new ideas and might welcome linked school sites on this theme.

8. Growing cities

Other search areas on the Images of England site can show what else was being built in Victorian Liverpool. A search on ‘transport’ will demonstrate the growth of railways and use of canals. It will also demonstrate the regular use of horses because there are several stables listed as having been built at this time.

9. Using written sources

The tables below demonstrate how the census returns showed the growing city. Moses Street is composed of 2 and 3 bedroomed terraced houses, but obviously would not have been so cosy in Victorian times. Houses in Rodney Street are very much bigger and closer to the City Centre. What information does this provide about who was living in Liverpool when the city was expanding so rapidly. What does it tell us about the movements of people?

10. Using maps.

The two maps below show how part of Liverpool grew between 1846 and 1893.

• How many years have passed between Map A and Map B?
• Which streets are on both maps?
• What information do these maps give you about what was happening in this area during Victorian times?
• What was happening at the same time in the nearest city to your school?

11. Using Images of England website:

Now return to the Images of England site and see what houses you can find which were also built in this period. What sort of houses would you expect to find in this area?

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