LONDON HISTORY SCHOOLS DAY - TEACHERS’ GUIDE 8 London Icons LONDON HISTORY SCHOOLS DAY - TEACHERS’ GUIDE 9 QUEEN VICTORIA FREDDIE MERCURY (1819-1901) (1946-1991) Who was she? Who was he? Queen of the United Kingdom from A singer, songwriter and record 1837-1901. Her 200th birthday is producer, one of the founder members celebrated on London History and lead singer of the rock band Queen. Schools Day this year. In 1990, Queen was awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution London links to British Music. Victoria was born and grew up at Kensington Palace, moving to London links Buckingham Palace when she became Born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Queen. Her Diamond Jubilee in 1897 Zanzibar, Freddie Mercury moved to was celebrated with a six-mile-long Feltham with his family in 1964. Today procession through London. In 1899 she there is an English Heritage blue plaque laid the foundation stone of the Victoria at the house where he lived. He studied and Albert Museum in South Kensington. at Isleworth Polytechnic and Ealing Art Today, it is the world’s leading museum College, later working for a time as a of art and design. London has ten baggage handler at Heathrow airport. statues of Victoria, including in One of his most famous performances Westminster, Lambeth and Croydon. with Queen was at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1985. Get the look Long black dress or blouse and skirt. Get the look Blue scarf or ribbon tied across body White vest. Light blue jeans and a as a sash. Costume necklace, brooch, black belt or tracksuit bottoms. White earrings and finger rings. Hair parted in trainers or plimsolls. Make an armband the centre and tied back into a bun. Add out of a length of black ribbon studded a veil made from white net or muslin. with snap fasteners. Draw on a black Make a crown (see ACTIVITIES). moustache with a make-up pencil or face paint. Add a brightly coloured bomber jacket (optional). 10 WILLIAM MORRIS TESSA SANDERSON CBE (1834-1896) (born 1956) Who was he? Who is she? An artist, designer, craftsman and A former athlete mainly celebrated as writer. His designs influenced interior a javelin thrower. In 1984, she became decoration throughout Victorian Britain the first British woman to win an Olympic and helped inspire a decorative arts gold medal in the javelin competition. movement known as Arts and Crafts. In total she competed at six Olympic Games and won gold medals at three London links Commonwealth Games. Morris was born in Walthamstow which today is in the London Borough of London links Waltham Forest. His family home is Today, Sanderson runs the Newham now the William Morris Gallery, which Sports Academy that helped to find houses a collection of his work and and train athletes to represent Britain that of his friends and followers. In at the London 2012 Olympics. She has 1859, he moved into the Red House in also established the Tessa Sanderson Bexleyheath which he had co-designed. Foundation and Academy, a charity From 1878, his central London home based in East London. The academy was Kelmscott House in Hammersmith. helps children and young people of any Today the William Morris Society has its nationality living in Britain find a positive headquarters here. route in life through sport. Get the look Get the look Long dark trousers with a white shirt White vest top or T-shirt; pin one red and a plain waistcoat or jacket. Make a and one blue ribbon around the chest to ribbon bow tie and pin onto the shirt. create stripes. Red, blue or white shorts Use gel to create a wild hairstyle. Make a or tracksuit bottoms. Trainers. Add a bushy beard (see ACTIVITIES). flannel head band and a tracksuit jacket. Make a gold medal (see ACTIVITIES). LONDON HISTORY SCHOOLS DAY - TEACHERS’ GUIDE 11 DR HELEN SHARMAN OBE STORMZY (born 1988) (born 1993) Who is she? Who is he? The first British astronaut and the first Stormzy is the stage name of the rapper woman to visit the Russian Mir space Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo station. She has since published a Jr. In 2017, his debut album was the children’s book, ‘The Space Place’, first grime album to reach number and presented radio and television one on the UK Albums Chart. This programmes. year he will be the first grime artist to headline Glastonbury. London links Sharman studied for her PhD degree London links at Birkbeck, University of London. Stormzy was born in Croydon and grew After gaining her doctorate, she up in South Norwood. He attended worked as a research and development the Harris Academy South Norwood, technologist for the General Electric achieving six A* grades in his GCSEs. Company (GEC) in London. In 2015, He was the first artist to win the newly she became Operations Manager for introduced Best Grime Act at the 2014 the Department of Chemistry at MOBO Awards in Wembley Arena. He Imperial College, London. currently lives in West London and recently launched a New Writer’s prize Get the look for young writers. Disposable white coverall or baggy trousers and shirt or sweatshirt. Tuck Get the look trousers into wellington or ankle boots. T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. Tracksuit Add a large pair of gloves. Draw a Union top or bomber jacket. Trainers. Draw Jack onto a rectangle of fabric or paper on a beard using a make-up pencil or and pin to one arm as a badge. Make a face paints. Mix silver food dye with space helmet (see ACTIVITIES). toothpaste or baking soda and apply a thin layer to one tooth with a small paint brush; hold mouth open until it has dried. Add a cap or beanie and make a microphone (see ACTIVITIES). 12 BOLLYWOOD DANCERS JOSEPH GRIMALDI (1778-1837) Who are they? Who was he? Professional and amateur performers. An actor, comedian and dancer who Their moves come from classical often played the character of clown Indian forms like Bharatnatyam and in pantomimes. He expanded the role, Kathak, and folk dances like Bhangra. becoming so famous that his nickname, The name is from the Indian film ‘Joey’, and white face paint are still used industry. It is a cross between by clowns today. ‘Bombay’ and ‘Hollywood’. London links London links Born into a theatrical family in London’s Bollywood dance classes and West End, Grimaldi first appeared at workshops are held all over London. Sadler’s Wells Theatre aged just two. He City Academy, Clerkenwell, is home went on to become a regular performer to the Bollywood Dance Company. both there and at the Drury Lane Dancers also perform at Zee London Theatre, later moving to the Theatre Mela, the celebration of South Asian Royal, Covent Garden. Today there is culture, which moved from Gunnersbury an English Heritage blue plaque at his Park to Southall in 2018. home in Islington. The graveyard in Pentonville where he was buried forms Get the look part of a public park named after him. Girls: Brightly coloured full skirts or loose-fitting trousers. Bright top or Get the look tunic. Add lots of bangles and a Baggy trousers or tracksuit bottoms costume necklace fastened around tucked into long socks. Ballet pumps the head as a headband. or slippers. Baggy shirt or blouse Boys: Brightly coloured, loose-fitting tucked into trousers. Make a ruff (see trousers or tracksuit bottoms. ACTIVITIES). Using face paints: cover Oversized shirt or blouse. Add face in a white base; draw on large red a colourful waistcoat (optional). lips and large red triangles on each All: Tie a wide scarf or shawl around cheek; draw a V shape on the forehead the waist as a sash. to extend the hairline. Gel hair into a central tuft and two side tufts. LONDON HISTORY SCHOOLS DAY - TEACHERS’ GUIDE 13 NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN PERFORMERS (1632-1723) Who are they? Who was he? Adults and children who dress up One of the most highly regarded in colourful costumes and parade architects in British history. He was through the streets at the Notting Hill also an astronomer, scientist and Carnival. They include dancers and mathematician. steel band musicians. London links London links This year marks the 350th anniversary of Held annually since 1966, the Notting Wren’s official appointment to design the Hill Carnival is Europe’s biggest street new St Paul’s Cathedral after the Great festival. It is a spectacular celebration Fire of London. Today the cathedral is one of Caribbean culture and community of London’s most iconic buildings. Wren which welcomes around one million also designed several other churches visitors every year. In 2006 it was voted in London, the Royal Naval College one of the ‘icons of England’ in a public in Greenwich and the south front of poll. The Sunday before the main parade Hampton Court Palace. on August Bank Holiday Monday is designated Family Day and features the Get the look Children’s Parade. Baggy trousers or tracksuit bottoms tucked into long white socks. Adult’s Get the look brightly coloured jacket or coat with Anything goes! Suggestions: brightly sleeves folded back and fabric tied coloured top or T-shirt and skirt or around the waist as a sash. Length of shorts. Trainers. Tie ribbons or coloured white fabric tied at the neck. Make shoe net around wrists and ankles. Decorate buckles out of card wrapped in tin foil face with glitter or face paints. Add and fasten to school shoes. Make a colourful accessories such as a deely periwig (see ACTIVITIES).