Your Visit to Vaucluse House
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Your visit to Vaucluse House NAME: CLASS: What was the best part of your excursion to Vaucluse House? What was your favourite part of being inside Vaucluse House? Was there anything you didn’t like about being inside Vaucluse House? Draw your favourite thing from visiting Vaucluse House: CHILDSPLAY BOOKING CONFIRMATION Thank you for booking to participate in the Childsplay education program at Vaucluse House. Vaucluse House estate, which is a 40 minute drive from the city, provides an ideal setting to explore life in the 1850s. Childsplay, an experiential HSIE program for Stage 1 explores the ‘way we were’ through the eyes of 8 year old Laura Wentworth. The program includes a guided tour of the house visiting the kitchen area, childrens’ room, drawing room, principal bedroom and family room. Also, children will participate in activities such as playing 19th century games and a walk around the estate. After an introduction and demonstration by a member of the guiding staff, teachers will supervise and manage the outdoor activities. To make the most of their visit, teachers should prepare themselves by reading the material in the Kit. Please find on page 3 a checklist of things to remember. Bookings A ratio of 1 teacher/parent to 10 students is required. Additional parents will be charged $4 Duration of program: 3 hours Group size: 80 students maximum Cost: Up to 20 students: $180 Up to 40 students: $350 Up to 60 students: $520 Up to 80 students: $690 Please make cheques payable to the Historic Houses Trust Thank you for your time, we look forward to seeing your school group soon. *GST does not apply 2 CHILDSPLAY SCHEDULE Allow 30 minutes Arrive at Vaucluse House in time for students to a have recess and go prior to start of { to the toilet. There are toilets adjacent to the car park (see map). the program 90 minutes The education program begins with an outline of the tour program and program start demonstration of the games by the Guides. The tour focuses on inside the house continuity and change in the last 150 years. SECTION A { The House tour finishes. Allow The teachers and students remain on the property for lunch and to play 90 minutes 19th century games and tour the garden. Teachers are to supervise the SECTION B { games and the walk. Your total group (maximum 80) will be divided into two equal groups for two successive sessions of 1.5 hours each. The second group, after touring the estate and playing 19th century games, then enters the house Section A. They need to have had lunch and been to the toilet beforehand. As there are a lot of self-guided outdoor activities, please wear warm clothes in cool weather and hats and sunscreen in warm weather. CHECKLIST Please remember 1 Ensure all students have name tags with large print. 2 Ensure all students have sun protection – including hats. 3 Ensure children have appropriate clothing – raincoats for wet weather, jumpers for cool weather. 4 Bring this kit with you on the excursion. 5 The program needs to start on time. If necessary arrive earlier to allow time for toilet breaks or for morning tea before the program starts. This program will be shortened in the event of starting late. 6 Visit the toilets in the carpark before starting the program. 7 Ensure cheques are made out for the correct amount. 8 Please fill out the teacher and students evaluation forms after the program. 9 Ensure all students/ teachers/ supervisors have a packed lunch; no shops on site. Also, please be aware that food and drinks are not allowed inside the house. 3 VAUCLUSE BAY BEACH PADDOCK CITY WENTWORTH ROAD CAR PARK ENTRY PLEASURE GARDENS FOUNTAIN DISABLED ACCESS ENTRY TEA ROOMS CARRIAGE HOUSE LOOP SHOP ENTRANCE Parking and toilets Buses park on Wentworth Road. Staff will meet your group at the bus, and after you have had morning tea and a toilet break, they will take you up to the property to begin the program.. Toilets are located close to the car parking area. We suggest that students are given the opportunity to use the facilities prior to the walk to the house and shop entrance. Please note that late arrival will mean that the education program is slightly shortened to fit in with the schedule, so that you can return to school on time. If you are running late please phone the house on 02 9388 7922 to let them know. In the event of wet weather, the program will still go ahead. Please ensure that students bring wet-weather gear. 4 THE WENTWORTH FAMILY William Charles Wentworth Sarah Morton Cox Born 1790 Died 1872 Born 1805 Died 1880 Married 1829 Wentworth family background William and Sarah Wentworth had a large family of ten children born over a period of 23 years. They grew up in a prosperous and happy home, mostly managed by Sarah as William was often away on business. With William’s half brothers and half sisters, their husbands and wives and children, there were many frequent visitors to Vaucluse House and a network of social companions for the children. From 1853 to 1861 much of the family was living and travelling in Europe. The Wentworths were more fortunate than many of their contemporaries as all the children survived infancy, early childhood illnesses and accidents. In the extended family identical Christian names were common, so pet names were used to avoid confusion. To distinguish her from her mother, Sarah Eleanor was usually called Joody, and Eliza was called Didy to avoid confusion with her aunt Eliza Wentworth, the wife of Major D’arcy Wentworth. While not a lot of information on the Wentworth children survives, enough remains that a picture of family life can be drawn. 5 WILLIAM AND SARAH’S CHILDREN Children grown up and living away from home in 1850 Thomasine (Timmie) Born 1825 Died 1913 Married 1844 Thomasine (Timmie) was 25 years of age, married and living with her husband in Sydney. Thomasine was banned by her husband from visiting her family for many years largely because he wanted to be accepted into Sydney high society and believed her parents to be disgraced because they had lived together prior to their marriage. However, Timmie and her husband Thomas Fisher were eventually reconciled with the Wentworths and returned to live at Vaucluse with their daughter and three sons in 1866. Timmie died at the age of 88 at her home in North Sydney. William Charles (Willie) Born 1827 Died 1859 Unmarried William Charles was in England, aged 23 and studying law at university. He died at the early age of 32. Fanny Katherine Born 1829 Died 1893 Married 1847 Fanny, aged 21, was also married and living at that time with her husband in Gippsland in Victoria. She lived until the age of 64. 6 Children living at Vaucluse house in 1850 Fitzwilliam Born 1833 Died 1915 Married 1868 Fitzwilliam was aged 17 in 1850 and lived at Vaucluse when not at school at Elfred House in Glenmore Road, Paddington. Fitzwilliam suffered poor health as a child but lived until the age of 82. Sarah Eleanor (Joody) Born 1835 Died 1857 Unmarried Sarah (Joody) at age 15 was a delicate child who had problems with her lungs. Joody died at the early age of 22 on the island of Corfu in 1857, after nursing her sister Belle who died the previous year. Eliza Sophia (Didy) Born 1838 Died 1898 Unmarried Eliza (Didy), aged 12, was reported to be a happy and good natured child. She didn’t marry and remained close to her family and mother. She died at 60. 7 Isabella Christiana (Belle) Born 1840 Died 1856 Unmarried Isabella (Belle), aged 10, was a pretty child who was to die at only 16 years of age from gastric fever while in Europe. Laura Born 1842 Died 1887 Married 1872 Laura, aged 8 in 1850, was born on 12 November 1842, the eighth child in the family. As a child she was frail and shortsighted and through her life suffered spinal problems. In her later years she grew very close to her father and often accompanied him on health trips to Germany. She died at 45 years of age. Edith Born 1845 Died 1891 Married 1872 Edith at the age of 5 was a lively child, described by a contemporary as ‘a very pretty girl but too theatrical’. Edith died at 46 years of age. D’arcy Bland Born 1848 Died 1922 Married 1872 D’arcy, aged 2 in 1850, was to follow his uncle’s example and enter the army. He attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, England. In 1865 he purchased a commission in the 8th Hussars, which he resigned in 1870. He died at 74. 8 EDUCATING THE CHILDREN Duties of the governess In October 1871 the following advertisement appeared in the Maitland Mercury and the Sydney Morning Herald on behalf of a Maitland Colliery Manager. Wanted A young lady governess for children under eight years of age. Must be able to teach English, French, Drawing and Music. For further particulars apply to Mrs. Croudace, Lambton, Near Newcastle. A Miss Jennings was the successful applicant and on her arrival to take up duties, she was issued with the following document by the master of the Lodge: Duties for Miss Jennings to carry out in the Education of my Children. To see that they are clean and have their hair carefully brushed when coming to breakfast – that they sit properly and eat and drink properly and otherwise conduct themselves properly when at breakfast and that they observe punctuality.