Mill Waters Parks and Reservoir Education pack Social unrest and the law in Sutton in the 1800s SUPPORTED BY millwaters.org.uk Contents Welcome 1 Social unrest and the law in Sutton in the 1800s 2 Key Stage 1 Task 1: Discuss whether the actions of the Luddites were right or wrong 4 Task 2: Protest songs to promote the cause 5 Task 3: I predict a riot! 6 Key Stage 2 Task 1: Was the reaction to the Chartist uprisings over the top? 7 Task 2: Role play a Radical leader giving a rousing speech 8 Task 3: Write about the Chartist movement from different perspectives 9 Worksheets Worksheet 1: The Industrial Revolution in Sutton 10 Worksheet 2: Radical thinking 11 Worksheet 3: The Luddites 12 Worksheet 4: The Chartist Movement 16 Worksheet 5: Edward Unwin 18 Curriculum links 22 Welcome This education pack aims to help you get more out of your visit to Mill Waters Heritage Centre. It provides a selection of different We have included Teacher’s tips tasks for you to choose from. It to give a deeper understanding aims to make learning about the of an issue. We recognise the site’s history in relation to social skill of teachers in being able to unrest in the 1800s in a fun and tailor the activities to meet the engaging way. objectives of their visit and to suit pupils and ability. The time needed for each activity is an indication only and may There are also supplementary vary depending on the size of your historical resources, such as group and how fully you explore newspaper extracts, letters and various topics. It has been designed old parliamentary records. They for pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2 but illustrate that we learn about the you can select the tasks you wish past from many different sources to do, depending on the ability of and show that different styles of your group and aspect of the writing are used for different curriculum you wish to focus on. purposes. They are intended as an additional stimulus for learning for Each task details which worksheets you to read and use as you see fit. you will need to read to your pupils to provide the necessary We hope you find the pack useful background. Older children may be and enjoy your time at Mill Waters. able to read these independently. Do let us have any feedback by emailing us on [email protected] 1 Social unrest and the law in Sutton in the 1800s By learning about the events of the past we gain a better understanding of society and politics today. 2 Mill Waters Education pack Centuries ago most of the people in Sutton-in- Ashfield worked in the textiles industry – spinning Overview of tasks yarn or knitting material to make clothes. In the early 1800s the Industrial Revolution was sweeping Key Stage 1 across the country. Thanks to the technological Task 1: Discuss whether the advances and the creation of new mills on and actions of the Luddites were around this heritage site, business was booming right or wrong in the town. Task time: 50 mins As well as industrial progress there were changes in society, as the working man began to challenge Task 2: Protest songs to promote the cause the way in which the country was run. This was known as Radical thinking. There were riots and Task time: 50 mins demonstrations – right here in Sutton – to get the Task 3: I predict a riot! people in positions of power to listen. Task time: 1 hour In this topic you will learn about: Key Stage 2 • how the Luddites (mainly unemployed textiles workers) Task 1: Was the reaction wreaked havoc across the county as a reaction to to the Chartist uprisings unemployment and hunger too heavy handed? Task time: 45 mins • Jeremiah Brandreth, a Luddite leader who lived in Sutton, and the speeches and protest songs which encouraged men to take arms Task 2: Role play a Radical leader giving a rousing • the Luddite’s disastrous march from Pentrich towards speech Nottingham and Jeremiah’s gruesome ending Task time: 1 hour • why the Chartist movement, which sought a fairer deal for the working man, gained such momentum in Sutton-in- Task 3: Write about the Ashfield Chartist movement from different perspectives • how law and order was maintained by the local magistrate, Edward Unwin, (who belonged to the town’s biggest mill- Task time: 1 hour owning family), and how the Chartist movement gradually influenced political reform Social unrest and the law in Sutton in the 1800s 3 KEY STAGE 1: TASK 1 Discuss whether the actions of the Luddites were right or wrong 50 MINS What you will need Discussion We have learnt about the cottage • Worksheet 1: The Industrial industries in Sutton-in-Ashfield, in particular Revolution in Sutton the hand-loom weavers. When bigger • Worksheet 3: machines were introduced and people The Luddites started working in workshops, many people lost their work, or were unable to make a • BBC Radio 4 iPlayer: fair wage. The Luddite Lament 1. Was industrial progress good or bad? 2. Why were the Luddites so angry? What you will need to do 3. Were the Luddites right to smash up the • Read Worksheet 1: The Industrial knitting frames? Revolution in Sutton 4. Were the Luddites brave or foolish – • Read Worksheet 2: The Luddites after all many of them ended up being transported or dead? • Teachers read the Historical Resource: Opposing Views and 5. Were the punishments for Luddites discuss with pupils, as they choose, caught smashing up knitting frames too to deepen their understanding harsh? • Listen to: Radio 4 iPlayer, The Luddite Lament from 21 minutes in, Hunting the Loaf song How long will it take: 50 minutes: 30 minutes for reading, listening to radio clip and clarifying any questions; 20 minute discussion using the prompts 4 Mill Waters Education pack KEY STAGE 1: TASK 2 Protest songs to promote the cause 50 MINS What you will need Discussion Having read about how tough life was for • Worksheet 2: Radical thinking the working man in Sutton at the turn of the • Worksheet 3: The Luddites 19th century and in particular the hardship of unemployed textiles workers, use the • BBC Radio 4 iPlayer: following prompts to stimulate discussion: The Luddite Lament 1. Why were the punishments for anyone trying to bring about change so harsh? What you will need to do 2. Why do you think songs were written and sung in the public houses by the • Read Worksheet 2: Radical activity Luddites? • Read Worksheet 3: The Luddites 3. Was singing a song enough evidence • Listen to: BBC iPlayer, The Luddite that you were planning to take part in Lament from 21 minutes in, Hunting unlawful activity? the Loaf song How long will it take: 50 minutes: Write a protest song 35 minutes for reading time, and Write a protest song about something listening to radio clip, and clarifying any you’re angry about. Don’t worry about questions; 15 minute song-writing. You the music (unless you want to come up could make this an hour long session with a tune as well!). and get pupils to read out lyrics. Just write 2-3 verses about whatever You could have a follow up session makes you really angry, or what you would recording/performing protest songs like to change in the world. If there is time pupils could read out their lyrics. Social unrest and the law in Sutton in the 1800s 5 KEY STAGE 1: TASK 3 I predict a riot! 1 HOUR What you will need Recreate a Chartist riot After reading about the Radical’s motives • Worksheet 2: Radical thinking and the Chartists, discuss the different • Worksheet 4: The Chartist movement characters you need to create a performance based on the accounts of the • Historical Resources: Two different Chartist uprisings. The action might involve accounts of Edward Unwin’s actions people plotting in a pub before taking to the streets and subsequent arrests made by the army under the direction of a local What you will need to do Justice of the Peace. Discuss the sequence of events and agree • Read Worksheet 2: Radical thinking any script you may wish to include. • Read Worksheet 4: The Chartist Once you have assigned roles pupils movement should get dressed up in the appropriate • Teachers can read Historical costumes and select the props they need Resources: Accounts of Edward from the dressing up boxes in the Unwin’s actions and discuss with Heritage Centre. pupils to deepen their understanding Now stage your performance. How long will it take: 1 hour: 25 mins Freeze frame the action when the mob reading time; 15 minutes to define roles are doing most damage and shop owners and dress up/obtain props; 20 minutes are locking up their shops. performing ‘the angry mob’ freeze frame action Now resume action and freeze-frame as the cavalry appear on the scene and the rioters disperse. You will need the following characters: 1. Edward Unwin, Justice of the Peace 2. The Chartist mob 3-6 actors 3. Yeomanry 2-5 actors 4. Cavalry / dragoons 4-10 actors (they should outnumber the mob) 5. Frightened shopkeepers and onlookers – any number 6 Mill Waters Education pack KEY STAGE 2: TASK 1 Was the reaction to the Chartist uprisings too heavy handed? 45 MINS What you will need Discussion Read the worksheets and Historical • Worksheet 2: Radical thinking Resources as a stimulus for discussion. • Worksheet 4: The Chartist movement Here are a few prompts.