Shirehampton Remount Depot Shirehampton Remount Depot Contents How to use this resource Activities 1 - 9 There are 9 discrete activities in this resource, however, the order of the activities is significant. • What do we already know about WWI? • How have things changed since WWI? Though some of the activities follow on from the • Where was the remount depot? previous one, it is possible to be selective and some • How can we map the remount depot? of the activities can stand alone. • Who was stationed at the remount depot? • What did people write in letters in WWI? Each activity consists of aims and objectives, learner • Where did the horses come from? and teacher activities and resources. The hyperlinks • How can we make a play about WWI? in the resources section on each activity will take • How can we create a theatre programme? you directly to the relevant information. Resources Opportunities to promote equality and diversity (E&D) and Every Child Matters (ECM) have been highlighted where relevant in each activity. The Veterinary Corp on parade at Avonmouth (above) G Squadron at the remount depot in 1915 (left) Images courtesy of David Martyn Shirehampton Remount Depot What do we already know about WWI? Activity 1/9 Resources Aims and Objectives Background information - click here • To ascertain existing knowledge • Avonmouth Docks was built in the 1860s, but • To encourage enquiry was extended with the creation of the King • To recognise & explore clues about our past Edward Dock (opened in 1908). • To differentiate between open & closed • The King Edward Dock was one of the most questions modern docks in Europe in 1914. • Avonmouth was a small village built for Learners’ activities workers at the docks. (including skills acquired) • Shirehampton was an older village in countryside many miles from Bristol. • In pairs, students to begin considering terrain • The British government knew these elements & significance of docks would be important for the war effort and • Each pair formulate a question to be so a remount depot was established at recorded on smartboard Shirehampton in order to maintain a supply • (E&D-ECM) All questions to be recorded, all of horses and mules for the army. pairs to participate • There were many similar remount depots around the country, but Shirehampton was Teacher’s activities one of the largest. For more information about the remount depot click here. • Ask class what they already know about Avonmouth and Shirehampton in WW1 • Encourage questions. Using photo, teacher model first 3 questions: E.g. Where were the boats going? What was on them? Why do you think this? • Discuss the nature of the questions. • Compare Q1 & 2 with Q3 Avonmouth Docks, c.1913, courtesy of Bristol Reference Library Click to view a larger version of this image Shirehampton Remount Depot How have things changed since WWI? Activity 2/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • To encourage observation skills & use of descriptive language • To understand how the landscape has changed and developed within the last 100 years Learners’ activities (including skills acquired) • Individuals write down as many differences as they can spot between the 2 pictures. • (E&D-ECM) All differences to be recorded, all individuals to participate Teacher’s activities • Teacher build on these differences and fill in any gaps. • Teacher to convey importance of ships and horses for travel (pre-dates mass use of aeroplanes and cars) Click to view larger copies of these images. Shirehampton Remount Depot Where was the remount depot? Activity 3/9 Resources Aims and Objectives Prep for trail, Q&A sheets - Pages 14-25 6 x groups • To explore the local area of Avonmouth and (+ ‘answer’ sheets for teachers, pages 44-55). identify clues to its WW1 history. • To encourage comprehension and the ability 1. Veterinary hospital to record information effectively. 2. Shoeing sheds • To develop mapping skills. 3. Clay pit • *To develop literacy skills – rewrite Q & A as 4. Huts declaratives 5. Officers mess 6. Homes for heroes Learners’ activities (including skills acquired) *Outcomes from this activity will inform final per- formance and theatre programme. • Each group to take responsibility for a particular area (see resources). Each member of group to have leaflet with questions and to take notes. (E&D all contribute) • After the trail, groups write up information with at least 3 pieces of information learned on the trail Teacher’s activities • Teacher lead trail around Avonmouth and ensure each group records at least 3 concepts to be conveyed in performance. • (Differentiate groups – see on teacher’s resources) Shirehampton Remount Depot How can we map the remount depot? Activity 4/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • Copy of plan of remount depot (for teacher to cut up). • To produce a map of the remount depot with • Teacher’s notes for map making. This own legend. contains all necessary resources and lesson • To be able to use co-ordinates and produce plan. maps to scale Learners’ activities (including skills acquired) • Students reassemble squares to form original plan. • Discuss skills used to achieve this. • See resources for making own legend on modern day OS map Teacher’s activities • Teacher to give out original plan of remount depot cut up into squares. • Teacher build on student observations – refer 1914 plan of the Remount Depot, to coordinates and scale. courtesy of Bristol Record Office • See resources for students making own legend on modern day OS map Shirehampton Remount Depot Who was stationed at the remount depot? Activity 5/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • Background info about Charlie Day, stationed at the depot in 1916. • To encourage analytical skills. • Original letter home from Charlie Day • To appreciate letter writing was main form of (below). communication. • Follow the link below to a BBC online resource about letters home in WW1, Learners’ activities censorship and provision of headed paper. (including skills acquired) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/0/ww1/25401267 Analyse letter heading. What can we learn from: • For God, for King & For Country? (consider order of allegiance) • YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)? (E&D consider issues re. exclusivity; gender and religion) • Wed midday? (post happening throughout day – used to get 2x post late 20th century) Teacher’s activities • Explain that plan of remount depot is only one of the primary sources that informs us about Avonmouth’s WW1 history. • Intro Charlie’s letters. Give background to Charlie’s letters. • Clarify terminology. Shirehampton Remount Depot What did people write in letters in WWI? Activity 6/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • Transcribed version to mother (for accessibility) broken down into more • To understand the conventions of letter manageable chunks with questions to help writing students structure their responses • Transcribed version to younger brother, Rolie Learners’ activities (including skills acquired) • Write a letter back to Charlie from his mother (Only letters from Charlie have survived, not letters to him). • (Differentiation) More able steered towards responding as Rolie to Charlie (more challenging letter, without scaffold for structuring response) Teacher’s activities • Read both of Charlie’s letters • Discuss format of letter and what we learn about Charlie and the time in which he was writing (use the attached resources). • NB In transcribing Charlie’s letters, we have only made corrections to punctuation or spelling if meaning was unclear. This issue is worth raising with students and could lead into a general discussion about literacy. A question mark indicates words that were too illegible to decipher. Charlie Day, courtesy of Charlie’s great nephew, Roger Day Shirehampton Remount Depot Where did the horses come from? Activity 7/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • Audio of Mary King’s story about her grandmother’s horses being requisitioned for • To encourage listening skills the war effort • To work collaboratively • Transcript of Mary King story broken down • To develop confidence to perform in front of into scenes for drama work. Prompts and an audience ideas for drama work are provided within the transcription Learners’ activities • Mary King’s story is also featured on the (including skills acquired) BBC WWI at Home website http://www.bbc. co.uk/programmes/p01q91z1 • Listen to Mary King audio. Identify various uses that the horses served • As a class discuss Scene A and how it could be performed. In groups, rehearse and perform Scene A. (E&D-ECM all groups to perform, all members of group to have at least 2 lines) • In same groups, decide on scene B,C,D or E to perform Teacher’s activities • Play Mary King audio. • Organise class into groups of 4-6. • (ECM – discuss protocol for performing. Agree on rules for audience. May want to feedback on performances and discuss how to present constructive criticism – e.g. identify 2 aspects of the play that they liked, or examples of how something had worked well and 1 area that could be done differently. Give reasons). Shirehampton Remount Depot How can we make a play about WWI? Activity 8/9 Resources Aims and Objectives • ‘Their Lives Beneath Our Feet’, available to view at https://vimeo.com/75150782 • To work collaboratively • The creation of a play about the remount • To develop confidence to perform in front of depot is a culmination of skills and an audience knowledge acquired throughout this project. • To present knowledge and understanding in Students need to have covered the rest of the