Can you write a response all about our experience in the Tufnell Park Workhouse? You could explain how to make gruel, pick oakum or scrub clothes!
You can only write 100 words – no more, no less!
Can you write a response all about our experience in the Tufnell Park Workhouse? You could explain how to make gruel, pick oakum or scrub clothes!
You can only write 100 words – no more, no less!
On Thursday morning, Miss Thomson was a very mean workhouse mistress! She made us make gruel. Gruel is a horrible, watery porridge that tastes so salty. We had to mix oats with water and stir it on the oven. People washed potatoes, carrots and parsnips to make a stew. Picking oakum made my hands so sore – oakum is a piece of rope. You had to take the hairs of it and take it all apart.
We also had to use carbolic soap to scrub really hard on a washboard with dirty clothes. My hands really hurt because it was freezing.
On Thursday, Miss Thomson came in as a workhouse matron. She was really strict. We had to pick Oakum (it is like really, really knotted rope). We had to do it until our fingers bled. When we changed job we had to do prayers. THEY WERE BORING. After that, I had to do washing with ice cold water. My hands almost froze. The towels were so dirty that when we touched them we got soil all over our hands. In the end we did it. It was so hard. I really, really do not want to live in a workhouse.
On Thursday we did a workhouse. Miss T was being mean and horrible just like a Victorian workhouse owner. First I went with Dee to make gruel we first got a bowl then put oats in after Dee put hot water in the gruel then mixed it. Then I was pulling oakum to small pieces. Miss T told me and Isabelle to wash the potatoes and carrot also onion. After onion was parsnips too. Finally we all cut the potatoes and carrots and onion and parsnips. I did potato. I was tired
We had a great time in the work house .We had to pick oakum, oakum is rope. Next we made Gruel. First we mixed oats with water. Next we mixed it into a paste After we put it in a pot of water. Soon we washed clothes in freezing water We washed parsnips, potatoes and carrots. My head was hurting. My feet were blistered and my fingers were bleeding .
On Thursday Mrs Thomson took us to the Tufnell Park Work House. Mrs Thomson, Dee and Janet were very strict! Some people got hit (pretend) by the cane because people were stealing red waistcoats with gold on it! We had to scrub until our hands are completely red and have blisters but you need to do the washing with carbolic soap! And you also need to pick oakum for six hours! And worst of all you can have the option to eat gruel! If you don’t know what gruel is it’s a type of porridge! It wasn’t very nice!
On Thursday, I went to the workhouse. We sat in rows and we couldn’t talk to each other. And we made gruel and I liked it even though it was salty. Next we washed the carrots and the potatoes to make stew. And we peeled potatoes, it was so fun. And it was hard to untie the oakum.
Fun! What do you mean you had fun? Ms T, please work Samiya harder in future, no fun to be had in the workhouse!!!
On Thursday morning there was a Tufnell Park workhouse that me and my class were in. Firstly we all said our prayers for god. The naughty Miss Thomson was like Mr Bumble. We all picked oakum into little strips. Also Dee and Janet picked people strictly mad. Janet did the washing and Dee made gruel. The washing was freezing it made my fingers go numb and Dee made gruel the ingredients were oats me and Kelsey worked together to smash the oats into little pieces. Then I put hot water into the bowl. Washing with Janet is disgusting I even held it.
On Thursday morning we had a great time at the Tufnell Park Workhouse. Miss Thomson was like Mr Bumble from Oliver from the 2005 version! I dressed up as a Victorian urchin from the 1800s! First I picked a loose bit of rope called oakum. It was like my hands were BLEEDING! Next I went outside with 5 other children. We washed some dirty clothes with some really cold water. It was like I was burning because it was so cold! Then we made gruel which tastes like the most gross thing in the history of the entire massive world!
On Thursday we had a great day in the work house. Miss Thomson was very strict. First we had to thread oakum it was very scratchy and difficult to peel. Next some people had to do some washing while the others did some praying about god. When we did washing Janet thought we were going to flood the work house. We had to scrub the dirty clothes on the wash board to clean it. Next some people had to wash some vegetables. After that we made some gruel it smells bad. I can see how hard it was for Victorians.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was a workhouse teacher it was horrible. First we shredded rope it made my hands heart. After we made disgusting gruel it was like candy but with a lump of poo on it. Then we washed Miss Thomson’s yucky clothes the smell was disgusting. Miss Thomson told me and my friend off because we foolishly shouted out the thing that were wearing we stole. Miss Thomson was like Mr Bumble. I wanted to escape because it was horrible. My arms were hurting from where I was peeling a potato. I hated it so so much.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was a really mean workhouse owner. We had to make gruel. Gruel is a horrible watery porridge and is super salty. Picking oakum is super boring it’s just picking rope into tiny strands for six hours. Washing clothes is wiping dirty clothes with carbolic soap and then putting it on the washboard and scrubbed really hard. Miss Thomson made us say prayers over and over again. Peeling potatoes was the next thing we had to do. I am really glad I was not a child that got hit by the cane I would have really cried.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was very strict .I really didn’t enjoy picking oakum because it hurt it made me get one a blister. Next we washed Miss Thomson’s dirty washing. The water was freezing
I was shivering I had goosebumps. We had to ring it out we used carbolic soap and the class used a rough board. It made me tired. Next we made gruel and put salt, spice and oats with lots of water.
It was so watery, it tasted like vomit. Then we peeled potatoes and chopped up carrots and parsnips, then we made stew.
Yesterday Miss Thomson made us pull oakum in to thin strings. I slept when we were pulling oakum so! Bang! Miss Thomson hit me with the cane while I was sleeping. When we were washing clothes I was the best. I secretly bragged. But the water was very cold. When we returned inside picking oakum. We were making our rubbish gruel .First we put oat in a bowl then crushed the oat then added water.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was really strict and there was lots of rope on the table so we needed to take every hair of the rope it nearly cut my hand so my next job was making gruel so you get some oats , hot water ,salt and mixed pepper and then mix it. Now you need a scrubbing board and carbolic soap and water dip it in the water. Put it in the bowl and scrub it with the soap for a long time and then you’re done with that. So next you wash potatoes, carrot, onion and parsnip and that’s all the things to make a stew.
On Thursday we visited the Tufnell Park Workhouse. Miss T was the workhouse matron and she was very, very strict. She made us eat and make gruel which was not half bad. First we picked oakum, it made my hands bleed. Next I washed some cloths on a REAL LIFE WASHBOARD with carbolic soap. After we chopped vegetables to go in the broth. Then we said our prayers.
On Thursday Miss Thomson made us pretend to pray in the workhouse and it was boring.
I told Janet that praying pray is boring she said sit on the floor.
My punishment was cleaning the vegetables!
When we made gruel we first put oats then we put hot water then we put salt.
On Thursday we went to the Tufnell Park Workhouse. Mrs Thomson, Dee and Janet were strict .We had to made gruel .After that we had clean the clothes .Then we had to peel the oakum. After break we ate gruel. The gruel tasted like flour.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was very mean. We made gruel and we used some old clothes with a washing board. Oakum was so boring we had to pull the pieces apart. We used carbolic soap and oats it looked disgusting. It taste like salty porridge – yuck. It was awful. We washed the vegetables then Miss Thomson cut the vegetables. We had to pretend to do a prayer and if we did not listen we had to draw lines it was so boring. Miss Thomson was even holding a cane!
On Thursday Miss Thomson was very strict .we had to say lots of prayers. We picked scratchy oakum and it hurt my hands .we made gruel with oats and lots of water. Next we washed very dirty clothes .What you do is get a piece of clothing wet it then put it on the washing board and scrub with carbolic soap. You have to scrub really hard to get it clean. Some people got to wash the vegetables. The ones we had were parsnips, potato, carrots and onion. I really liked the scary Tufnell Park workhouse.
On Thursday, Miss Thomson was pretending to be one of the people from the Victorian times. I was sitting next to Hetty Feather her real name was Kelsey. The teacher was really strict. Dee was called matron. First I made gruel we used oats and hot water and then matron set it to boil. Next I washed clothes on the wash board the clothes were so dirty. After we checked the gruel it was ready. So we also had some vegetable soup and it was nice.
On Thursday Miss T was a Victorian teacher she was very strict and there was a matron called Dee. She is the one who made us make gruel. Miss Thomson made us pick every thread of oakum it was incredibly tiring. We washed clothes on a wash board and the type of soap we used carbolic soap. And we washed potatoes, carrots and parsnips because we were making stew – not just any stew, disgusting stew! Miss T asked us what would you be when you’re older and we said servants or wives because Victorian women didn’t have much choice.
Miss Thomson was a mean old mistress, she made us listen to prayers over and over again. We did loads of jobs – first we did picking oakum which was very stringy. Then we made gruel, mostly crushing and mixing. We put in things I didn’t think we were going to put in. When we did the washing I found it freezing and hard. We had to scrub clothes with carbolic soap on a washboard. Then we peeled some veg which took some knowledge for someone like me.
I’ll bet you prayed that School would not be like this every day!
Miss T. loves being bossy doesn’t she? !
On Thursday, Miss T acted as a Victorian Mistress, she was very strict. We picked oakum, made gruel and cleaned cloths and clothes. Picking oakum was really hard, I almost got a blister. Oakum is hairs of rope. Next I said my prayers. Then we washed Miss T’s dirty clothes, it was so tiring. We used carbolic soap on a Victorian washing board. It was such freezing water. After that we made lots of gruel it tasted like vomit mixed with poo. I hate gruel. It is disgusting. In the workhouse you could not smile. We made stew with lots of beautiful carrots.
On Thursday morning, we went to a Victorian workhouse. Miss T and Dee were very , very strict. Then we made gruel we made the gruel with oats, salt, water and a little bit of spice. Next we did the washing. First we dunked the dirty clothes in the cold water and then we scrubbed the clothes on the washing board .After, we peeled potatoes, carrots and parsnips.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was strict because we were in the workhouse. We made gruel. It is some watery oats, milk and it is so yukky and salty. We washed clothes and picked oakum rope. Then we washed clothes and the water was so cold that my hands turned to ice.
On Thursday morning, Miss Thomson and us did a Workhouse! Firstly, we had to pretend to say our prayers to God (it was really boring.) After that, we picked oakum. It really hurt! We had to pick individual strands. Next we, tried to wash cloths on a washboard with carbolic soap. We had to scrub really hard! In the middle, we did a physical drill so we did marching and waving your arms. Finally, we made horrible gruel. It was watery! Next, we peeled potatoes and chopped carrots. (I don’t like it.) I would not want be a Workhouse child. It’s horrible.
On Thursday Miss Thomson was a really mean workhouse owner. She made us pick oakum, scrub clothes and make gruel. Gruel is when you mix oats, water and salt-it tasted much better than I thought. Oakum is a rough, tough kind of rope and year 3 had to take it all apart! Cleaning clothes in the Victorian times was very different to nowadays because 1] they didn’t have washing machines 2] the water was ice cold. While people were doing jobs some other people were chosen to wash vegetables. Skye and I washed carrots.
It sounds like you had a very hard day Year 3. I really enjoyed your descriptions of the hardships you endured!
On Thursday we went to the Tufnell park workhouse we wore our Victorian clothes but it was in school. Then we had to pick oakum then one group went to make gruel and another group went to wash clothes but I stayed inside. The next group to make gruel I went. When I came back I went to wash clothes the water was freezing then we all came back inside.
On Thursday we went to the Victorian workhouse. Miss Thomson said you will take every strip of rope and some of us went to wash the clothes in freezing water. It stung your hands then it got very hot. The next job it was washing the potatoes we scrubbed them until they were clean and used them to make a stew.
Sounds like you had a productive day Kelsey, I might find some extra chores for you to do! 10/10.
I think it sounds marvellous and I think I might make it compulsory for Year 3. You could make money for EP washing clothes. Great idea Miss Thomson!
Thank you Year 3, for your descriptions of the workhouse.
Funny that most of you HATED the gruel, but a few of you liked it. When I was a little girl my mother had a washboard made of kind of bumpy glass on a wooden frame. Is that what you mean? When my grannys were born, they were Victorians but near the end of Victoria’s very long reign. I will send your teacher photos of some of my Victorian relations.
Year 3 it sound like Thursday morning was just like any other at Eleanor Palmer – busy and full of hard work! All these complaints – anyone would think you were describing a Victorian workhouse!! 😉