Topic summary

Activity 1 -  Overview

Using a gallery of photographs, postcards, paintings and prints, children will gain an overview of the predominantly rural and coastal trades and industries of West Sussex in the Victorian period. By studying photographs, paintings, graphs, text from guidebooks, newspaper articles and census returns, children will learn more about 3 of the most important economic activities in West Sussex during the Victorian period: farming, fishing and market gardening. They will also understand the role  of the railway in contributing to the development of industries such as market gardening. 

Activity 2 – Seaside Resorts

Working with prints and photographs, advertisements, and text extracts from guide books, children will be introduced to the idea of the seaside as a 'watering place' that people visited to improve their health by bathing in sea-water, taking exercise and breathing in the fresh air. They will also understand that this led to the development of services to support this growing 'tourist trade'.

Activity 3 – Typhoid and Tourism

Studying newspaper texts, posters and photographs, children will gain an insight into what life was like in Worthing during the typhoid epidemic of 1893, and the serious effect the epidemic had on the economy of the town which was so dependent on summer visitors.

Note
At some stage during the teaching of these Activities, it would be useful to have a class discussion about sources. How could we find out about trade and industry in our local area in Victorian times? What sources of information could we use? Possibilities will include: libraries, museums, and the internet, especially websites with local content such as West Sussex Past Pictures.