Bow Street Runner in the Classroom
Activity 1
The Fielding Brothers are Coming!
Objective: To understand why the Bow Street Runners were founded
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Suggested activities:
- After experience of playing some or all of Bow Street Runner, Students work in pairs to describe what life was like in Georgian Britain in 30 words
- Class is divided into 2, each half taking the following roles:
One half: John or Henry Fielding, about to go for an interview to ask for a grant to beginthe Bow Street Runners. Individually, students playing this role decide on 5 reasons why they should be given the money
Other half: A government minister who will interview John or Henry. Individually, students playing this role write a list of questions which they will use to question John or Henry Fielding about the requested Government grant
- Put students into pairs (one the government Minister and one a Fielding) and act out the interview.
- Select a sample of pairs to role play in front of the class. The audience vote on whether the money should be granted depending on the quality of the arguments made.
- As a class, select the 3 best reasons for giving the Fieldings a grant for the Bow Street Runners
Extension task: Write an newspaper obituary for one of the Fielding brothers
Activity 2The Rise of the Machine
In Georgian Britain, workers were suffering from the effects of an increasingly
industrialised economy. New technological inventions in cotton mills and factories, along with more competition for jobs forced many people to move into the steadily growing urban areas. When you have a machine to do the work, what factory owner needs to employ a worker?
This meant that wages decreased and jobs were scarce. More and more people crammed into cities, London being the largest. Not surprisingly many social problems like those we see in Bow Street Runner multiplied.
Objective: To understand why radical ideas emerged among the workers in Georgian Britain
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Suggested activities:
- Students write down words to describe the life of skilled cotton workers in Manchester
- Class are given 5 factors to consider:
- Trade; New Inventions; Growth of Industry; Mass production of cheap goods; Migration of people to the city
- In pairs students list what impact each factor would have on workers
- In pairs/groups, students think of 2 actions workers could take to save their jobs
- In pairs or groups students use two headings WORKERS THEN and WORKERS NOW and list the major differences between the two i.e. trade unions, the minimum wage, health and safety legislation etc
- Groups/pairs present ideas to class who decide what would be the most likely outcome in Georgian Britain.
- Using the ideas discussed in class and evidence researched about how workers in Manchester were forced out of their jobs and turned towards radical ideas in Georgian Britain, students draw posters for a new film depicting their struggle “The Rise of the Machine”
Extension task: Write the first scene of the film
Project Work: In groups write and film a trailer for “The Rise of the Machine”
Activity 3Running from the Bow Street Runner
Objective: To look at different crimes and their punishments in Georgian Britain
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Suggested activities:
After playing the Bow Street Runner students are asked to write down the different
crimes they know occurred in Georgian Britain:
e.g. Pick-Pocketing; Robbery; Murder; Prostitution; Extortion; Smuggling; Illegal Distilling of Gin
- In pairs or groups and using either names from Bow Street Runner or making up their own, students decide why each of the above crimes might have been committed
- Students match a list of possible punishments to the crimes discussed in their groups. Were any of them unfair? Do they think that they stopped the crimes being committed? (‘PUNISHMENT LIST’)
- Students write a speech to be presented to the magistrate from the point of view of one of the criminals caught by the Bow Street Runners, protesting their innocence. They can use a real crime from Bow Street Runner or make their own up
Extension task: Create a Georgian television news report of any crime of their choice. They can make up their own or choose one from the Bow Street Runner.
Speaking and Listening: Choose one of the crimes discussed and create a court room scene which includes witnesses, victims, a magistrate and a jury. Let the jury decide the verdict at the end of the trial
Activity 4The City of Vice Board Game
Objective: To discover what life was like in Georgian London
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Suggested activities:
- After experience of playing some or all of Bow Street Runner split class into groups of 4 students. Give each group 4 topics: Crime; Industry; Buildings and Landmarks; Music and Arts
- Each group chooses one of the four topics and researches five facts on it. Decide on 5 success criteria as a class for this activity
- Using the facts they have found out, students work in their groups to create the City of Vice Board Game about life in Georgian London. Groups swap their games, play and assess the activity and the learning that has taken place by using the success criteria decided at the beginning (download support sheet labelled ‘Board Game Template’)
Extension task: Choose one of the topic areas: Crime; Industry; Buildings and Landmarks; Music and Arts
Design and write a newspaper article related to an aspect of the City of Vice Board Game
Note: For KS4 students, select either a BROADSHEET readership (Merchant class) or TABLOID readership (Lower Middle Classes – the very poorest would be illiterate). Encourage students to shape their writing according to their audience
Activity 5Then…and now
Objective: To explore the issue of rights and responsibilities in a modern day society; to discuss the role of justice within communities; to consider the development of the criminal justice system
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Suggested activities:
- Divide class into groups of 4 and discuss the following issues in relation to both
- Georgian Britain and Contemporary Britain
Alcohol; anti-social behaviour; poverty and depredation; the role of the police; punishment
- Groups discuss the differences between Contemporary and Georgian Britain in relation to these issues. What are the social problems facing society today? Do students think that current attempts to tackle these issue are effective and if not why? Feed discussion back to the whole class
- Research the criminal justice programmes in other countries around the world and feed back findings to class. What opinions do students have about different approaches, particularly those influenced by religious beliefs?
- In groups students choose one modern day social problem and, sharing their ideas, draw up an action plan to tackle it
Project work: In groups research the policies of the main political parties in Britain on some of the issues discussed in this activity. Create your own political party and decide on an election manifesto which sets out the aims, objectives and policies of this new party
Take it a step further: Hold your own mini elections and elect a winning party to office
Activity 6Detective Fiction
Objective: To explore the conventions of crime fiction
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Suggested activities:
- As class discuss well known detective stories i.e. Sherlock Holmes; Miss Marple; Poirot; children’s detective stories etc
- In groups draw up a list of the ingredients for the genre of detective fiction under
- four headings: Settings; Character; Plot; Structure
- Feed back results of group discussion to class and decide on a definitive list
- Most detective fiction features a strong central character, the detective, and is
- written in either first or third person. Students create their own detectives and draw up a profile which details his/her background and personality. Remember he/she can be of any nationality and come from any period in time (past, present or future)
Extension task: Write the first chapter of your detective novel focusing on setting up the plot, characters and settings. Remember to end the chapter with a cliff hanger!
Project work: Create a film synopsis for a new film featuring your detective. You will need to decide on a whole plot, the types of locations you would like and who you would cast as your characters. Film the opening scene of your film
Differentiated Activities
Gifted and Talented ActivityEnlightenment Jigsaw Activity
Objective: To explore the new ideas within Georgian Britain and their impact on four
cultural areas; to debate the question: How enlightened was the Enlightenment?
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Suggested activities:
- Class discusses the meaning of the term “enlightenment” and considers the differences between a modern day understanding of the term and the definition of the 18th century movement ‘The Enlightenment’
- Students decide how they would judge what enlightenment meant in Georgian Britain
- Class is split into 4 groups each taking one theme:
(a) Literature (b) Theatre (c) Music (d) Art
- Each group is given their corresponding statements about Georgian Britain (download support sheet labelled ‘STATEMENTS’)
- Using the statements, each group discusses their theme and decides whether the evidence proves that Georgian Britain really was enlightened
- Subdivide 4 groups into smaller mixed groups. Students consider their combined evidence and debate the question:
How enlightened was the Enlightenment?
- Each group feeds back to class their findings
Project Work: Students research and present information on individuals from the
Enlightenment (they may choose one from The Enlightenment Jigsaw such as Mary Wollstonecroft, William Hogarth, Gainsborough, Handel etc or find a figure of the era that interests them)
SEN Activity Bill Redmond, “The Black Terror”: Social Mobility in Georgian Britain
As students play the Bow Runner Game they will notice in each of the locations posters and artefacts which give information about society in Georgian London. One of the few ways individuals could move up the class ladder in Georgian Britain was if they had a skill or talent which gave them fame and notoriety. One example of this is the case of Bill Redmond, a Black African bare knuckle boxer; an ex slave who ultimately founded a Boxing Academy and moved in the same circles as the richest, most respected Georgian aristocrats.
Objective: To understand how sport gave social mobility to some individuals
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Suggested activities:
- Students place the following class ‘labels’ onto a ladder in what they believe to be
- rank order and explain their choices: Slave; Skilled Factory Worker; land Owner; Doctor; Merchant; aristocrat; prostitute
- Students are asked whether they think there would be a way to move up the class ladder
- Students listen to/read the story of Bill Redmond (download support sheet labelled ‘BILL REDMOND’)
- At the ? symbol in the story, students discuss which class they think he belongs to
- Students are asked if anything surprised them about Bill Redmond’s story and discuss the following questions:
a) Why do they think that being a good boxer gave him so much respect?
b) How did Redmond move up the class ladder?
c) What do they think was his biggest success – Boxing; being trained at Cabinet Making; teaching himself to read; starting a boxing academy?
- Students imagine they are a celebrated Georgian boxer. Choosing their own name, write their own personal history. How did they move up the class ladder?
Extension Task: Create top trump cards for their “Boxer”.
Family ActivityCrime and Punishment
Objective: To explore the issue of rights and responsibilities in a modern day society; discuss the role of justice within communities
- Research the different kinds of punishments which are used today in relation to crime i.e. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs); community service; custodial sentences (prison); fines
- Design a survey and interview members of your family, friends and your community about their opinions of the current system. You can use www.PollDaddy.com (a Web 2.0 tool) to help you
- Think carefully about the questions to include in your survey. Questions which require a yes or no answer will be easiest to interpret but make sure you include a section which allows people to voice their overall opinions
Project Work: Present the findings of your survey using a presentational device of your choice i.e. film a mini documentary, create a PowerPoint presentation etc
- Level:
- 11 – 16yrs: KS3; KS4; S 1-6
- Curriculum Relevance:
- History; Citizenship; English
- Benefits:
- allows players to experience the realities of life in Georgian London
