The children in this photograph were in the Preparatory School [the primary school] at Manchester High School in 1899. The school was founded as a girls' school but boys were admitted into the Preparatory School between 1881 and 1910. The teacher in the centre of the photograph wearing the dark suit is the headmistress, Miss Sara Burstall.
What to look at in the photograph
The children are very well dressed. This was because Manchester High School was a private school so the parents of the pupils would have been quite well off. The children would also have been told to wear their best clothes for the photograph.
None of the children are smiling. At that time having your photograph taken was seen as a rather solemn affair. People also had to stay still for quite a long time because of the long exposure needed for the photograph and it is hard to smile for a long time.
One of the teachers is holding a stuffed magpie. This would have been used in one of the object lessons which the children had. Science was taught in object lessons in Victorian times. An object, this could be almost anything such as a stuffed bird, a flower or a piece of rock was taken to a lesson and the teacher gave the children information about it.
Tasks
Describe how one of the girls was dressed. How different are the girls' clothes from clothes which a girl today might wear?
Describe how one of the boys was dressed. How different are the boys' clothes from clothes which a boy today might wear?
How has the photograph been arranged so that the headmistress is the focus of attention? Why do you think that the headmistress was made the focus of attention?