Manchester High School For Girls
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Children at Manchester High School in 1899
 
A scholarship place
 
Girls' names in Victorian times
 
Fathers' occupations
 
The Golden Rule Society
 
Children
A school party

 

A school party, Click to view full size image
This is a photograph of children from the Preparatory Department [the primary school] of Manchester High School at the beginning of the twentieth century. They are dressed as fairies and performing a fairy dance.

 

A school party

 

This description of a Christmas party at Manchester High School in Victorian times was written for the School Magazine by Dorothy Gibson in class IIIa. This was Year 6. The First and Lower Second pupils who acted "The Pied Piper" were in Year 2 and Year 4. "The Pied Piper" is a poem by the Victorian poet, Robert Browning.   

 

The description provides evidence about how children enjoyed themselves at school parties in Victorian times.

 

The school party took place on 19th December. We had tea in the dining hall at five o' clock.

 

After that there was dancing in the large playroom and games which were organised by Miss Lee in the little playroom. Some of the Preparatory children performed a fairy dance which was very pretty. 

 

Then we assembled in the lecture hall to see a play called "The Pied Piper." It was acted by the Firsts and Lower Seconds and recited by Molly Flynn. We heard every word Molly said. The part of the Pied Piper himself was acted by Dorothy Holmes who was dressed half in red and half in yellow. The girls who played the mayor and the councillors acted splendidly.

 

After this play we returned to dancing or games as we pleased for another hour.

 

Again we assembled in the lecture hall to see a conjurer. He did some wonderful tricks with red and other coloured handkerchiefs but once we saw one of them peeping out of his pocket which caused a good many remarks from the audience.

 

At nine o' clock we returned home after thoroughly enjoying ourselves.

 

 

A poem, 'By the Fireside'
 
A story by Adela Pankhurst
 
Making toys
 
A school party
 

   
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