Today, Year Two visited St Mary’s Heritage Centre. They learned all about The Great Fire of Gateshead and how it spread.
For the first part of their visit, the children took part in a workshop. They learned that the great fire took place in 1854, when Queen Victoria was the monarch. The boys and girls learned about life in Victorian Britain and explored some artefacts, including a lantern, a bed warmer and candlestick holder. Some of the children even dressed up as a Victorian policeman. The boys and girls learned that lots of these objects were used because electricity was not yet invented.
Then, the children found out more about the great fire. Did you know it started in a worsted wool factory then spread to a sulphur factory? This caused a huge explosion sending flaming timber and stones across the river to Newcastle. It took two days for the fire to be put out as fire engines, as we know them today, didn’t exist. Instead, they used fire tenders which were pulled by horses.
For the second part of their visit, the children walked along Gateshead and Newcastle quayside – the scene of the fire. The children identified which buildings had survived the fire by looking at the material they were made from. On their walk, the children saw many of the bridges that cross the River Tyne including the Tyne Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.
