
Living under canvas
Suitable for: Key stage 2
Time period: Interwar 1918-1939
Curriculum topics: Childhood through time, Diverse histories
Suggested inquiry questions: What can this document tell us about the experience of a group of refugee children?
Potential activities: Follow the videos. Carry out one or more ‘simple acts’ that Refugee Week recommend.
This is a special episode of Time Travel TV to mark Refugee Week.
The episode shares the stories of child refugees who came to Britain, which have been recorded in documents we hold our archive.
Tasks
Part One
Look carefully at the mystery document and think about these questions:
- What can you see?
- What is it?
- When was it made?
Part Two
This time read the documents more closely:
What do you think this document is about?
Part Three
Think on your own or discuss with someone:
What would be important for child refugees coming to a new country?
Additional documents to investigate
Carry on your learning about the houses that Basque children were sent to.
Document A
Report of Baydon Hole Farm, Berkshire. Date of visit: 9th June 1937 MH 37/324
Document B
Report of Roman Catholic Training College, Southampton. Date of visit: 4th June 1937 MH 37/324
Document C
Letter to a Member of Parliament sent on the 23rd June 1937 about Salvation Army Home in Clapton, East London. MH 37/324
Further activities
- Carry out one or more ‘simple acts’ that Refugee Week recommend. You can find them at: https://refugeeweek.org.uk/simple-acts/
- Make your own miniature doll’s house to think about what ‘home’ means to you.
- You can be part of international Virtual Giant Dolls’ House for Refugee Week 2020. Follow this link for more information and instructions: https://refugeeweek.org.uk/events/the-giant-dolls-house-project/
- Discover more about the stories of Basque children by visit this online exhibition: https://havenseast.org/
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Suitable for: Key stage 2
Time period: Interwar 1918-1939
Curriculum topics: Childhood through time, Diverse histories
Suggested inquiry questions: What can this document tell us about the experience of a group of refugee children?
Potential activities: Follow the videos. Carry out one or more ‘simple acts’ that Refugee Week recommend.
Kindertransport
Saving refugee children?
Evacuation to Canada
How much care was really taken?
Evacuation to Shropshire
What happened to children who were sent away?