Case Study C – Wakefield

1. Look at Source One and answer these questions.

Source one- 1921 Census record- The National Archives (RG15/22498)

• What kind of activities does Alice’s job involve?
• What subjects do you think younger Alice, Jessie and Bessie study?
• Why do you think Ann is living with the family?
• What else can you learn about the family?

2. What questions do you have about this family that are not answered by the census record? Write these down and keep them.

3. Study Sources two to four and answer these questions.

Source Two – 1911 Census – The National Archives (RG 14/1296)

• What do you learn about the family from this earlier census?

Source Three – Thornes Lane Junior school log book – West Yorkshire Archive Service (WWD4/2/19/5)

• What does this document reveal about school in the 1920s?

Source Four- Map of Wakefield 1930

• Can you find Thornes Lane junior school on the map? How do you think the children got to school? What more can you learn about the area from this map?

4. Look at the questions you wrote earlier. Check which ones have been answered by the other sources. What further questions do you have about the family or life in the 1920s?