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Victorian Children
Children's lives in Victorian Elmbridge may seem unlike those today, but through these artefacts we can see similar experiences of home, play and school.
The Victorian era is defined by the 64 year reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Life for a child born at the beginning of this period would have been very different to one born at the end.
Throughout Queen Victoria's reign Britain saw many changes that greatly affected the lives of children: the Government passed laws to make education up to the age of 13 compulsory; as literacy rates rose so did the availability of books and weekly publications; and toward the end of the century, leisure time for the working classes increased.
Elmbridge Museum holds many items from the time of Queen Victoria's reign. Below is a selection that helps illustrate the lives of local Victorian Children.
Image of Weybridge Heath
Type: watercolour
259.1964
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Box of architectural construction bricks
Type: building bricks
L.90.1968
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School slate
Type: school slate
L.186.1969
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Image of Walton School girls
Type: photograph
136.1977/5
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The English Struwwelpeter
Type: book
L.160.1977/10
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Image of Chitty family on house building site
Type: photograph
448.1979/2
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Image of Esher School pupils and master
Type: photograph
468.1979/7
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Image of Charles Edward and Mary Williamson and their children
Type: photograph
468.1979/8
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Oatlands School log book
Type: log book
86.1981/1
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Image of Etonia Bruce and Boodles
Type: photograph
45.1982/14
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Image of Etonia Bruce and dog
Type: photograph
45.1982/17
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Image of Etonia Bruce and Aunt Nel at The Beeches
Type: photograph
45.1982/21
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Image of Bruce family and dog Boodles
Type: photograph
45.1982/91
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Image of Arthur and Betsey Cobbet and their children
Type: photograph
293.1983/7
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Image of Arthur and Betsey Cobbet and their children
Type: photograph
293.1983/8
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Cross stitch sampler
Type: sampler
192.1985/1
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Doll's clothes
Type: dolls clothes
52.1986/2
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The Boy's Own Annual
Type: book
L.19.1990/1
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate II
Type: print
6.1995/1
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate III
Type: print
6.1995/2
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate IV
Type: print
6.1995/3
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate V
Type: print
6.1995/4
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate VI
Type: print
6.1995/5
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Image of 'The Bottle' plate VII
Type: print
6.1995/6
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Image of the Sassoon children at Ashley Park House
Type: photograph
164.1997/37
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Bronze relief of Queen Victoria
Type: sculpture
6.2011/2
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