A Very Merry Manchester Trip!


As thousands  of children across Liverpool awoke to the first chocolate from their advent calendars, Alsop’s history department and its A-Level pupils embarked on a trip to Manchester, to find out what it was really like to live in a poverty-stricken, Victorian Britain.

The pupils were taken to several landmarks, including the site of the Peterloo massacre, before heading on to Manchester’s People’s History Museum. There, students were given the chance to dress up in the Victorian-era clothes, and got to experience ration shopping and how the Worker’s Union has evolved through time.

There was something for everybody, too, as an authentic 60’s jukebox, complete with chequered flooring, was tried out by a few enthusiastic pupils, who treated the museum’s inhabitants to a festive rendition of Fairytale of New York. There was also some classic football memorabilia from classic England international matches.

After visiting the museum, the contingent went on to the Manchester Art Gallery and got to see work from such acclaimed artists as John Constable and William Blake, which focused on the Industrial Revolution, which will be covered by the A-Level students on their course. The trip was finished off by a merry visit to a Christmas market, where pupils took the opportunity to indulge in some jolly treats!

Mrs Makinson, who led the trip alongside Mr McClusky and Mrs Smith, said: ‘The students behaved wonderfully and were a credit to the school. I hope they’ve had some fun today but also learned something along the way.’

By Sam Carroll, year 12.