Crime and Punishment learning session

What life was like for a Victorian prisoner?

Uncover life in a Victorian prison with your class! Through a close examination of a variety of original archival documents from the Victorian period, students will investigate a day in the life of a Victorian prisoner. Working in pairs, small groups and as a whole class, they will uncover what a prison looked like, what prisoners ate, how they had to spend their time and how they were punished for bad behaviour.

The session culminates with students taking on individual case studies of prisoners, and considering how ‘fair’ they feel the sentences for different crimes were, as well as what might have led to increasing numbers of prisoners during the period.

Curriculum links

• A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
• A local history study

Questions about the session? Check our frequently asked questions page, or get in touch via email at tla.schools@cityoflondon.gov.uk