Black Country Museum Local History Coursework

Life-like models added to the authentic feel

I found the Racecourse Colliery a superb reflection of mines during the 19th century. The dark and cramped conditions, figures and voiceovers all added to the atmosphere and offered a glimpse into the lives of the miners. Most inaccuracies were due to health and safety measures and for the welfare of the public.

The school was also an important feature we visited. St. James Infant School, established 1912, was for the children of the miners, very much a local and religious school. It is important to note that all schools at the time were religious institutions where the sexes were separated and prohibited from mixing (See source 1). This was an accurate representation. It taught young boys and girls the three 'r's: reading, writing and arithmetic, until they reached the 'pinnacle of penmanship'. In addition, it had a gender-based curriculum; the boys learnt construction in order to become miners, while the girls learnt sewing to become homemakers.

The school building

As soon as we arrived we had to line up in two lines; boys and girls. When we entered, we found the teacher very stern. He inspected nails, clothes, and general cleanliness. Even though most of the children came from impoverished families, they were expected to be neat and well kempt. Caning was employed as a punishment when a pupil did not hand in the 2p of the week (teacher's wage). Elementary education became compulsory up to the age of 10 in 1880 and free in 1891 (See sources on education).

A view of the classroom

On the other hand, there were some inaccuracies. Small slates, for example, were used instead of large slates. This was inaccurate as Source 5 shows. These were used to teach copper plate writing, until the 'pinnacle of penmanship' was reached. This was when students reached a certain standard in pen and ink writing. There were also fire alarms/extinguishers in sight as the museum did not hide them away. Even though there was a fireplace, the fire was not on for obvious health and safety reasons. As for the building, the room was far too spacious and the windows modernized. This was a clear inaccuracy. The rooms were lit with electric lights, which evidently would not have been available until 1879. Furthermore, the teacher, although quite strict, was not nearly as unapproachable as I imagined. Dunce caps were not used as a punishment and a round of applause followed every correct answer given by students.

Schooling dealt with every-day situations

All in all this was a generally accurate representation of schooling due to the setting and curriculum. However, the school contained more inaccuracies compared to the mine and other areas we visited.

Most houses were semi-detached, an accurate reflection on 19th century housing (See sources on domestic life). Families sharing toilets was the norm. It is important to note that community ties were very strong, especially in close-knit mining areas such as the Black Country. Inside, the houses were packed with furniture. Furniture such as mahogany drawers, glass-fronted cupboards, and silver cutlery were luxuries enjoyed by the wealthy. In contrast, an average miner's home was basic (See source 10). Coal fires were burnt 24/7, hence the smog bellowing out of chimneys that gave the area its name. It is interesting to note that the cottages and houses are tilted. This is accurate because most men used to spend their evenings at public inns and return drunk, often urinating against their houses. Since houses were built from permeable stone, the urine would pass through and come summer, the houses would reek. The tilt helped because the urine would just run off it, mostly on the drunk's very own shoes!

An accurate representation of what people used to eat was given. This included boiled potatoes, bread and treacle. This gave a detailed insight into aspects of life that could have been otherwise overlooked.

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An average Black Country home

The inaccuracies I noted were limited and were caused either by safety constraints or lack of information. For example, the houses were designed for the working class, but most could not afford them. Furthermore, there were no cellars. Houses in the 19th century (due to 1842 laws by Edwin Chadwick) always had cellars. In addition, houses only had one bedroom, jointly for the parents and children. The houses in the Black Country had more rooms, which an evident inaccuracy. Once again the fire was not lit as a safety measure. The outside of the houses were far too clean. In reality, there would have been rubbish strewn around. Lastly, the presence of fire exist was inaccurate.

I spotted few inaccuracies when we visited the local chemist. H. Emile Doo's Chemist and Druggist was where miners and their families were prescribed medicines. Given that seeing a doctor would have cost half a crown (week's wage), the chemist was a relatively inexpensive alternative. Chemists also offered advice and even treated animals. In addition, Mr. Doo had a considerable reputation locally for his home made medicines and pills. The equipment used was extremely accurate; from the pill rounds used to make pills to the standard pestle and mortar. The labels on the medicines were correct and the bottles even had ridges for the blind. Small details such as a replica of the type of till that would have been used added to the realism. A fascinating range of early cosmetics was also displayed, an interesting addition. Thus, the Black Country Museum is an accurate portrayal of life during the 19th century.

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Homemade medicines and pills

In spite of this, only two of the apothecaries' carboys were on display. These were four large bottles that were a symbol of a chemist; red for fire, yellow for air, green for earth and blue for water. Moreover, plasticine was used to make tablets instead of real pills. The bottles on display contained water instead of real medicine. Nonetheless, these were trivial factual errors. The museum did, in fact, put extensive research into the backdrop and general surroundings.

Two out of four bottles were missing

The Gregory's store was established in 1833 by a Mr. Gregory. It expanded in 1912. At the time, shops expanded either next door or into the back rooms. Gregory's store sold a variety of goods; from milk and coffee to wool and needles for sewing. The museum stayed true to how a 19th century convenience store would have been. This meant there was no electricity, no water and no sell by dates on products, a far cry from supermarkets today. Furthermore, the store did not sell any frozen, as fridges were only invented in the late 1920's (Own knowledge).

Accuracies such as these add to the authenticity of the setting. A typical Victorian family would visit the store to purchase essentials such as sugar, tea and eggs. Shopping would have been an important aspect of people's lives, as every penny counted (See source 11). Bread would also be sold; however, it wouldn't be wrapped or sliced. This was another accuracy I noted. Moreover, the signs outside the grocers' and chemists advertised goods and included many images as many people were illiterate. This is an accurate picture which shows the reality of the Victorian Age.

On the other hand, there were some minor inaccuracies. The rabbits on display, for example, were stuffed as opposed to fresh. In addition, the snuff box was empty. Interestingly enough, the cigarettes on the shelves date back to the 1940's, not the 19th century.

Like the baker's shop next door, the sweet shop is a replica of one from Birmingham Street, Oldbury. Thomas Cook's confectionary and sweet shop opened in 1871 and was run on a modest scale, the premises consisting of a small front room shop and a back room preparation area. The shop would have been very popular with the community as it was widely believed that sugar was a nourishing food and the working class in particular consumed large quantities. The prices and actual sweets were true to life; from pear drops to troach sweets, firm Black Country favorites. We were given a demonstration of how sweets were made and packaged. While Mr. Cook ran a professional business many families made sweets part-time to increase the family income.

However, some of the sweets sold dated from later periods. Likewise, the prices of some products were rather expensive for a shop catering for the working class. Such few inaccuracies meant T Cook's sweet shop is the most historically accurate feature we visited

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T Cook made and sold firm Black Country favorites

To conclude, the Black Country Museum is, to a certain extent, a largely accurate portrayal of life in a 19th century mining community. From the costumes of the guides to the actual buildings each aspect of the museum has been carefully researched. That, however, does not rule out errors. There were some trivial inaccuracies that I observed. The school, in particular, contained several inaccuracies. For the most part, the Black Country Museum is a worthwhile educational experience that presents life as it would have been over 150 years ago. In this respect, it represents a time period which shaped not only Dudley, but the whole of Britain.