We visited the very interesting the Ragged School Museum in East London for a Victorian classrom experience.

We had planned a day trip out of London for early march but, as often the case, trains were affected by delays and bus replacements services, so I started thinking where in London we could spend a sunday.

I had been meaning to visit the Ragged School Museum for a while, and since the sunday we had in mind also happened to coincide with their ‘Victorian Classroom‘ experience (first sunday of every month), we made our way to Mile End tube, and walked the really pretty park and canal promenade towards the museum, about 10m.

The museum is London’s largest Victorian Ragged School, opened by Dr Barnardo in 1877. For thirty years the school served some of the poorest children in the Victorian East End and today tells the story of how Dr Barnardo dedicated his life towards the education and the livelihood of these kids. He was meant to go to Asia as a missionary but decided his energies were much needed in London!

The museum is located on the Regent’s Canal by Mile End Park and has undergone major refurbishment funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Our firs priority upon arrival was to grab a coffee and a cake at their atmospheric Ragged Café which is open to the general public on the side of the Canal towpath. It’s a very pretty spot, and super peaceful on a sunny sunday morning. Watching people walk their dogs and cyclists ride past, as well as the tranquil canal waters is so relaxing.

Victorian Classroom experience fun

This is part of the inexpensive entry ticket and is a 45m session hosted by actors in costumes. We all sat at the wooden benches and went through hygiene checks and lessons in a variety of subjects from geography to spelling and calligraphy.

We had a lot of fun, this is not just for kids, but for anyone and the actor who played our teacher was absolutely brilliant!

Historical displays

The museum is not too large but the historical displays and the reading material are extremely interesting to learn the history of the East End and London in general, and how poor the city was in the late 1800s.

Particularly harrowing is the Forgotten Tale immersive installation by the artist Clarisse d’Arcimoles who meticulously recreated a life size, three-dimensional black and white photograph of a Spitalfields home in 1902.

The work invites visitors to literally step into the picture frame; to be transported back to the Victorian era and to contemplate the circumstances and long forgotten stories of the picture’s subjects in a sensory environment.

Found in London’s Bishopsgate Institute archive, the original photograph shows a poverty stricken family of hairbrush makers in their home in Spitalfields – an area once known as one of the most notorious slums in London.

The image is a record of hardship, but it also reflects a strong sense of working pride and familial tenderness.

Stepney Green City Farm

After the museum, we walked towards the local city farm, around 15m walk. It’s bigger than its neighbour in Bethnal Green and really well laid out open space with a lot of cute animals, plants for sale and a cafe’ which sadly was closed when we visited, which would have made a really great lunch spot!

All in all, we had a fantastic day out in Stepney Green!