Railways - Inventions - Brunel - Seacole - Livingstone - Darling
The three episodes explore the life of a girl called Emily Anne Barr who lives in a well-off family with servants and a governess.
1. Emily's life
Synopsis:
As we meet Emily she has just finished off her âsamplerâ - an elaborate piece of needlework. Her brother Bertie has just returned to boarding school and so Emily is now alone in the house, spending her time in the school room with her governess - Miss Stevens.
In the evening Emily is allowed downstairs to show her parents her sampler and to say good-night. Itâs a rather stern and formal occasion. Upstairs again, Emily says her prayers before bed. She appreciates that she is fortunate to have a comfortable lifeâŠbutshe also feels very restricted in the things she is allowed to do.
for a transcript of the episode (pdf).
2. Emily and the beetle
Synopsis:
Emily is in the school room with Miss Stevens playing her scales on the piano. Later she takes out a little beetle that she and Bertie caught in the garden on the day that Bertie went back to school - Emily has promised to look after it for him until he returns. When Miss Stevens sees the beetle she is horrified and demands that Emily returns it to the garden at once. Emily refuses and Miss Stevens tells her she will have to account to her father for her disobedience that evening.
Evening comes and Emily is summoned to see her father. Her parents are very disappointed with her behaviour. Emily must apologise to Miss Stevens when she goes to bed. Emily suddenly sees Miss Stevens in a different light, as a rather sorry and lonely figure, without a family of her own.
for a transcript of the episode (pdf).
3. Emily at the seaside
Synopsis:
In the final episode Emily is granted a rare treat: a visit to the seaside, albeit in the company of her mother and Miss Stevens. They make the journey by train, the new railway network having made such day trips now possible.
At the seaside Emily discovers there is a new list of the things she mustnât do: no sunbathing, no Punch and Judy, no taking her hat off. Finally Emily is allowed to take off her boots and run down to the sea to paddleâŠand try to enjoy herself like other children.
for a transcript of the episode (pdf).
Resources
Ìę
Ìę
Play next
Working in service. audio
âThe maidâ consists of three episodes about what life was like for domestic servants during the Victorian era.
Victorian railways. audio
Exploring the invention of the train and the expansion of the Victorian rail network.
Victorian inventions. audio
âVictorian inventionsâ consists of three episodes about developments in technology during the Victorian era.
