Early in the summer of 2007, Kate Sutton (London FLO and Community Archaeologist) and the LAARC (London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre) team set up a community excavation in the playground of the Michael Faraday Primary School, Southwark.
The Michael Faraday Primary School is in the heart of the Aylesbury Estate which is the largest in Europe and has a diverse population, many of whom are living are living in challenging circumstances. Schools, families and local groups all participated in this summer’s Museum of London community dig.
Before the dig started, the team investigated the history of the site. The earliest map of the area, dated 1681, shows open fields or woodland belonging to Walworth Manor. By 1799, the open fields were being filled in with rows of small terraced houses with long narrow gardens and small front yards. The site continued to develop and by the mid 19th century there are tightly packed streets of working-class houses, workhouses[1] and by 1873, two common schools[2], one for boys and another for girls and infants.
For two weeks the pupils from the Michael Faraday Primary School and other local schools became archaeologists. The excavation was also open during weekends and after school so that everyone from the local community who wanted to join in could. Each session was made up of an introduction to archaeology, the site and the history of the area and then the groups attending these sessions learnt excavation techniques and took part in the dig and finds processing, the bit where the archaeologists work out what all of the finds and evidence means! Their findings added to the interpretation of the site.
Each day, pottery, clay pipes, bone and building material turned up as well as some star finds including a Mesolithic flint blade, Medieval pottery and Victorian slate pencils. Information, photographs and results were regularly posted on the fence of the school and also on-line (www.museumoflondon.org.uk/communitydig).
Why not take a look at the images, videos and blog?
For example - their Youtube video of the Trench opening.
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[1] workhouses were places where very poor people who could not afford to feed, clothe and shelter themselves went to, to be looked after by the local parish. They had to do long days of often very tough work in exchange for meagre food and a bed
[2] common schools were schools for common people-in other words, people like us! Before common schools were set up only the very rich could afford to educate their children.
OpenCalais helped to tag this with: Europe • Kate Sutton • London • London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre • meagre food • Michael Faraday Primary School • Museum of London • www.museumoflondon.org.uk/communitydig • YouTube
Possibly related posts: The Scheme on Teacher’s TV • Camden Young Archaeologists conference • Kate Sutton in the Times •
