Beyond the St Marylebone Workhouse: songs of London life gone by
This resource introduces learners to some of the folk songs and oral traditions that would have been found in a city in the 18th – 20th centuries, using St Marylebone in London as a case study.
It reflects many of the different types of folk song that could be found in a city, from printed broadsides, sea shanties, nursery songs, streets cries, songs from the local workhouse, and songs about London collected from other places.
The resource is designed to support learning from Key Stages 1-5, and includes activities for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and community settings. We’ve suggested the most suitable Key Stage for each song, but many of them can be used and adapted for different age groups and settings.
The resource is written by Hazel Askew and made in collaboration with St Marylebone Parish Church with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the St Marylebone Changing Lives project.
Important note: this resource contains hyperlinks to digitised versions of original manuscripts and other archival material in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library’s online archive. Please be aware that these historical materials may contain content considered offensive by modern standards. Teachers are advised to check these links before sharing with students as materials may need contextualising.
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