Creative History

Who is Isabella?

Isabella is a merchant's daughter and wife of Stephen Beauford. Living the 1550s she tells the story of town life in Tudor times. Whilst she enjoys a wealthy lifestyle, Isabella is aware of life for poorer folk.

Isabella's Visit

Isabella is travelling between two of her homes, stopping at your school for a rest. She has a range of packages and parcels containing various everyday items and gifts for family and friends. Travel worn and hungry, she may break her fast and unwrap parcels to check and discuss their content. Don't be surprised if she starts house-training the audience!

There is no set script for the presentation, it depends on what artefacts or subjects the audience become interested. However, the material can be steered in the direction(s) desired by class teacher. Teachers can opt to focus on the early Tudor period, Elizabethans or take a broad sweep across the whole period.

Isabella can talk about aspects of Tudor life to do with medicine, health, food, leisure time, clothing, beliefs, family roles, houses, religion, occupations, towns, entertainments, and laws.

She is also able to talk about important events as they impacted ‘ordinary folk’ such as:

• The threat of war from France and Spain
• The importance of Henry VIII having a son
• Changing religions
• The Defeat of the Spanish Armada

In addition, Isabella can talk about how important folk (Henry VII, Henry VIII, Lady Jane Grey, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, The Dukes and Earls, The Pope) impacted the lives of ‘ordinary’ folk.

Workshops

If desired, Isabella (or her historian alter-ego) can run workshops with the children in conjunction with the teachers.  Workshop themes can include: Drop-Spinning, Weaving, Food, Dance, Artefact Analysis, Clothes, Hygiene, Medicine, Shopping and Money.

Photo Gallery

Click on an image to enlarge...

Travelling Shop

The museum shop experience can come to you.  This could be a general shop that covers all of the primary history periods, it could be tailored to the Tudor period, or it could be the "step back in time shopping experience".  The last option involves "swapping" modern money for reproduction Tudor money and purchasing from a range of items typically available in Tudor times.

 What to know more?  Please send us an email.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Booking & Costs ] [ Evaluations ] [ Photo One ] [ Photo Two ] [ Photo Three ]

Send mail to tricia@creativehistory.co.uk with questions or comments.
Copyright © 2004 Creative History
Last modified: October 12, 2006