A lesson using old newspapers.

1. Westquarter Garden Party
1896
Skills – researching, listening and remembering, creating

2. In the past newspapers contained a lot of writing,
but not many pictures. Here is a page from the
Falkirk Herald in 1896.

3. We can zoom in online to make it easier to
read for information.
• Who hosted the Garden Party?
• What was the weather like?
• How many people attended?
• What kind of transport did they arrive in?
• What did they do for entertainment?

4. Music was provided by local bands. This was
Wallacestone Pipe Band some years later.

5. The guests played outdoor games and walked
around the grounds.

6. The guests were served afternoon tea.

7. The Garden Party was organised as a political
meeting. Very important people such as MPs
attended and gave speeches.

8. Mr Munro-Ferguson MP made the main
speech.
Mr Munro-Ferguson MP

9. Choose tasks to build on what you have
understood from this Newspaper article from
1896.
• Imagine you are Mr or Mrs Orr. Write a formal invitation to the
garden party or a thank you letter to those who attended.
• Draw a detailed picture of what went on at the garden party.
• Listen to some band music from this era and pretend you are in the
band.
• Find out the rules of croquet and have a go at playing it.
• Find out what an MP does. Who are our MPs now?
• Prepare an afternoon tea.
• Come up with your own activity to demonstrate what you have
learned.