A Victorian Street Scene

Teachers Notes
This scene is intended to convey the feel of a bustling Victorian street. There are
parts for a minimum of 16 children and it is anticipated that all the occupations, with
the exception of the policeman, be played by more than one child. This gives scope
for every child in the class to have a speaking part.
At the end of the scene, groups of children could take it in turns to explain the part
their characters played in Victorian society. For example, the urchins could explain
that the Education Act of 1870 was designed to keep the hordes of children who
roamed the streets of all major cities out of trouble. The Salvation Army actors could
speak about the importance of the temperance movement and the crossing
sweepers could explain why, in an age of horse-drawn transportation, they were so
necessary.
Staging Directions
All the street traders and costermongers enter crying out their wares. They should
enter from different sides of the acting area. Each group of traders should take it in
turns to call out and repeat their cries until all are positioned on the stage. Some
children can act as passers-by and make purchases or have their shoes cleaned
etc.. Once in position each group recites its verse. The urchins enter during the
newspaper sellers last line.
The atmosphere created by the scene is greatly enhanced if the children have simple
props and costumes to use during the performance.
A Victorian Street Scene
Boot Blacks:

Give us your shoes to shine and boots to clean.

Shoes and boots to clean!

Hot Chestnut Sellers:

Roast chestnuts for sale. Roast chestnuts for sale.

Hot, roast chestnuts!

Muffin Sellers:

Muffins, sweet muffins, just baked and so spicy.

Muffins, sweet, sweet muffins!

Chimney Sweeps:

Who wants their chimney swept? Who wants their

chimney swept? Sweeps! Sweeps!

Milkmen:

Fresh milk in jugs, fresh milk with cream

Fresh milk, fresh cream!

Fishmongers:

Weve haddock and cod and oysters and crabs

Haddock, cod, oysters and crabs!

Fruit Sellers:

Cherries and plums, apples and pears

Cherries, plums, apples, pears!

Salvation Army:

Salvation for one, salvation for all

All sinners are welcome at the Kingdom Hall!

Knife Grinders:

Knives to sharpen, chairs to mend

Knives, chairs, knives and chairs!

Crossing Sweepers:

Cross here ladies, the road is clean

We sweep the crossing and keep it clean!

Hurdy Gurdy Men:

Here comes the Hurdy Gurdy Man

Hurdy Gurdy, Hurdy Gurdy, Hurdy Gurdy Man!

Matchgirls:

Lucifers! Lucifers for sale

Strike a light! Matches for sale!

Newspaper Vendors:

Read all about it! Papers for sale!

Read all about it! Papers for sale!

Boot Blacks:

Give us your shoes to shine and boots to clean

And well polish them all to a wondrous sheen
For shoes and boots there is no doubt
We are the best boot-blacks about.

Hot Chestnut Sellers:

Roast chestnuts for sale. Roast chestnuts for sale

They go really well with a large glass of ale.
One bag for a farthing and four for a penny
Theyre crispy and hot dont go home without any!

Muffin Sellers:

Muffins, sweet muffins, just baked and so spicy

Theyre just what you need when the weather is icy.
The baker has taken them straight from his oven
Come have a taste, we know that youll love em.

Chimney Sweeps:

Who wants their chimney swept?

One chimney for a bob.
Well even take the soot away
We do a first rate job.

Milkmen:

Fresh milk in jugs, fresh milk with cream

Weve just fetched it from the farm
If you buy a jug of milk from us
Youll never come to harm.

Fishmongers:

Weve haddock and cod and oysters and crabs

There are no finer fish to be had.
Weve winkles and whelks and rock salmon too
Straight from the sea this fish comes to you.

Salvation Army:

Salvation for one, salvation for all.

All sinners are welcome at the Kingdom Hall!
Theres no salvation in whiskey or gin
But at our Hall, Jesus is waiting to welcome you in.

Fruit Sellers:

Cherries and plums, apples and pears

The fruit that we sell is beyond compare.
In the Garden of England this produce was grown
Please buy a bowlful to have in your home.

Knife Grinders:

Knives to sharpen, chairs to mend

Well fix whats broken for you my friends

With string and sealing wax and glue
Well make everything as good as new.
Crossing Sweepers:

Ladies dont worry about crossing the street

You wont get mud upon your feet
With my broom I sweep up all the mess
So no fine lady has to dirty her dress.

Hurdy Gurdy Men:

With tunes so sweet and melodies fine

Hurdy Gurdy music is sublime
If youre blue it picks you up
To make me play put a penny in my cup

Newspaper Sellers:

Read all about! Papers for sale

The Telegraph and the Evening Mail
Another murder! The grisly details are here
Best buy one quick before they all disappear!

Enter two urchins.

Urchins:

We are the scallywags

We never go to school
We steal and tealeaf every day
We break each and every rule.

Urchins:

The peelers never catch us

Were much too quick and sly
We pick a pocket of a wallet (Ha Ha!)
In the twinkling of an eye.

(One scallywag picks a pocket of a passer by and throws it to the other scallywag
who catches it. Unseen by either of them a policeman is creeping up on them. The
policeman grabs them.)
Policeman:

Not so fast you little rogues

Im the long arm of the law.
Youre off to prison now my lads
For a long stretch in Dartmoor Come on.
(The policeman marches them off.)
All:

Roger Hurn 2012

www.roger-hurn.co.uk

In this old town on every street

We are the kind of folk you meet.
We buy and sell, we work and slave
Its toil and strife from birth to grave.
We strive to clamber up the social scale
While the workhouse waits for those who fail
So we pray to the Lord for our daily bread
But its our hard work that keeps our children fed.

Books by Roger Hurn

For more books by Roger Hurn go to: www.roger-hurn.co.uk
Three eBooks for children published by The Endeavour Press.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - This is a fantasy tale of a 14th century tragedy
invading the present-day. The pace is fast, the danger lurking in woods and fairgrounds
hugely credible and terrifying. With humour and scares taking turns on the page, this book
will keep children (8-14) thrilled and engaged. urlm.in/moga
The Eye of the Pharaoh - This thrilling story will captivate readers of all ages - as well as
serving as the perfect introduction to the history of ancient Egypt. urlm.in/ngfs
Once There Were Lions - It is 1939 and a gang of children who call themselves The Lions
play happily in the back streets of London. They are totally unaware that their little world is
about to be shattered beyond repair. War is declared and they, like thousands of others, are
torn from their families and sent off to live with strangers in the countryside. This is their
story. urlm.in/mxne
Spook Squad Adventures Too Scary For Boys (Ransom Publishing
http://www.ransom.co.uk/SpookSquad.html) Chosen by The Book Trust for their Bookbuzz
list 2012

The Alien Detective Agency Series 1 & 2 (Reluctant readers; Badger Publishing
www.badgerlearning.co.uk)