The History of BarkingEastbury Community School year 6-7 transition

Task: Read the information sheets and fill in the timeline with interesting information you found out about the history of Barking.

Welcome to your first taster of what History at EastburyCommunity School might be like! We think it’s really important that you understand how your local area, Barking, has changed

over time! In this taster activity you will look at different locations in Barking and find out more about what Barking used

to be like, to how it is today. We hope you enjoy it and look forward to welcoming you in person to Eastbury Community

school soon!

Rood screen at Barking Abbey

Barking train station Statue of Job Drain

Barking Abbey____________________________________________________________________________________

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Eastbury Manor House____________________________________________________________________________

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Job Drain Statue____________________________________________________________________________

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Wilmington Building________________________________________________________________________________

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Barking Station_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Most people lived in small villages in the countryside where they worked as farmers.

They had to live off what they farmed. The most important part of the village was the

church.

Religion was extremely important in medieval times. The Church was very powerful and

controlled people’s lives. Many new churches and monasteries or abbeys (places

where monks lived) were built. For example, Barking Abbey was re-built in the 12th

century.

In the curfew tower of Barking Abbey is a 12th century

rood screen showing the crucifixion of Jesus. Rood

screens were large, colourful religious images

displayed in churches to separate the altar, where the

priest sat, from the pews, where ordinary people sat.

This showed the power of the priest, Church and God.

Rood screen at Barking Abbey

Barking Abbey - Medieval England

Between 1485 and 1700, religion remained highly important. The most important event

at this time was the Reformation. This was when King Henry VIII formed a new church

called the Church of England. Henry also dissolved (shut down) all the monasteries

and abbeys, including Barking Abbey, and sold them off to rich men.

Clement Sysley, a wealthy merchant (tradesman),

bought land owned by Barking Abbey and built

Eastbury Manor House in the 1570s. Sysley was part

of the landed gentry: rich people who owned land and

run the country. The gentry were scared that poor

people would try to take control of their land. So, they

put up fences around their land to stop poor people

farming on their land. This was called enclosure.

With no land to farm and live off, many poor farmers

starved. However, the gentry thought the poor people

were just being lazy and not working hard enough so

they gave them little help.

Floor plan of Eastbury Manor House

Enclosure

Eastbury Manor House - Tudors and

Stuarts

During the Industrial Revolution, there were also

huge changes in transport. The

invention of the high-powered steam engine led to

the

creation of steam trains. Huge railways were built

across Britain with Barking Station opening in

1854

as part of the London, Tilbury and Southend

Railway.

However, the government continued to offer little

support to the poor. The 1834 Poor Law led to

workhouses being built across Britain, including in

Barking. Poor, old, sick or unemployed people who

couldn’t look after themselves had to do hard

labour

(work) in the workhouse in return for food, clothing

and shelter.

Barking Station – Industrial Revolution

Job Drain statue -20th CenturyThe 20th century was dominated by World War One and

World War Two. Britain fought against Germany in both

wars. The wars greatly affected the lives of British citizens,

including those living in Barking.

During World War One (1914-1918), conscription was

introduced and all men over the age of 18 had to fight. One

such man was Job Drain, an 18 year old soldier from

Barking. He was given the Victoria Cross (the highest

military honour) for recapturing an important gun from the

Germans under heavy fire.

In World War Two (1939 to 1945), the German Air Force

carried out the Blitz, bombing important cities like London,

killing over 40,000 people. Barking suffered great damage.

For example, two young boys, George and David Duke

were killed when a bomb exploded in Surrey Road.

Meanwhile, Barking and Dagenham continued to benefit

from the Industrial Revolution. Barking Power

Station, Upney Station and the Ford’s car plant in

Dagenham were opened.

Statue of Job Drain outside the Broadway

Theatre

Memorial book commemorating the lives of George and David Duke

Wilmington Building – Modern DayDuring the 1980s, most factories, mines and

docks closed down and areas which

depended on these industries such as

Barking Riverside-the site of Barking Power

Station-fell into ruin.

Recently, immigrants from places such as

Europe, China and India have come to

Britain. This has created a demand for new

houses and schools. So, old industrial areas

like Barking Riverside have been

redeveloped. New homes, schools, shops,

parks, leisure centres and railway stations are

being built for the future.

People have become increasingly concerned

about the environment. New buildings like

the Wilmington Building at Eastbury School

are designed to be eco-friendly and use less

energy than older buildings. They have

‘green’ roofs that protect wildlife habitats and

provide better insulation. Rainwater is also

collected to be reused.

The Wilmington Building, Eastbury

Community School

Challenge Challenge Challenge task!

Can you go for a walk around Barking and try to find all of the locations of the places/things you have studied in your taster session? If you can, take a photo standing at each place/thing!

GOOD LUCK, FROM EVERYONE IN THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT AT EASTBURY

COMMUNITY SCHOOL!