HALLSANDS STUDY EXERCISE
The exercise below refers to the book Hallsands, a Village Betrayed by Steve Melia. The book itself was primarily written for adults. The exercises are intended for keystage 4 or above.
1. To place the Hallsands story in the context of Britain and Devon in the late nineteenth century.
2. To learn about the challenges of historical research
3. To analyse factors which may influence the interpretation of historical data.
(The titles in italics are sections from the book)
Early Hallsands and Life at Hallsands Before the Storm
1. What impressions do these passages give of life in Hallsands at that time?
2. What are the most important differences between life in Devon then, and now?
3. Why does the writer mention:
a. the sale of the houses to the fishermen in 1857?
b. the quote from Stephen Reynolds
c. the fact that 6 fishermen in 1904 were unable to sign their own name?
Sir
John Jackson and the Keyham Contract, Outside
the Law? and The Dredging Begins
4. What impression do these passages give of Sir John Jackson and Frank Mildmay?
5. Where does the writer show he is more sympathetic towards Mildmay than towards Jackson?
6. Why do you think this is (refer also the section About the Author)?
7. The writer says: “we have no direct evidence of corruption against Sir John?” What does he mean by this? Is there any evidence to suggest Sir John might have behaved in a corrupt way (See also section What Became of Them?)?
8. In 1904 the Board of Trade wrote to Sir John Jackson expressing concern at reports of his dredging in places where he had no permission. Sir John’s reply can be seen on: www.hallsands.org.uk/skerriesbank.htm.
a. Summarise what is Sir John trying to say in this reply.
b. Do you believe he is telling the truth?
c. How does the writer interpret this letter?
d. Is it possible to put a different interpretation on it?
9. What evidence is there to suggest Sir John might have been aware of the potential dangers to Hallsands from his dredging?
An 85 Year Secret, One Sympathises With Them But… and An Inadequate Settlement
10. Why do you think the Government decided to keep Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice’s report secret?
11. The writer found the document at the Public Record Office in London. Can you find on the Internet the batch of documents which includes this one? How are they described?
12. The writer says the documents were released to the Public Records Office “some time after the Second World War. Why do you think previous writers about the story were not aware this document might have been available?
13. How does its discovery alter our understanding of the Hallsands Story?