Victorian Festival sees arrival of first ever ferris wheel to the centre of the school

On the last Thursday before half-term, the Rumble Museum held its Victorian Festival at Cheney School which saw the arrival of the first ever Ferris Wheel into the centre of the school.

The festival welcomed hundreds of Cheney students and visitors across the three hours, and people of all ages were able to enjoy a range of Victorian-themed stalls and activities. These included blacksmithing demonstrations at a Victorian Forge (with Byron Robinson from Vitriol Historical), and Penny Farthings which people could have a go at riding under the expert guidance of Bill Pollard and Matt Richardson from the Penny Farthing Riders Club. There were also Victorian Magic Shows with Paul Longhurst featuring a beautiful white rabbit.

Inside the main festival building, there were over 40 different stalls and activities. The History of Science Museum brought a range of Victorian toys, the Bodleian brought a table printing press, Oxford Brookes History Department staff and students, and the Walking Forest ran activities themed on the suffragettes. Warneford 200 team ran a range of activities related to the history of the Warneford Hospital, the Museum of Oxford brought some fascinating Victorian artefacts including a beautiful accordion, and the History Archive Centre ran activities on marriage certificates! East Oxford Primary School students ran a fossil activity and introduced Mary Anning to visitors, and the Isis Lacemakers ran demonstrations on lacemaking. Esther Vaux created beautiful Victorian facepainting, and trained a team of Cheney students to facepaint too!

Alongside all these, Rumble Museum Council students ran a dazzling array of stalls and activities, including Victorian fiction, the evolution of Vampires, Steampunk, Terraria, Floriography, a Detective Mystery, Victorian Hats and Make-up, Dunce Caps, Victorian trains, a mega Victorian quiz, charades, Victorian mourning, and Victorian childhood.

Anya in Year Ten has been a lifelong Mudlarker, and brought in her extensive and fascinating collection of Victorian bottles, signage, and many other items for visitors to explore. 

A team of Sixth form welcomers donned Victorian costume and characters to welcome visitors, and Cheney Friends ran refreshments for everyone to enjoy.

We are very grateful to all our many stall and activity runners, performers, visitors and Cheney students and staff who took part in the event, and we are especially grateful for the sunshine which shone down all afternoon on our Ferris Wheel and Penny Farthing riders!