YOUNGSTERS at St Joseph's College in Ipswich took a trip back in time – 100 years!Pupils in the infants department, known as Little St Joseph's, turned the clock back to 1902 for a special day, with Edwardian-style lessons, drill, handwriting and arithmetic.

YOUNGSTERS at St Joseph's College in Ipswich took a trip back in time – 100 years!

Pupils in the infants department, known as Little St Joseph's, turned the clock back to 1902 for a special day, with Edwardian-style lessons, drill, handwriting and arithmetic.

The youngsters dressed up in the style of children from the late 19th and early 20th century, with flower-sellers, chimney-sweeps, kitchen maids and a rat-catcher.

Before the special day, the year two pupils visited Hollytrees Museum in Colchester to look at the historic displays there. Some youngsters also did their own research by finding out about their ancestors and dressing up in the costumes they would have worn.

Six-year-old Alexander Norman put together some information about his great-great-grandfather, Ernest Webb, who was a telegraph boy. He wrote to Royal Mail bosses for information about exactly what a young boy doing this job would have worn.

"We borrowed the costume from the Co-op Juniors and my mum added a few bits to it," said Alexander.

Harriet Langley, also six, dressed up in an apron and pinny like her great-great-grandmother, Hannah, who was one of Queen Victoria's servants.

The day's events included an old-style playtime with hopscotch, hoops, skipping-ropes and marbles. There was also a cookery session, with Victoria sponge on the menu, and the children had the chance to make mini-samplers.

The day ended with an old time musical hall assembly, including songs like Daisy Daisy and Pease Pudding Hot, plus a suffragettes demonstration!

"They have all had a wonderful time and learned a lot about life a hundred years ago," said Pauline Brown, head of the infants department.