Sir Harry Burrard Neale
Summary
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Teaching ideas for using a schools leaflet about Sir Harry Burrard Neale, a local historic figure linked to Lymington and naval history. It suggests classroom activities across subjects, including guided reading to build vocabulary, evaluate how texts present him as a hero, and generate research questions. Writing tasks include drafting memorial plaque text and letters in an 18th-century style. Maths ideas cover timelines, ages at key life events, and designing an obelisk using 3D shapes. History and geography activities explore Sir Harry’s roles, public versus private information, the 1797 Thames mutiny context, mapping place names, and planning a route to the Burrard Neale Monument. Additional ideas include portrait studies, gas lamp inventions, materials and design, drumming signals, Google Earth mapping, discussions about mutiny and leadership, and a playground game based on a river blockade.
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Sir Harry Burrard Neale schools leaflet
Use this simple leaflet as a starting point to find out about this local historic figure, battle on the high seas and the history of Lymington.
Download “Sir Harry Burrard Neale leaflet (burrard Neale 250)….. pdf” from www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/learning
Many thanks to the Burrard Neale 250 project for sharing this great resource. www.burrard-neale250.org.uk
Guided reading- Why not introduce the leaflet via guided reading?
- Ask pupils to discuss and look up new vocabulary in a dictionary and create WOW words with definitions for interactive display in the classroom.
- Ask pupils to discuss which language and which facts help present Sir Harry as a National Hero.
- Ask pupils to think about what the leaflet doesn’t tell them, generate research questions.
- Can pupils recognise features of a non fiction text (chronology, fact boxes, images). Ask pupils if they can identify what each of the photos is and create their own captions.
Writing
- What might be written on the memorial plaque. Summarise Sir Harry’s achievements in 50 words, using carefully chosen WOW words to demonstrate his heroism.
- Dramatise then write a letter (using 18th century style phrases if you can)from the town council to Sir Harry- thanking him for his contributions, OR from Sir Harry to his brother asking him for money to help with his work in Lymington.
Numeracy
- Create a timeline, calculate how old Sir Harry was for different events in his lifetime and compare this to someone you know.
- 3D shapes- take a closer look at the monument. What 3D shapes can be used to make an obelisk? How many faces, sides, vertices does it have? Design your own obelisk using 3D shapes.
History
- Think about the different roles of Sir Harry, using the four sides of the monument as a starting point. Who might present this historical figure in a different light? Ask different groups to prepare speeches, while one pupil dresses as Sir Harry (a hat and some medals will do) in the centre. Use a torch to demonstrate the “spotlight” coming from different directions.
- Design your own historical research to find out more about this character. Which information about him do we expect to find and which might we not be able to discover, e.g. public vs. private life.
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What roles and responsibilities did Sir Harry have? What did these mean and what do they mean today? Find out who:
- Is the current Mayor of Lymington, what do they do?
- Is the current MP for Lymington, what do they do?
- Currently lives and works at Walhampton House?
- Is the current Lord of the Admiralty, what do they do?
- The 1797 Battle of the Thames never happened because of Sir Harry. Find out what other conflicts happened at this time and how many lives and ships were lost.
- Pose the question- why would Sir Harry be given a Drum as a reward? (Compare to other naval characters e.g. Sir Francis Drake, find out how they were used to give signals try inventing your own for class routines “beat to quarters”!)
Geography
- Use historical maps to identify valuable buildings, distances across the river and simulate how to blockade the Thames in 1797.
- Underline all (19) place names in the leaflet and find them- you will need a town map of Lymington and a map of southern UK and Europe. A great opportunity to learn place names in context and work on different scales. Find out one other thing about each of these places.
- Use local town maps (www.lymington.org) and OS maps to plan a walk up to the Burrard Neale Monument. Plan what you will see on the way from Lymington train station and what dangers you will have to plan for. If you can use a walking/running app, or follow up on Google earth to trace and measure your route.
Art
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Study the portrait of Sir Harry. Discuss and emulate:
- Use of pencil strokes, shading and hatching
- The use and effect of black and white
- How do you make someone look “heroic”?
- Consider and compare the architecture of street lighting then and now.
Science/ Design and Technology
- Find out about the invention of gas lamps, what difference did they make to people’s lives and what were the dangers?
- What materials were used to make drums, warships, street lamps, obelisks, clothing for sea travel? What were the properties, advantages and disadvantages of these materials?
Music
- Make your own drums!
- Create and practice rhythms as signals- try using these in class throughout the day.
ICT
- Use google earth to map pins of key places in Sir Harry’s life, or add a 3D object at Walhampton to envisage your own design of an obelisk there.
- Follow up your own questions online to research more about Sir Harry. http://burrard-neale250.org.uk/ www.rmg.org.uk
PHSE
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What is a mutineer? Why might they have acted or felt this way? Were they right or wrong? You could
- Tie this into drama about the characters and how they felt?
- Thing we say and do when we feel frustrated?
- Debate about following the rules or a leader? Is this different in the navy? At school?
- Who do we look up to? Create four sided mini monuments to current famous people and the things they have done and how they have set a great example to others.
PE and sport/ playtime!
- Create your own tag/ barrier/ team game based on the blockade of the Thames and mutineers. Using octopus/sticky tag as a starting point. Work together to stop traders passing up and down the river on the tide. (players run from end zone to end zone trying not to get tagged by the mutineers. If you are tagged you join hands with another mutineer eventually forming a blockade across the whole width of the play area/river). Great for co-operation, changes of direction/speed and for negotiating rules!
