There is nothing more satisfying than sitting on the enclosed terrace at the Westminster Palace with the sun glinting off the surface of the River Thames, listening with due enthralment to the events of The Battle of Waterloo.
On Wednesday 4th March, four fortunate Northbourne Park School Year 8 pupils were kept engaged and enrapt by the very personable historian, Dan Snow (BBC The One Show’s History Man). He enlivened his presentation by getting some of the students to re-enact the battle whilst describing the tactics of the enigmatic Napoleon Bonaparte and the intrepid Duke of Wellington, with the latter victorious of course!
The Year 8 pupils themselves responded well to the historical enormity of the building they were in and “were overawed by the history contained in these walls”. Big Ben also made an indelible imprint on their memory as its gold leaf clockface glistened in the March sunshine.
The Battle of Waterloo Bicentennial Commemoration celebrations will be hosted locally in Broadstairs, in June 2015, marking the moment when, in June 1815, a young Major Percy came ashore in a rowing boat, fresh from the battle of Waterloo, with the breathtaking news – Napoleon was beaten!
Watch this space for Northbourne Park’s involvement in this event.
Christie Riley History Department