The secrets of Great Yarmouth’s Victorian society will be televised this week as BBC4 dig through rubbish across time.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Dr Tom Licence from the UEA led the dig at the Beaconsfield Road Recreation Ground.Picture: Anthony CarrollDr Tom Licence from the UEA led the dig at the Beaconsfield Road Recreation Ground.Picture: Anthony Carroll (Image: Archant)

Following an archeological dig on Beaconsfield Road in April, the findings of Dr Tom Licence will be included in the documentary ‘The Secret Life of Landfill’ airing on Thursday.

The Great Yarmouth dig aimed to understand whether the Victorians had the same throwaway society that we do currently.

The excavation showed it had last been used as a rubbish dump in 1898 and a vast array of soft drinks bottles, clay pipes and ornaments were found.

Dr Tom Licence, director of the Centre of East Anglian Studies at the University of East Anglia, said: “There was a real love of lemonade and ginger beer.”

Evidence also showed residents at the time enjoyed shellfish and fish at mealtimes.

The show will air on BBC4 on Thursday at 9pm.