Pig postcard set children's imagination flying
Shropshire schoolchildren have trottered out some real gems for the second annual literacy competition run by the Friends of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, which had a pig on the wall theme.
There was an increase in entries, with over 300 contenders.
They were challenged with coming up with a back story to a photo which led to one of the county's most famous postcards - the Dawley Pig On The Wall.
Geraldine King, who chairs the Friends, said: “It was pleasing to see the level of interest in this local story. The imagination of the children and the quality of their stories made it a real challenge to pick out the winners.”
Member of the organising committee, Jim Clarke, said: “The intention of the competition was to combine interest in the history of local events with the promotion of literacy while highlighting the importance of the work of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum in preserving and interpreting the history of the Gorge. We were delighted with the response.”
Prizewinners were: primary schools - first prize, Charley Boycott, Holmer Lake; 2 James Beetlestone, St Luke’s Catholic; 3 Kasey Laming, Hollinswood.
Secondary schools - first prize, Louis Meehan, William Brookes, Much Wenlock; 2 Jessamy Clegg, Newport Girls High; 3 Isobel Cox, William Brookes.
The prizes were book tokens worth £15, £10, and £5 respectively.
The winning entries are on display in the Toll House on the Iron Bridge until August 6.
A popular version of the famous postcard's inspiration is that when Captain Matthew Webb visited Dawley, his birthplace, to great rejoicings only a few days after his epic feat in becoming the first person to swim the English Channel, the pig climbed on the wall to watch the parade as it passed through Little Dawley.
