I had an enjoyable morning last week showing two Shrewsbury mini mayors for the day round The Lion Hotel.
Thirteen-year-old Abbie Allford and 14-year-old Frankie Hutchings, both from Sundorne School, were chosen to accompany the Mayor and Mayoress of Shrewsbury, Cllr Tony Durnell and Mrs Tricia Durnell, on their civic duties.
The four are pictured below in the hotel where they met the owner Howard Astbury.
Neither of the teenagers had been in the hotel before so they were very interested to see where Charles Darwin had set off on his epic world trip.
They were also amused to hear about ‘Mad Jack’ Mytton, who celebrated at being elected the town’s Conservative MP by jumping into The Lion through a window and were impressed at seeing the architectural gem of the Ballroom where Nicolo Paganini gave a concert in 1833.
Howard then took the party to the Charles Dickens bedroom which has little changed since the author wrote to one of his daughters in 1858: “We have the strangest little rooms, the ceilings of which I can touch with my hand. The windows bulge out over the street as if they were little stern windows of a ship. And a door opens out of the sitting room on to a little open gallery with plants in it where one leans over a queer old rail.”
As the civic party stood on that balcony looking down Wyle Cop the Mayor admitted it was the first time he had been in the Dickens room.
It must be one of the very few historical sights in Shrewsbury that the Mayor has never seen.
The youngsters were then taken to meet the traders in Shrewsbury Market before lunch in the Mayor’s Parlour.
Afterwards they went to see the newly-refurbished Shrewsbury Fire Station before being presented with the Mayor’s medal and certificate plus a goody bag to complete their visit.
Both thoroughly enjoyed their day with Abbie saying a highlight was being a town VIP while Frankie said his was being driven in the civic limousine.
More details about the day can be seen in this week’s Shrewsbury Chronicle where the Mayor writes a weekly column, the Pride of Shrewsbury, or on his own blog mayorofshrewsbury.wordpress.com/
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