The P5 classes from Kilrea and St Columba’s Primary Schools picked the hottest day of the year so far to take a very long trip. Not in miles, but in years. They were hosted by ‘Friends of Garvagh Museum’, Tom, Ian, Pearl and Jenny, who talked to them about farming and school in the past and they saw how rich and poor people lived in this area, over the last 200 years. Pearl told them about 1st Baron Garvagh, George Canning, who became Prime Minister and is buried in Westminster Abbey, and his wife Lady Rosabelle Canning who, among other charitable works, set up soup kitchens during the Great Famine. George also built the pyramid in Garvagh forest. It was intended to be a burial vault but was never used. We then had a treasure hunt to find all sorts of unusual objects in the enormous collection of around 3000 objects. Thanks to all our hosts for their time and expertise. Perhaps we’ll bring our families for another look over the summer.
