Crowning moment was marked by prints
Don't worry - it's one of ours.
Barry Salter of Market Drayton was trying to find out more about this print which had come his way, depicting St Mary's Street in the town in what looks to be perhaps late Victorian times.
And he thought we might be able to help him thanks to a big clue - a label reading: "Exclusive print of St Mary's Church, Market Drayton, one of six scenes painted by Brian Eden to mark the 25th anniversary of the Shropshire Star and published by Miss Carter Publications, Bolton."
As the Star was launched in 1964, that pointed to the print dating from 1989. But a lot of printing ink has passed under the bridge since then, so we were not immediately able to tell him more about it.
So thank you to Graham Parker of Wellington, one of our former drivers who came forward with the answers.
"I worked for Jackie Gaze, the promotions manager, as well as delivering, and that's how I know about these prints," Graham said.
"We used to have them framed at Haygate Galleries, as it was then. Whoever was the managing director used to give a few to special visitors. There were some signed ones, and some not signed."
There were six prints, with others depicting various Shropshire scenes, including the Bear Steps at Shrewsbury and Raynalds Mansion in Much Wenlock.
He recalled there were still many left when he finished his time working for us and thought they might be in a store room. We haven't immediately found them, but you never know.
Wendy Howlett also emailed in to say: "I'm pretty sure that when I started work in Market Drayton in 1966 the Market Drayton Advertiser office was in St Mary's Street. If I remember rightly, Archie Brotherton - I'm not certain that is the correct name - was the editor. That may be the connection with the Shropshire Star.
"The offices then moved into Shropshire Street, opposite what used to be The Coach and Horses."
