A man has been reunited with his prize-winning wartime artwork - 80 years after he drew it as a young boy.

Peter Spanswick, 94, visited Folkestone Library to see the poster he created in 1941, aged 13 years old, after it was discovered in the archive rooms.

Several similar paintings were found at the library, all of which were created by pupils of Cheriton Morehall Boys School during the Second World War.

They are pencil-drawn and hand-painted in bold black, blue and red paint, and signed by each of the artists.

The posters feature slogans and caricatures encouraging the people of Folkestone to support the war effort through investment in National Savings schemes.

Mr Spanswick's reunion with his work took nearly two decades however, as the posters were actually discovered in 2003, by Rob Illingworth, a community history officer in the Kent archives team.

At the time, Mr Illingworth posted an article about the artwork online and appealed for information about the artists: David Conlin, P Spanswick, Jack Muir, F. Worlman, Arthur Mount, R. West, R.G. Guider and L.Cogger.

Then, 18 years later, Tessa Gill - Mr Spanswick's niece - came across the online article about the posters and contacted Folkestone Library to answer the appeal.

Mr Spanswick's poster includes the slogan 'Save And Have' flanked by two squirrels.

At the time it was drawn, it was one of three judged worthy of a special prize by Folkestone's then Mayoress, Kate Gurr.

Sadly, later the same month, on May 29, 1941, she and her husband Mayor George Gurr were among the casualties when an enemy air raid hit Cheriton.

During his visit to the library, Mr Spanswick, who still lives in Folkestone, gave staff an insight into his life during the war.

Mr Spanswick and his family had lived close to Morehall Boys’ School in Chart Road, Cheriton.

The schoolboys were evacuated to South Wales in June 1940 and their posters were sent back to their home town to be displayed in a special exhibition at Maltby's Showrooms, in Sandgate Road, in support of 'Folkestone War Weapons Week'.

Folkestone and the surrounding district had promised to provide the cost of building five bomber aircraft.

In the event, £230,0000 - almost double the target sum - was raised.

Mr Spanswick told library staff he was evacuated to Wales with his six-year-old brother John and his nine-year-old sister Doreen, who later became the mother of his niece, Tessa Gill.

Peter and John were originally evacuated to Pandy, in Wales, where they were billeted with a family at the Rising Sun Inn for about six months.

The brothers were later moved to Cwmyoy where they lived on a farm.

He can still clearly recall the names of his teachers, including one who joined the RAF and later married the local district nurse, and another who suffered badly with asthma.

The village Christmas party of 1943 was memorable, he said.

Lynsey Ilett, customer services development librarian, said of Peter and Tessa's visit: “It was such a wonderful visit.

The team at the library put together a video featuring some of the posters

"Peter has an extremely sharp memory. The anecdotes he told were delightful.

"He remembered most of the boys who made the other posters and gave short descriptions, such as: 'Oh he was a fantastic artist. @Worked at a garage in Cheriton later on. Had an accident and was crushed by a car there. He survived but it didn’t do him no good. None at all'."

Mr Illingworth said he was delighted that his appeal for information about the other young artists had eventually been successful.

He said: "I had forgotten all about it until my colleagues at Folkestone Library showed me Tessa’s message."

The team at the library have now put together a video featuring some of the posters along with photographs of the town found in the Heritage Room’s extensive history collection.

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