The 1951 festival focused on Britain and its achievements; it was funded chiefly by the government, with an incredible budget of £12 million (£360 million in today’s money.) The goal was to give people a feeling of recovery from the war’s devastation ^[1], as well as promoting British science, technology, industrial design, architecture and the arts.

Finaghy PS hosted exhibitions of art and craft and, in partnership with Princess Gardens School (now Hunterhouse College) staged an evening concert. The programme even contains a message from King George VI.

The winner’s certificate for Lisburn and District Inter-School Sports for 1951 also contained the Festival of Britain logo, and just two years later, the same event celebrated the 1953 Coronation of King George VI’s daughter – Queen Elizabeth.

Both of these certificates are hand-drawn and coloured. They are very fragile, and amongst our most precious artefacts.

(Click to enlarge)