A sack of taters in a school raffle, and my ram's head poker in a raffle at a ceilidh run by Holmfirth folk club a number of years ago.

I had always wanted a ram's head poker since I saw a blacksmith making them at a craft festival some years previously. I had gone to perform at the interval with my morris side and, of course, bought tickets. The first 2 out belonged to our lot, mine being second. It was a "pick-your-own-prize" raffle, so all the way to the table I badgered my friend, whose ticket was the first out, till she said, "Ok, ok, I'll take the gin!" He is the most marvellous fire-iron and will break through any clinker or big lumps of coal. Not only that, he is one of the nicest ram's head pokers I have seen. The guy who made him is/was a member of the folk club, and if anyone happens to know him, please tell him from me that over 10 years down the line he is still cherished and well-used. Not only that, he's a good weapon too, I would think.

Andrea