Produced by Wigan Heritage Service Issue No. 50 December - March 2009

CELEBRATING 50 ISSUES OF PAST FORWARD

£1 YOUR HERITAGE in partnership with Wigan Council HERITAGE SERVICE Contents Letter

4-6 Amsterdam 1928 - from the Leigh’s Olympic Athletes 7 Friends of the Editorial History Shop 8-9 My Grandfather Team 10-12 Wigan’s Railway Heritage PAST FORWARD has reached a notable landmark, with this, its 13 Maypole Colliery 50th edition! It first appeared on the Disaster Centenary ‘heritage scene’ in the summer of 1991, boasting eight pages! Now there 14-15 Our House are 36, packed with fascinating insights 16-18 Old Age Pensions - into the borough’s heritage provided by you, the Leigh Experience the readers. Well done! The magazine is constantly evolving, and we plan to introduce new features, our first is the Friends of 19 Society News the History Shop Newsletter. However, we do need your help, and you can do that by letting us know what you would like to 20-21 The Highways see in future editions. of Atherton We would like to say a big thank you to Stephen Lythgoe, 23 Christmas Day Reader in Residence at Leigh Library, who has very kindly in the Workhouse assisted in the editing of this edition.

24-25 Trencherfield Finally, if you are still on the lookout for that elusive Christmas Mill Engine present with a local flavour, we have it here at the History Shop. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year, 26-27 Brook Lane Memories and keep reading PAST FORWARD! 28-30 Your Letters 31 Wigan Archive Service Copy Dates for Issue 51 32-33 Family History Contributors please note that the period for receipt 34-35 Can You Help? of material for the next publication is from Friday 30th January until Friday 20th February. 36-37 A Personal Road to Wigan Pier The Editor, Wigan Heritage Service, The History Shop, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU 39 Past Foward [email protected] Down Under

2 Information for Contributors Contributors often ask questions about submitting articles for publication. We have listed some useful information below. It is rather dry reading, but hopefully will help you send in your article, and let you know what to expect.

Publication Publication of articles is at the discretion of the editorial team, who cannot guarantee publication, and reserve the right to edit material submitted. Material selected for publication will remain on file until published, after which date it will be disposed of. Rejected material will be disposed of immediately.

Submission of Articles Contributions are preferred in electronic format, however, type and handwritten submissions will be accepted. The maximum length should be about 1500 words. Articles are much more interesting if they are accompanied by illustrations, so if you have them, send them in. If you wish to be published in a particular edition, please ensure that you submit by our advertised deadline. Good Luck Hilary! Your submissions must include your name and Hilary Fairclough, well known to many of you address. Anonymous articles will not be published, who regularly visited the History Shop, retired nor kept on file. at the end of August. She was our longest All contributions received, will be acknowledged. serving staff member, and has seen many changes in the Heritage Service. Originally the We cannot return material, with the exception of photographs, unless requested and accompanied by custodian of the Powell Museum, she was a stamped addressed envelope. involved with the development of Wigan Pier and the History Shop, working on many Requests for Information to be exhibitions, with collections and archives. Passed to Contributors Latterly, Hilary was a valued member of our We occasionally receive requests from readers or front of house team. Hilary is passionate other contributors to pass information on. We will about photography (we all admired her not pass on your contact details unless you have given us permission to do so, eg published on our photographs, which captured the very ‘Can You Help’ page. We will ask if you wish to essence of Lakeland life, on show in our Feast receive such information, but of course you are of Photography exhibitions) and will now under no obligation to do so. have more time to indulge her hobby! We will all miss her, but wish her the very best of Contact Details luck in her retirement. [email protected] or The Editor, PAST FORWARD, History Shop, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NQ.

3 British Olympic Team, Amsterdam 1928

Amsterdam 1928 Leigh's Olympic Athletes

By Tony Ashcroft

In the summer of 1928, the IX illness, but he was succeeded by One of the most successful Olympiad was held in Amsterdam. Henri de Baillet-Latour as new IOC medallists of the Games was These Games heralded a new President. De Coubertain had swimmer Johnny Weissmuller who phase in Olympic History always been against women’s went on to become a film star in participation in the track and field the Tarzan films. The British athlete The stadium was designed by events, and consequently women Lord David Burghley became a Dutch architect Jan Wils, and won had been ineligible to compete in Gold Medal winner for the 400 him a Gold Medal at the Olympic them. However an organisation metre hurdles. Arts Competition. For the first time which represented women had a flame was ignited on the organised its own games and Amongst the competitors in the Marathon Tower in front of the forced the IOC to compromise. British team were three Leythers, newly built Olympic Stadium. This So 1928 saw women competitors one man and two women; the led to the introduction of the in track and field events for the high jumper Geoffrey Turner and Olympic Flame to the Games. first time. The total number of gymnasts Ada Smith and Hilda The creator of the modern Olympic athletes competing was around Smith. Although Turner was Movement, Pierre de Coubertin 3000 (this included 290 women) unsuccessful in gaining a medal, was prevented from attending by from 46 nations. Ada and Hilda Smith helped the

4 ladies gymnast team to third in 1930 and topped the English place and a bronze medal. rankings with 6’ 3" (1.905) at the Whilst Ada and Hilda shared the Fylde Police Sports, St. Anne’s-on- same surname, they were Sea. He was only placed sixth at unrelated. However both the inaugural Empire Games, represented the same team, that though, when a medal might have of Leigh’s Marsh Gymnasium. been anticipated.

Geoffrey Turner In 1931 Turner topped the One of the longest-standing UK rankings again with another 6’ 3" records in the inter-war period at the Fylde Police Sports. He had was Howard Baker’s clearance of a good win in the International v 6’ 5" (1.956) at Huddersfield in France and cleared 1.87 (6’ 2") in 1929, a mark that survived as the Cologne in a later match v UK record until Alan Paterson Germany. All looked set for came on the scene after the another Olympic campaign in the second World War. following year. At the time Turner’s trainer was Baker’s mark was equalled, Paddy Duff, also of Leigh, who however, in 1929, by a much less worked as a collier driller up to celebrated athlete - but one who the AAAs, for instance - and 1940, then at Royal Ordnance died without reaching his full made his International debut Factory, Risley. Duff was also potential. That athlete was that summer with 5’ 9" for trainer to Leigh Rugby Club, the Geoffrey Turner, who competed for Fourth v France. Police and to several other Earlestown Viaduct Athletics Club athletes. He died in 1952 aged 63. and Leigh AC in Lancashire. Turner’s standard improved further in 1928 with a season’s By 1932, aside from his athletics best of 6’ 2" (1.87) at the Northern Born Ignatius Geoffrey Barker career, Turner had decided on a Championships. This was enough Turner on 16 May 1907, the only change in occupation and was set to make the Olympic Team, son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Turner of to take up farming - indeed he though his best in Amsterdam of Woodlawn, Green Lane, Leigh, he was about to take over a large 1.77 (5’ 8") was insufficient to was educated at Hawks Yard farm at Stretton, Cheshire. He was reach the final, as 1.83 (6’) was College near Lichfield and was engaged to Norah Spellman of needed to qualify. employed at the Pennington Mill Earlstown and they would have Company with a view to entering His “day of days” was at the married in the summer. the cotton manufacturing trade. unprepossessing Widnes Police Tragically he was taken ill with Sports on 20 July 1929, where, Turner started in athletics when, septic tonsils and his local doctor jumping off scratch in a handicap just casually visiting the grounds called in specialists from contest, Turner cleared 6’ 5"/1.956, of the Earlstown Athletic Club, he Manchester and London. A blood to equal Howard Baker’s record. saw a group of men high jumping. transfusion from another young Though the mark might not meet Without stopping to change he man of 24 was tried but despite modern specifications in terms of cleared the standard they were every effort to preserve his life the the quality of officials, it was attempting in his ordinary attire, case proved hopeless and he died nonetheless the third equal best and was persuaded soon of septicaemia at his father’s jump in the world in 1929 - and afterwards to commence training. house on May 2 1932, nine weeks ranked Turner as the top European. On his first public attempt after being diagnosed. (Liverpool, 1926) he cleared 5’ 1" Days later, in Burnley, he jumped Turner was buried at Leigh but three weeks later he jumped 6’ 4" to confirm his excellent form, Cemetery. His fiancée Norah was 5’ 6" for second place in the and in clearing 6’ 0" in the match v quoted as describing him as Northern Counties Championships. Germany on 24 August he having a happy, generous and From 1927-31 Turner would win matched the best efforts of his likeable personality and he had five successive Northern titles, German rivals. starting with 5’ 11" in 1927. He friends in many quarters. Later had become one of the best Turner cleared 6’ 0" and later 6’ 1" Norah inherited his family house, jumpers in the UK by 1927-fifth at to tie for second place in the AAA’s Woodlawn, but she never married.

5 Ada Smith She was the youngest lady Miss Ada Smith had been a gymnast selected to go to member of the Marsh Gymnasium Amsterdam. When the list of since 1914. She held the names for the first test was sent George Holden Cup for four years, to Mr. William Major, principal of 1922-24-25-26. the Marsh Gymnasium, her name did not appear. Feeling the slight very keenly, seeing that the Marsh Gymnasium had three in the first seven out of twenty-six competitors at the English Championship competition, Mr. Major felt it his duty to appeal to the Olympic Committee, with the result that she was permitted to go through to the first test in which she was successful.

Her build lent itself particularly to calisthenics. She won various badges in competitions at the Hilda Smith Marsh Gymnasium. In the last competition she won the Marsh Hilda who was born in September Gold Badge, and was only one 1909, died in January 1995 at Ada Smith's Olympic Pass point off winning the George Leigh Infirmary. Holden Cup. She gained the She felt it was time to give special medal of the Amateur someone else the chance to win I would like to thank John Gymnastic Association. She it, and was presented with a silver Taylor of Leigh Harriers for represented the Marsh cup by the Gymnasium providing information on the Gymnasium in a team in the committee. She came third in the Manchester and East Lancashire three local personalities. Northern Counties competition, A.G.A. in 1924. and third in the English Championship Gymnastic competition, open to Great Britain Gymnastics Medal Table and the North of Ireland. TEAM COMBINED EXCERCISES In the item of fancy skipping, in According to current rules, each nation’s final score is determined by the all England competition she combining the scores of the top five performers on each apparatus. came first. 1896-1924 not held.

In November 1947 Ada married Mr 1928 T:5 N:5 D:8.10 Kazimierze Miga of Lvow, Poland 17 May-12 August Total Pts. in a service at Leigh Parish Church. 1. HOL (Petronella van Randwijk,Jacomina van den Berg, 316.75 She was born in June 1903 and Anna Polak, Helena Nordheim, Alida van den Bos, died in Manor Fold, Mealhouse Hendrika van Rumt, Anna van der Vegt, Elka de Levie, Lane, Atherton in August 1994. Jacoba Stelma, Estella Agsteribbe) Hilda Smith 2. ITA (Bianca Ambrosetti, Lavinia Gianoni, Luigina Perversi, 289.00 Hilda Smith was the daughter of Diana Pizzavini, Luigina Giavotti, Luisa Tanzini, Carolina Tronconi, Mrs Smith and the late Dan Smith, Ines Vercesi, Rita Vittadini, Virginia Giorgi, Germana Malabarba, Clara Marangoni) butcher, Leigh Road. She was employed on the clerical staff of 3. GBR (Margaret Hartley, Edith Carrie Pickles, Annie Broadbent, 258.25 the Anchor Cable Works. She was Amy Jagger, Ada Smith, Lucy Desmond, Doris Woods, Jessie Kite, Isabel “Queenie” Judd, Marjorie “Midge” Moreman, Ethel Seymour, also a member of the Anchor Hilda Smith) Musical Society.

6 FRIENDS OF THE HISTORY SHOP

FRIENDS OF THE volunteer who will help with starting to trace your family HISTORY SHOP tree. This is aimed at beginners. There is a nominal fee per session of £2.50. An information pack is included in this cost. Copies made during the Helping with Local session are free of charge. We have two sessions and Family History in 1.30pm to 3pm and 3pm Wigan and Leigh to 4.30pm every other Wednesday. Who are we? Can we help you? We are a group of committed Are you stuck with your volunteers from all walks of life family tree or do you volunteering our own time and want to know how to help. The Friends was initially set start your family tree? up to improve access to Then come along to a genealogy records such as workshop. It’s easy church registers. Visitors to to book, just come the History Shop can now along to the History Shop access these records through or phone 01942 828128 or indexes. There are now indexes email [email protected] to census, Church registers and cemetery burial registers, thus Can you help? simplifying the checking of Can you spare a few hours entries from microfilm. a week? Volunteers are What do we do? most welcome no matter what knowledge you We transcribe and index have. Are you interested information from microfilm and in photography or local put it in an easily readable form. history? Would you like These can be viewed at the to help out at Leigh History Shop. We also help out Local History or in on the Family History help desk Archives? Our Archive and help visitors who need help at Leigh has thousands tracing their family tree. We also of photographs of index newspapers and cuttings which 5,000 will be books and help with simple tasks digitised and made involving our book stock such as accessible through the re-labelling, re-covering and Internet. Can you help some cataloguing. with this? What do we offer? Ongoing projects We hold family history Indexing of cemetery workshops every other registers and registers of Wednesday. We offer one to one Billinge St Aidan. session with an experienced

7 My Grandfather

By Robert Berry

Further to my article on attempt as a husbandman (small occupation, and fashioned one out Robert Berry, my tenant farmer). of a large cigar box. grandfather, in Issue 47 of After leaving school in the mid Unfortunately his collection of Past Forward, perhaps I 1880’s my grandfather Robert was violins was sold when he died to employed in a chemist’s shop in help with my Grandma’s day to day may be permitted to fill in Skelmersdale. living expenses. some more of the details Perhaps the chemist had Recently one of the collection was of his life. approached Robert’s headteacher presented to my brother Bill by an and asked him to recommend for old friend and proved to be a violin Robert was an only child, born in possible employment one of the of surprisingly good quality. Skelmersdale in 1872. He lived at lads in the top class who was 78, Sandy Lane. strong, willing and a good writer. Bill was a violinist for many years This kind of approach by small local with the Royal Scottish National When it was realised that he was Orchestra (formerly the Scottish left handed he was forced, as was businesses to schools was still carried out as late as the 1950s. National) and on “retiring” was the custom in those days, to use his snapped up by the BBC Scottish right hand for the usual manual In the later 1880’s Robert moved to Symphony Orchestra for a while. So tasks. This does not seem to have Wigan with his father and mother evidently Grandfather’s talents caused any detriment to his later (Ellen) and settled in at 18, Oldfield were passed on to our generation! development since he became Street, Poolstock. ambidextrous and could write in In 1891, at the age of 18, Robert “copper-plate” with his right hand. It appears that he was learning to was a railway porter, presumably at a Wigan station. It is interesting to note that when play the violin at this time since he his father William (born 1841) got had lessons with a professor of In 1895, he was a labourer at married in 1872 he and his younger music, one of two in Wigan at the Worsley Mesnes Colliery. His job brother John, who was a witness, time. Certainly money would have there was filling coal wagons both signed the register in “copper- been available, in a small family manually by shovel, for which he plate”, the handwriting of the situation, to pay for his tuition. was ideally suited, because of his Upholland parish clerk being of Robert used to tell the tale of how size and strength. He recalled noticeably poorer quality! the professor had to go away from watching fellow workers, from Wigan for a while and, before Eastern Europe, dipping their Also his grandfather Robert (born leaving, he gave Robert and a fingers in the grease boxes on 1800) signed the marriage register fellow male pupil pieces of music the wagons and eating what in 1823 in the hand of someone to practise while he was away. At was presumably some kind of who was used to writing. (Not the the first lesson on his return, the animal fat! usual childlike scrawl of someone professor invited the other pupil to who had practised writing it for demonstrate his prowess. When it Later Robert joined the Lancashire just that one special occasion). became apparent that the pupil Constabulary, serving as a constable hadn’t been practising, the in Rochdale and Blackburn Higher The above evidence of handwriting professor flew into a rage, grabbed divisions from 1895 to 1898. ability becomes more remarkable the violin and broke it over the when it is considered that his father pupil’s head! In Nov. 1898 he married Esther William seems to have been a coal Bown at St. James’, Poolstock. I miner for most of his working life Robert, however,was apparently a don’t know how they came to with occasional excursions into serious student. He accumulated a meet, since Esther was born and agriculture. His grandfather Robert large amount of sheet music; and brought up in Alfreton, was a handloom weaver and also tried his hand at violin Derbyshire, and in 1891, at the agricultural labourer with just one manufacture as a leisure age of 14, she was living with an

4 aunt’s family in Leyton, near it. No doubt she let some They had to open up some of the London in domestic service. customers have goods without graves and he reckoned that some payment even when eventual of the remains were remarkably My father, William Henry, towards settling of the bill was doubtful. well preserved, one skull still having the end of his life could not provide hair attached! an answer, but no doubt his sister Grandfather told the story of an Nellie, who died first, would have incident from the early years of his The well-drained hill-top situation known. marriage. Robert and Esther were and the presence of sand below walking along a street in Wigan the surface, as revealed when The Quite recently my brother provided when they came across a man Galleries were being built, may the answer. being attacked by three others. have been the reason for this. In a book of Grandma’s that he Influenced by his police training, In 1912, when his mother Ellen has, there was a draft letter written Robert immediately removed his died, the family moved to 30, Mill on the inside cover. The book was jacket with the intention of Lane, Upholland, across the road a Sunday School prize, dated helping the victim. Esther, a sturdy from what was then Heaton’s farm. March 1894 and awarded in the girl, tore the shirt off his back in Leyton area. an attempt to hold him back, At some time during the fearing for his safety! The 1914-18 War, Robert was employed Grandma had written:- attackers, realising that they were as a carpenter in Knowsley Park, “My dear father and mother, just a about to experience some serious Lord Derby’s estate, helping to line in answer to your last welcome opposition, broke off the fight erect stables for the army horses letter. I have been looking forward and made off, shouting back to which were quartered there, to you coming to Rochdale. It is so Robert, “We’ll get thee later!” presumably prior to being nice to have you come to see us. shipped from Liverpool to the We all seem very happy and A few days passed and Robert was battlefields of Europe. comfortable now and hope that we making his way alone along Chapel shall continue so. I am your Lane towards Poolstock when one He was still employed as a affectionate daughter EB.” of the three men overtook him at a carpenter in 1922 when their third run. When Robert reached the next and final child, Robert, was born. The letter is quite nicely street corner all three were waiting In 1926 he was recorded as being a composed, especially for a for him! collier, thus following for a while in working class girl. Her mother the footsteps of his father William, seems to have been literate even They began to attack but his quick who had died in 1917. though her father wasn’t. The temper boosted his strength letter also indicates that Grandma considerably. Unwisely coming at In the 1930’s depression, like many was not alone and there is some him singly, the first two were sent other people, he found himself evidence which suggests that two crashing to the pavement with without regular employment or three of her sisters may have well-aimed left hooks, and the although by then he was been in service in the Rochdale third, when he saw what awaited approaching what would now be area at about that time. him, turned tail and ran away! regarded as retirement age.

Thus, Robert and Esther were in By the time that my grandparents’ There was occasional work to be Rochdale at about the same first child, Elizabeth Ellen, was had in agriculture, and he time and that is, no doubt, where born, in 1902, Robert had changed sometimes accompanied my father, they met. his occupation again and was doing the rounds of the local farms with the threshing-machine. Grandma didn’t speak in a working as a cooper apparently Derbyshire accent. Perhaps her alongside his father. I believe the last time I saw him alive, when I was about 8 years old, years in service from the ages of Yet another job change, to general he was sitting on a bench near the 12 to 21 resulted in her speech labourer, had occurred by 1906 old mill in Mill Lane, chatting to a becoming more refined. when my father, William Henry, friend, no doubt entertaining him was born. At the time of their marriage with some of his tales! Robert was working as a wagon In 1909, in Wigan Market Place, repairer and living with his parents I remember him as a tall, burly man three adjacent shops were at 6, Sandon Street, Poolstock, with a large moustache who could reconstructed and transformed into which was a grocer’s shop. be rather moody at times, a Lowe’s large new store. Robert was characteristic that I sometimes This became their marital home for employed as one of the labourers share myself. the next 14 years. His mother Ellen during the construction which ran the shop but was too soft- involved some encroachment into Robert died in July 1947, in his hearted to make much profit from All Saints churchyard. 75th year.

5 Text and photographs by 2968 David Ward and some of Wigan's surviving railway heritage

Branch shed, Lower Ince in the mid 1960’s, and was part of a large batch of engines that upon finishing their service days in the area, were all sent to Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry, South Wales as a mass purchase order.

Barry Scrapyard was the exception among the 1960’s scrap dealers who dealt with surplus railway equipment. Dai Woodham took an interest in steam himself, so sidelined most of the locomotives in his yard and while his men concentrated on wagons and other railway equipment and so allowing time to preservation groups to get their 2968 at Bridgnorth, Severn Valley Railway funds together to buy and thus preserve the engines. Some of you may be unaware just However there are several more Over 200 engines were saved from how much of Wigan’s local railway active preserved survivors of the the cutter’s torch at Barry. heritage still exists in other parts of local area. One of the most active Recently, another member of this the country. There are many is Standard 4 76069, owned by batch has seen several years engines that are connected to Ian Riley and Son Limited of Bury. service on the Great Central Wigan preserved at steam railways It is based at his engineering Railway. This engine, 78019 is and museums up and down the works at Bury, its’ main function slightly smaller, being of a UK. The best known to local is to operate main line tours all standard class 2 type. people is probably Wigan Coal and over the country. 76079 was a Iron Company built industrial workaday engine, built for both They were primarily designed for saddle tank ‘Lindsey.’ A lot of local passenger and freight work, but local passenger services but at support and work was given to its’ by the time it came to Wigan Wigan would have been used on restoration in the 1980’s and it ran there were very few steam light freight work and shunting. I for a time at Steamtown, worked passenger services in the have been lucky enough to fire Carnforth. It is now in store there, area, as by then there were a this loco on the Great Central and has not steamed for several larger number of diesels at work Railway, adding to my list of local years, but its’ survival is safe, on British Railways. Therefore its engines worked. though it is uncertain whether it main work was freight trips will ever be restored or indeed be around the area and further So now onto the another surviving on display to the public again, as afield, usually involving the member of that batch of former Carnforth is now closed to public transport of coal from the local Springs branch residents which is as an engineering facility. mines. It was based at Springs to me the most interesting of

10 In fact so successful, that the As it resided, rusting away in Barry design was developed later in Scrapyard enthusiasts had become Stanier’s famous Black 5 design of aware that by now this was the which over 600 examples were only Stanier Mogul still in eventually made. So it was the existence, and it was decided that design that started the an effort should be made to save improvement of the LMS engine this historically significant engine fleet, with subsequent LMS design from being confined to the designs all being based around history books. similar components and style. This standardisation practice was The Stanier Mogul Fund was set copied from the GWR and up with the aim to buy it from the revolutionised the LMS system, scrapyard and restore it to 76079 at Ramsbottom on the and made Stanier into one of the operational condition. In 1973 East Lancashire Railway most respected engine designers sufficient funds had been of all time. gathered and the engine was them all and is arguably the most towed out of Barry and moved to historically significant: 2968... 2968 was built as part of the the Severn Valley Railway at batch of 40 Moguls in 1934 at Bridgnorth, Shropshire which was 2968 is what’s called a Stanier Crewe. It lead an uneventful and to be its’ new home. Mogul. It isn’t much to look at, normal working life being based at but has a very important place in different sheds including Crewe, The long task of restoration from a UK steam engine development. It Holyhead, Willesden (London) and rusty hulk commenced, as well as was designed by Sir William Chester before it came to Springs the often overlooked huge publicity Stanier in 1933, not long after he Branch in 1964, by which time the and fund raising drive. The groups joined the London Midland and LMS had become part of the efforts were rewarded in 1990, as Scottish Railway Company (LMS) nationalised British railways, who the engine finally ran under its own from the Great Western Railway’s renumbered it as 42968. steam again, restored to 1930s (GWR) Swindon Works. At that LMS livery. The engine was also time the GWR was ahead of most When it came to Wigan, like the certified to operate on the main other railway companies in terms other engines mentioned it was line and ran a number of excursions of engine design. The LMS was mainly utilised on freight work around the UK. The most notable somewhat behind, relying on the around the area, but in 1966 had was when it substituted at short designs of the old Midland a brief spell in the limelight. It was notice for 60009, “Union of South Railway’s Derby Works. The only used on an enthusiast’s excursion Africa”, a large express engine, on really decent engines that were of many of the freight only an excursion from Crewe to Carlisle. around this area on the LMS were railways in the Wigan area. It This trip took it past Springs Branch Horwich built products of the became part of the batch sent to again, now a diesel depot. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Barry in 1967, but it’s working life I managed to photograph it (LYR), but after George Hughes, was far from over. the Horwich designer had retired, following LYR’s absorption into LMS, his practices and designs had been stopped in favour of Derby practice, due to the larger number of existing engines to their designs. Realising that they needed better engines to cope with rising traffic demands and higher speeds, Stanier was appointed from the GWR to shake up the LMS. His first design was the Stanier Mogul. It was based on the Horwich designed Crab mixed traffic engine, but had a GWR style, more efficient and tapered, higher pressure boiler along with other Swindon style modifications. The engine was a success for the mixed traffic work it was designed to do and 40 examples were built. 2968 at Arley on the Severn Valley Railway in typically well turned out condition

11 passing Springs Branch, but only 42968, complete with a Springs donations. The more money the really realised the historic Branch shed plate, as it would fund receives, the further into the connection later on. have been during its time in future the engine will operate and Wigan, however nowadays as a not be confined to static display, Later, on that trip, it went over the cherished engine rather than an delighting future generations and famous Settle and Carlisle railway, everyday workhorse, its continuing to be a working piece a demanding and challenging appearance is far cleaner! of Wigan’s history! route, the loco surprised many observers by proving more than Unfortunately, it capable to the task in hand, has not returned storming up the hills and it to the main line earned itself the nick name the due to the cost of ‘Mighty Mogul.’ new, expensive, modern Double headed with another electronic safety Severn Valley engine, GWR mogul devices, but is 7325, they became the first very busy as part engines in preservation to ascend of the Severn the Lickey Incline near Valley Railway’s Birmingham, the steepest engine fleet gradient on a UK main line. operating passenger services up and 2968 at Bridgnorth in 1998 in LMS 1930's condition down the line. It is not unknown for it to clock up to 10,000 miles a The fund also archives year between Bridgnorth to photographs of other Stanier Kidderminster. As a unique survivor Moguls and Springs Branch shed it is in demand by other railways in the 1960s, and provides to hire it. It has visited in recent members with a bi-annual years the Keighley and Worth magazine about the engine and Valley, West Somerset, Great recently documented archives. Central and Llangollen Railways, gaining new fans and impressing engine crews everywhere it goes, The contact address for the as it is a very capable machine. Stanier Mogul Fund is The combination of small wheels Mr. J. Norman, The Secretary, 78019 at Loughborough on the and a good steaming boiler makes 7 Chaucer Place, Abram, Great Central Railway. it very powerful with good hill Wigan, Lancs WN2 5QB. climbing and acceleration abilities, The fund also has a website: The engine was winning many well suited to preserved railways. new fans, as the class in service www.staniermogulfund.org.uk days was small in number and So where do I fit into the story? eclipsed by the Black 5s, however Well during my spare time I work 2968 is currently based on the 2968 was proving that Stanier’s on the Severn Valley Railway and Severn Valley Railway which Moguls were indeed an excellent have been lucky enough to be operates between Bridgnorth engine in their own right. fireman on 2968 many times and and Kidderminster in the West This came to a temporary halt in it is indeed one of my favourites. Midlands, however while it is 1998, when it was withdrawn So much so that I am now a paid from traffic due to the condition up member of the Stanier Mogul not always in traffic, it is of its boiler, however after a swift Fund, along with many other usually viewable to the public, overhaul, thanks to the superb people, and if I am ever at but if travelling to see the money raising capabilities of the Bridgnorth and 2968 is there and engine, it is best to get in Stanier Mogul Fund, and monetary not in service, I try my best to give touch with the SVR first. help from those who had enjoyed it a good clean. its performances so far, 2968 Contact details for the SVR If you have enjoyed this article re-entered traffic in 2003. are 01299 403816 or and would like to know more This time it was turned out in about 2968, the group always www.svr.co.uk. British Railways Black livery as welcomes new members and

12 Maypole Colliery Disaster

Centenary Commemoration Weekend 16th-17th August 2008

newspaper articles from Mayo about the Maypole Colliery Disaster. This has been accessioned into Heritage Service’s collection, and is available for the public to view. Fitting reminders of the tragic events of 1908 can be viewed around the former pit village; a tree was planted before the centenary which holds a Geoff Jones (Chair – Red Rose Steam Society) led the guided walk as well as delivering the commemoration plaque, and a pit talk and slideshow later the same day and giving an account of the disaster at the tub sits at the entrance of a new Commemoration Service. housing estate adjacent to the former The weekend of the 16th and 17th of locality and the region. Members of colliery site. August heralded the centenary Abram Community Link have since Two commemoration stones have commemoration of the Maypole Pit made a reciprocal visit to County Mayo been set in each of the two pillars on Disaster in Abram. and were graciously entertained by civic the entrance to the former Maypole dignitaries and the local community. If you managed to read the last issue of Colliery site. One of the stones Past Forward and Chris Watts’ excellent A new memorial plaque (donated by displays the 1908 date, and was article about the tragedy, you will know Bloor Homes) was unveiled by Sir actually removed from a gable end of that the Maypole Colliery Disaster Patrick Duffy and John Kennedy during a mine building prior to its happened just after 5 o’clock on the the Sunday Commemoration service. demolition. The commemoration afternoon of Tuesday 18th August; 75 The well organised subsequent stone opposite reads ‘Maypole men and boys were killed and a whole procession march through the town Colliery 1895-1959. To the Miners and community’s worst fears were realised. was made up of local groups and their families who gave everything in organisations who were all honoured the pursuit of coal’. To mark this occasion and to remember at being such an important part of the the victims of the Maypole Disaster as proceedings; these groups included well as the thousands of people who local and visiting dignitaries and have lost their lives in the pursuit of clergy, Tyldesley Brass Band, coal, Abram Community Link organised descendents of those involved in the a full programme of events which disaster, Abram Morris Dancers, 15th included a guided walk around local Wigan Boys Brigade and 15th Wigan areas of coal mining interest, a talk and Girls Association, 5th Ince Holy Family slide show about coal mining history, a Girl Guides and Brownies, 1st Abram commemoration service at the original Scouts, Cubs and Beavers and site of the Maypole Colliery, a parade The new memorial plaque donated by members of the local and visiting through the former pit village and Bloor Homes. community. rededication of the Memorial in Abram Churchyard culminating in a Abram Community Link would like commemoration service on the actual these poignant markers of the day of the anniversary – Monday 18th tragedy of lives lost in the collieries in August. The rededication of the Abram and beyond to stand as a Memorial was based on the service held reminder and awareness raiser to at the original dedication, and this future generations of their coal archival research was undertaken by the mining heritage. Reverend June Steventon of Abram Parish Church. Abram Community Link would like to thank the following sponsors An exhibition was on display in the for their financial, practical and Participants over the weekend included church which portrayed details of the moral support: Maypole Colliery Disaster and Abram Councillor Joe Mellett from Mayo County Council (4th from left), Irish relatives of ABRAM PARISH CHURCH over the past hundred years, and also those involved in the disaster (left of featured mementos and recollections of Councillor Mellett) and Eamonn Connor, HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND local people and the effect the disaster Chair – Abram Community Link had on their lives. (3rd from right). WIGAN LEISURE & CULTURE TRUST (HERITAGE SERVICES) Just under 1,000 people participated in At a small gathering following the the commemoration weekend, and procession at Abram Community COUNCILLOR EUNICE SMETHURST Centre held for dignitaries and visitors included Councillors from Mayo COUNCILLOR CARL SWEENEY County Council and relatives of those families affected by the disaster, lost in the disaster who hailed from Councillor Mellett presented Heritage COUNCILLOR EDDIE RUSSON. Ireland, as well as people from the Services with a bound collection of

13 "Do you remember?" By E Dakin Our House Recession, recession, recession. Day No, our ventilation system was simple – open the back door after day the message is loud and clear. and close the curtains to keep No one will escape! Money, jobs and the sun out. To open a window could be a essential goods are in short supply. little dodgy. They were sash- windows and sometimes could Once again the pawn shops fertiliser, glue and sausage be a bugger to open and close, are thriving. In the futile skins, all derived from farm especially if the weighted sash- attempt to beat the latest animals? In those days the cords had broken. doom and gloom down turn, intestines (rops) from high street shops wave their slaughtered pigs were used And apart from that tantalising SALE signs in a for sausage skins; and problem, a certain amount of desperate bid to attract Gallagher’s had a “rop shop” dry yellowing rolls of The custom. where they were thoroughly Wigan Observer and The cleaned and produced Wigan Examiner had to be Bricks and mortar too, are wholesale to make delicious removed (part of our winter crumbling before our very eyes beef and pork bangers. heating system). as the housing market is now witnessing the worst property The place was heaving with Every year, when the winter crash since The Great War. FOR rats, whose staple diet was the arrived, (and they were gradely SALE signs are removed and firm’s bone-meal and animal winters too, those icy winds, replaced by TO LET signs, as fat, and with a stagnant oasis would howl down the canal the struggle goes on. called owd Nick’s pond close bank and past the bone works and would whistle through Young couples wanting a place by to slake their thirst, they bred relentlessly. those generous window-gaps, of their own are in a quandary. up skirts and trouser legs To buy or not to buy? To sell or threatening to amputate not to sell? Those long, hot summer days were unforgettable. Apart certain parts of one’s anatomy. Now that was one dilemma from the stench from the bone Pegging a rug was one that the working class works, thousands of flies and sure way of avoiding this Wiganers of times gone by bluebottles swarmed, indoors painful experience, because as never had to face; because and outdoors alike. every working class Wiganer every house, and I mean every will tell you, with a length of house (where I lived anyway) The yellow, twisted flycatchers hessian sacking draped over was landlord owned. hung from living room ceilings your knees whilst pegging were soon smothered with the coloured bits of cloth into it I was born and raised with my dead and the dying and had to and seated in the front of the two brothers and a sister in be changed at regular intervals. fireplace, was a certain way of the bottom house of Miry keeping blood flowing. Lane, off Wallgate, next door Aye, in the heat of those to Gallagher’s bone works. memorable days, those houses Those gaps were that wide, were hot…very hot! There you could pop your hand Can you imagine living next were no electric fans in those through and wave to a passing door to a works whose days. Not down our way, neighbour. And that’s the produce was bone-meal anyroad. truth…Well, nearly.

14 There was one thing for sure, were lucky to have any) a or electric lights. A stone though, no repairs of any shovel, a sheet of The Wigan flagged living room with a kind, whether it was painting, Observer placed against the solid, square dining table in papering or plastering, were fireplace and away it went. the middle and one gas ever, ever done by the But it still required plenty of mantle above It. landlord. Accidently broken attention. However, not windows had to be replaced everyone resorted to this way of God help anyone who broke a by the tenant or puttied keeping the home fires burning. precious mantle! along the crack to hold the glass together. Adjacent to Miry Lane and by There was one luxury the side of the nearby railway (apart from our black-leaded Over the winter months, oil- sidings, tons of coal were piled fire range, of course) and that lamps, even candles in bottles high in miniature mountains was our acid battery wireless and jars, were placed close to awaiting collection and in the corner. A miracle of lavatories’ water pipes to transportation to different modern invention. prevent a burst or freeze-up. areas. And as Oscar Wilde once If you were unlucky enough to said, “The only way to beat And towering above all have a leak – and with a temptation is to give in to it.” adversities, was Dad. landlord working on the And quite a few desperate Unflappable, strong and assumption that a burst would locals did just that. Prams, bikes reliable. And Mam. Cooking, only occur again- he left it well trucks and barrows… and of cleaning, scrubbing, washing, alone, and you had to carry course, strong shoulders were darning and knitting. water from the house to the brought into play to ferry that She ran our home with love, lavvy till spring arrived. precious fuel from track to discipline and tact. grate. But this was a somewhat They still called for the weekly risky business. Deep in the cobwebs of my rent though. Miss Ballard, our mind I can still hear her voice landlady, did her own Railway police and the bobby echoing up our rickety stairs collecting and would always on the beat had to be avoided. and into my bedroom. quote to Mam at regular But one chap had a unique, “Edward! Edward! Are you out intervals, the following. almost infallible method of of bed yet? C’mon, you’re “Halfpennies make pennies, eluding capture. goin’ to be late for school.” pennies make shillings and I didn’t want to go to school. shillings make pounds.” Then Occasionally, he would borrow, the cheeky sod would pocket a neighbour’s pram, yes, baby But I knew if I lingered our money and initial the rent too, and with the gurgling much longer it would mean a book before skipping off to infant aboard, he would wet flannel across my face! another des res (or should I meander down to the sidings. And that was how it used to say, another undesirable On arriving, the baby was be. Dire circumstances, hard residence) round the corner. placed carefully on a nice work, discipline and Mam’s Believe it or not, until Dad patch of grass while he loving and caring hand that fashioned a crude coal-bunker surreptitiously filled a sack with fashioned and shaped our in the yard, our coal was kept coal, placed it in the pram, very lives. under our uncarpeted stairs covered it well with blankets near the backdoor. and sat the baby on top. A two up and two down terraced house, landlord When coal was in short supply, The return journey, although owned. which was often, me and Dad somewhat slower and more would push Grandad’s arduous, was usually made wheelbarrow to the gasworks with the child sleeping We called it in Sovereign Road, fill a couple blissfully on a pile of ill-gotten of sacks and trundle them (but necessary) gains. “OUR HOUSE” home. It cost a shilling a bag if I remember rightly. How on earth did we ever "Do you manage in those early years of Now coal was a devil to austerity? No TV’s, toasters, remember?" stroke up and keep burning, telephones, Hoovers, central so you needed a few pieces of heating or double glazing. No wood, a few bits of coal (if you carpeted bedrooms or stairs,

15 Old Age Pensions... the Leigh Experience by Yvonne Eckersley

It was with relief and gratitude Leigh people over 70 years of age drew their "Lloyd George" from Silk Street, Post Office on Friday 1st January 1909

The Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, M.P. Photo: Reginald Haines, Southampton Row, W.C.

On that first morning an old society. Many of whom, due to week “lockout” of its workforce, lady wearing a mop cap and the nature of working in the Council was deliberating her face “wreathed in smiles” industries which were subject to ways, including public works, to and two “old veterans decked cyclical unemployment, were relieve general “Distress” in in red ribbons” who offered always just one step removed Leigh. The Workhouse was “three cheers for Mesthur from destitution and the required to increase its capacity Asquith” drew their pensions dreaded Workhouse. for unemployed male “casuals” (Chronicle January 1909) whilst above its capacity of 28 to 39 by one old person expressed This was a particular feature for 4th Sept and by the 11 Dec popular sentiments regarding Leigh people, particularly those 1908 there were 50 inmates. David Lloyd George (who as working in the Cotton Industry. Chancellor of the Exchequer At the same time as pensions Some Leigh pensioners had awarded the pensions) “bless were being introduced Leigh managed to save but by the the little Welshman“ she Council was finding work for time they were 70 years of age proclaimed (Leigh Journal 15 “100 unemployed men whose this money was running out. A January 1909). wives and children may be on couple’s savings in the “Co-op” the edge of starvation” (Leigh was down to “the last The “Lloyd George” was not an Council Minute Books 13 Nov sovereign”. Another couple, the enormous amount of money but 1908). And as a result of the husband having been unable to it was a guaranteed income for financial hardship caused by work for 14 years and “never a one of the poorest sections of cotton manufacturers’ seven big wage getter”, had “saved

16 some”, but had “nothing left potential claimants did not fall away “No time should be lost... all we’en drawn th’ last”. (Chronicle. foul of this condition. The arrangements for giving pensions 8 Jan 1909). Chronicle reports his question to have to be made before then”. the Council “Can we do anything The Chronicle kept the local For them the spectre of the in the way of warning old people population informed of each stage Workhouse (commonly termed about accepting relief on a date of the process. the Bastille) loomed. For many which would prevent them this was already a reality. It was securing Old Age Pensions?” Old Age Pensions were to be Lloyd George’s professed intent (Chronicle 28 August 1908). The introduced under the auspices of to “lift the shadow of the Chronicle advised pensioners “not the Department of Customs and Workhouse from the houses of to receive poor-relief within the Excise. The government required the poor”. specific period (yet to be every borough and urban district announced) or “they would be with a population of over 20,000 Entitlement to an Old Age at appoint a Local Government Pension (the Lloyd George) was disqualified” (Chronicle 4 Sept 1908) and The Trades Council Board to oversee the granted on the 1st August 1908 implementation of the Act and and the payment of pensions (4 September 1908) also advised they wait, as the pensions were the government appointed paid began on the 1st January 1909. It Pensions Officers. was a non contributory pension “larger and more honourable” than poor-relief. scheme available to those who Interestingly, the Pensions Officer satisfied certain criteria. These This fear of being disallowed was appointed for Leigh, a Mr. W.J. criteria were to a certain extent not unfounded. In the Day, was the grandfather of the judgemental. Not only were the “Disqualifications” section of the poet Philip Larkin. From the few people who had been in full text of rules and regulations Customs and Excise Office at prison, who had not lived in published in the Chronicle of 85 Church Street, Leigh, he was Britain for twenty years, or people 25 September 1909, it was stated responsible for the smooth who were “habitual drunkards” clearly, persons “who have running of the claims process. It is disqualified, so were people living received poor relief at any time a mark of the high esteem in just above destitution. since the 1st January 1908” which this man was held, that his Golden Wedding anniversary (in Payments were means tested and would not receive a pension on 1933) was reported in the only paid to those who could the 1st January 1909. Chris Chronicle. After his death in 1942 prove they had an income of less Aubrey stated at the Trades the Chronicle printed an obituary than 12s a week (£31. 10s Council meeting of early which praised his work as annually). The pension was on a November, that is was absurd Pensions Officer and the graduated scale with a maximum that “if an old couple had Conservative Club flew the Union of 5s per week (£21 annually). received any relief from the union any time during this year, they Jack at half mast. Calculations of income were were debarred from receiving subject to rigorous investigation. any pension until 1910” Local Pension Committees and Married couples sharing a house (Chronicle 6 Nov 1908). subcommittees were to be were taken as one unit. Attempts appointed “at the earliest date to manipulate the allowances The claimants had to prove they practicable” to give time for were anticipated, hence the rules were 70 years of age or above. applications to be considered for stipulated that if a person This also caused problems, not January payments. The Council “deprives himself of any income or least in the application for and was to select these committees property in order to qualify for an cost of birth certificates. The before the end of August and old age pension it should be taken Chronicle advised that if the these Committees were to have as part of his means” and any “claimant was born after 1837 not less than seven members. It “yearly value of money hoarded or then there is no need to send for was advised that the council property not profitably used was one as the pensions Officer may would be able to obtain names of to be considered“. apply to the Registrar General “suitable and representative with the object of verifying their persons for service from trades Another proviso was that the date of birth” (Chronicle 4 unions, friendly or other societies”. recipient must not have been in Oct.1908). Later the Chronicle In the event Leigh Council receipt of poor-law relief in advised those who had been born resolved, “That all the members of the year prior to their before 1837 to apply to the clergy the Council (5 to form a Quorum) entitlement to pensions. This for a certificate of birth as the be appointed “The Local Pensions caused some confusion and Pension Officer could not get Committee” ”(Leigh Council consternation in Leigh. them for them (13 Nov 1908). This Minutes 21 August 1908). Councilor Chris Aubrey was paper reminded the applicants, The process was subject to particularly concerned to ensure that as January was only 7 weeks administrative delays. Before the

17 committee could begin the task, Poor Law Guardians, we get a the spending of public monies to it required the official rules and glimpse of the dire poverty provide them or reflected the regulations from the government. experienced by Leigh‘s elderly. belief that pensions should be The Town Clerk needed to given to the “deserving” poor This generation was born in an reassure an impatient Council only . In 1896 Lord Salisbury’s era where it was considered a that he would distribute them Commission found “we are moral failing to be destitute and and a leaflet on the Act as soon unable, after repeated attempts, an economic climate that as they arrived (Chronicle, to devise any proposal free from dictated that poverty would be 29 August 1908). It was grave inherent disadvantages”. A the norm for many. They had September when official Royal Commission of 1898 found been children during the 1840’s documentation arrived in Leigh. 1.3 million people in want but (the so-called “Hungry Forties”) “nothing can be done” whilst at The onus for claiming lay with the when many reached starvation the same time acknowledging the claimant. This was not always point. They were young adults successful introduction of easy for a section of society who during the Cotton Famine of the pensions in New Zealand! In May had been born on or before 1838. 1860’s and in the later nineteenth 1899 Joseph Chamberlain The complexity of the terms and century, as miners or mill described Charles Booth’s conditions of applying and the workers, they experienced proposals as “ a gigantic system completing of the necessary horrendous working conditions. of outdoor relief for everyone, application forms would have Around the close of the good and bad, thrifty and been beyond the capability of nineteenth and early twentieth unthrifty, the waster and the people who had not experienced century, a great deal of social idler, as well as the industrious”. even a rudimentary education. research was undertaken and Whilst in 1900 a Departmental Many of this age group had not published on the experience of Committee led by Sir E Hamilton, been able to sign their name on and causes of poverty. Among reported that the cost of their marriage certificates. the more significant was the pensions was prohibitive. The Chronicle voiced some of the work of Charles Booth (1899) From 1902 when George Barnes main concerns, highlighting the who devised a feasible scheme of (Labour MP) founded the National need for support for the illiterate old age pensions. Consequently Committee of Organised Labour and stressing the inability of the by the Edwardian era the belief for Old Age Pensions and toured infirm to second a close relation that poverty was a consequence Britain in support of pensions and to collect their pension. On of social and economic conditions the issue became more publicly pensions day misunderstandings began slowly to displace the debated. A large number of did occur. A husband wanting to Victorian belief that the cause of societies joined in the debate. The claim his wife’s pension found poverty was caused by a British Constitution Association’s himself unable to. The clerk at deficiency of character which led pamphlet of 1907 “Old Age Leigh Post Office had to refuse to to a lack of foresight by Pensions A Better Way” argued pay. Fortunately the man’s wife individuals to save for old age that pensions were a “burden of arrived and her pension was paid and hard times. taxation”, presented an inflated (Chronicle 8th Jan 1909). There Change was in the air. Prompted estimate of costs and pronounced were sad instances. A Mrs by concerns of “National that as the friendly societies Maddock of Bedford “said to be efficiency”, the poor health of adequately provided for old age, Leigh’s oldest resident did not Boer War recruits and no doubt state pensions are unnecessary. claim at all. For death slipped in by the increased power of The Poor Law Guardians on Friday” (Journal 15th Jan working class politics, among subscribed to the view that their 1909). In total, out of 363 others, pragmatism dictated a institutions provided a satisfactory entitled, there were 180 pensions social interventionist approach to service stressing their belief that paid from Silk Street Post Office the problem. However the state pensions would encourage on that first day. introduction of Old Age Pensions people to become dependant Nationally the result of the means was not straight forward. Several thus they are “full of danger” for test resulted in over 90% of governments in the decade the “welfare of the Nation”, old applicants receiving the maximum before 1908 Act had set up people “would be better in a 5s a week. Applying this statistic Commissions to look into the Workhouse” and pensions to Leigh, of the 363 pensions situation and although all “would be a mere subsidy to awarded in 1908 at least 326 recognised the problem there interest in savings advocating the people received the maximum 5s. was disagreement as to how, or if limiting of relief to “deserving Add to this the people who had at all, it could be addressed. cases” on the “grounds of been disqualified for various These Commissions, though character or conduct”. reasons, including their being in generally favourable to the need receipt of a pittance from the for pensions could not agree to

18 SOCIETY NEWS

Wigan Civic Trust Aspull and Haigh Leigh & District Historical Society Family History Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at Society Meetings are held on the second 7.30pm. The venue is Thursday of the month at Our Drumcroon, 2 Parsons Walk, Lady’s RC Church Hall, Haigh Chairman: Tel 01942 743428 Wigan. Contact Mr A Grimshaw Road, Aspull at 7.30pm. Secretary: Tel 01942 729559 on 01942 245777 for further All are welcome, contact Barbara Monthly meetings held in the information. Rhodes (Wigan 222769) for Derby Room of Leigh Library at further details. 7.30pm on the third Tuesday of Monday, December 8th each month. Women and Children in the Mines Hindley & District Weekly Help Desk run by Speaker Mr A Davies History Society members of the Society each Monday from 1.30pm to 3.30pm If you have an interest in the in the Local History Section of Meetings are held on the second standard of planning and Leigh Library. architecture, and the Monday in the month at the conservation of buildings and Museum at Hindley Library 2009 structures in our historic town, 7.00pm to 9.00pm. Admission Tuesday, January 20th come along and meet us. is £1.00 for members and AGM followed by £1.50 for non-members. Members’ Talks Atherton Everyone is welcome. We have recently opened our Tuesday, February 17th Heritage Society latest museum display - a replica Ashton-in-Makerfield Revisited of a typical early 1900’s working- Speaker Walter Carney Winter Programme class kitchen. The museum is open to the public at least once Tuesday, March 17th Tuesday, November 11th 2008 a week and entry is free. Protestation Oath Returns Blunderbuss and Baksheesh Contact the library staff for times of 1642 Speaker Alan Fildes and dates or telephone our Speaker Tony Foster Secretary, Mrs Joan Topping on Tuesday, December 9th 2008 01942 257361 or Mrs Norma Tuesday, April 21st A Brief History of the Brannagan on 01942 258668. Members’ Help Evening Music Hall Ray and Joyce Holmes Christmas Buffet Volunteering with the Heritage Service (Tickets required) If you love your local history and heritage and are Tuesday, January 13th 2009 interested in finding out more, why not consider Beatrix Potter - Part 1 volunteering with the Heritage Service? Speaker Margaret Curry If you have a few hours, or a few days, to spare each week then there may be a role for you. The Heritage Service runs an organised Tuesday, February 10th 2009 volunteer programme working with the extensive local collections Taking Coals to Newcastle and of course the public at all our venues. If you enjoy face to face Speaker John Shaw contact we need volunteers to help researchers and amateur genealogists, or if ‘backroom’ work is more to your liking, generating Tuesday, March 10th 2009 lists, files and indexes for the collection are ongoing projects both in The Life and Voyages of Wigan and Leigh. Ernest Shackleton Speaker Malcolm Tranter For more information on how to get involved contact Christine Watts at The History Shop in Wigan on 01942 828020.

19 ATHERTONTHE HIGHWAYS OF IN THE EARLY EIGHTEENTH CENTURY BY BOB EVANS

Over many centuries Under a threat of a £5 fine There are no contemporary travellers, through experience for failure to carry out this written accounts or and repeated use, identified duty these officers were pictures of the local roads the most convenient and then required to review of the period to help easiest paths to reach the state of the roads visualize their appearance neighbouring communities. and levy a local rate to across the landscape. This pay for any repair work that must be inferred from the The lines they followed was necessary. highway surveyors’ reflected the need wherever accounts recording possible to by-pass poorly Seldom did one person payments for the work drained land, avoid steep accept the duty for more that they supervised. gradients and seek fording one year and on several They include many archaic points of streams. occasions it was delegated to terms with variable a deputy. The township’s By the mid C18th the Yates spelling whose meanings inhabitants provided the map shows that the routes have since passed out of labour force. of the main roads radiating use. For this reason the from the centre of Atherton records are not always The law required each were well established easy to understand and any person, with the exception with only minor changes alternative interpretation of apprentices and hired occurring since. of the terms and the work servants, to provide six that was being done would days unpaid labour be welcomed. each year. Travellers of the period In addition farm tenants write about the poor state had to supply horses of roads, which became and carts. Apart from quagmires after heavy this compulsory rainfall and deeply rutted requirement extracts in dry periods, so that they quoted in this account make were often only suitable it clear that payment was for packhorse transport made to some workers for and personal travel on particular tasks. horseback.

During the early years of the century, two Overseers of the Highways, for the Higher and Lower parts of the township, were chosen each year on the 26th December by the Atherton township ratepayers. (E/2/3/54)

20 The Atherton records refer to ‘for A platt Stone had at “pd Joseph Dixon In Aprill 3 stretches of roads as horse Delfe Lying near HowBridge Day Letting of water by and cart“ causeways or - 1s - 0d’ Guttering 2s - 6d causeys”. These terms suggest that they Work was often done on pd for Letting of water fallen consisted of a relatively ‘platts’, the crossing points Sudenly and Making Diches narrow embankment, of streams. The inference Deeper To Carry it of In particularly where drainage is that these consisted of a Seuerall places and at was poor, bordered by a simple bridge continuing Seuerall times This year broader lower level. the line of the horse 12s - 6d” causeway above the level These drainage features are of the water bordered by The accounts include the cost often described as ‘sloughs’ a levelled and possibly of paving stones and and ‘gripyards’. payment made to pavers. stone surfaced ford for (E/2/4/79) carts to cross. In 1706 Richard Radclife paid: E/2/1/10) ‘Ralph Hulmes 2 men for one dayes work.. ?… yr cawsies betwixt Howe Bridge & Leigh Whether this implied that The accounts include several 00 - 02s - ? for one dayes particular stretches were references to work where the work Laying a peece of provided with a firm, level road to Leigh crosses a wood att Side of yr cawsie and relatively impermeable stream at Howe Bridge. and Making of gripyard att surface is not clear. Most of In 1711 Peter Collier Side of yr cawsie att Kirke the records suggest that recorded: (E/2/1/15) Lane End and Setting yr generally the roadways were stoops 00 - 00s - ?’ constantly simply built up and ‘pd for Mending Plat 8d resurfaced with locally and for Levelling by the The impression created by obtained loose materials such Howbrigde 3s - 8d these records is that these as stone from ‘delphs’, gravel £0 - 04s - 04d’ ‘roads’ were unconfined from the beds of streams and tracks across sparsely waste referred to as ‘slack or followed by ‘Thomas Collier populated agricultural land. sleck’ from coalpits and for his Debuty John Baxter’ The cart causeway, smithies. who noted in 1720: (2/2/35) particularly, was liable to spread outwards as drivers In 1723 George Hilton’s ‘pd for Repairing Plat by the sought a better surface for accounts included: (E/2/2/42) Howbridge £0 - 8s - 0d their carts to the side of pd for repairing of the Plat in deeply rutted or churned up ‘pd for 6 Load of Smithy Baglane for Timber 11s lengths. On moonless nights Slack to John Green 1s - 6d’ Layingof3s-8d 14s-8d’ and when storms or fog ‘pd for 1 load of Coalpit Slack reduced visibility, or after The 1746 accounts include: had at Westleigh Colepit heavy winter snowfall, there (2/4/79) 0 - 4d’ would be little to guide a traveller. Other materials named in the ‘Pd Edward Mills for Building accounts include sand a Stone Bridg Near Howbridg The frequent mention of the sometimes described as £5 - 13s - 4d’ payments for ‘setting stoops’ ‘scalpings or scalping stones’, suggests that a sequence of ‘platt stones’, ‘broken bricks’ There are many references to vertical posts were erected to and ‘potshards’. George also flooding after heavy rainfall make clear the line of the paid: and payments made to road in such conditions. remove surface water and Thomas Morley listed the ‘for 20 Load of sand had out keep bordering ditches open. following payments in 1715: of Carbank Ground - 6s - 8d’ In 1743: E/2/4/75) (E/2/2/23)

21 In the 1760s the main Leigh to Bolton road through Atherton was improved and then maintained by a Turnpike Trust financed by a toll charged on travellers using it. Further guidance was By the mid century there are Nevertheless the responsibility provided by a ‘finger post’ - increasing references to the for most of the township a sign-post at a road planting of ‘quicks’ or roads remained with the junction. In 1739 Jeffery ‘quicksets’ – hedgerows – the overseers until the formation Oakes noted: (2/3/67) suggestion being that they of the Local Board in 1864. were intended to provide a ‘pd Robert Kearsly for a boundary to limit the width fingar post 0 - 6s - 5d Sources and and prevent encroachment of acknowledgements pd for Carting & Setting yr the roadway onto cropped Samepost 0-1s-6d’ land. In 1758 John Morley This admittedly tentative account recorded: (2/5/104) is an attempt to interpret the Many accounts, as in 1718, significance of the payments include payments for ‘pd to Jn Worthington & recorded in the account sheets purchasing and “setting Edmd Brown for ten hundred submitted by the Atherton studs”. (E/2/2/31) of quicks at 12d p - 10s - 0d’ Township Highway Surveyors now in the archives in Leigh ‘pd for setting of 179 Studs From the mid century Town Hall. at1dpStud - -15s–9d overseers such as John and These are in files Tr. Ath. E/2/1 to pd for 23 Studs at 3d p James Clowes with a greater 5, the reference to each extract Stud 91 Ditto at 4d p Stud commitment and expertise being provided in brackets. £1-16s-1d’ were appointed to serve Thanks are due to the archivist continuously for several years. for making the records available No explanation of what this and for help in suggesting work involved has so far been Instead of providing labour the explanations. townspeople were given the provided. Reference has also been made to option of paying a commuted It can be no surprise that the the Oxford English Dictionary for sum. With this money the help with definitions of words state of the roads in the early overseer was able to employ a used during the period. part of the century often gave regular workforce. rise to complaints to the Justices. One document from 1728 indicates that the Stuck for an Justices were satisfied with unusual present or a remedial work: (Tr Ath /E/3/2) stocking filler? Try our shop. There ‘Whereas the Inhabitants of the Township of are books, cards, Atherton…Stand sweets and a Inditted…..for Suffering the selection of small Highwayes Lyeing betwixt the toys and games. Town of Leigh (or Stock plat bridge) and William Hursts For a limited time Smithy in Atherton afores’d there is up to to be out of repair And time being given for 50% OFF repairing….haveing viewed some items. the Said Highwayes Do hereby Certifye …..That the Said Highwayes are well and Sufficiently repaired.’ Christmas at The History Shop

22 Christmas Day in the Workhouse (MAYOR AND UNSUNG ARTIST) By Austin Lyons

The above title, was for many years, the butt of many The painting was atmospheric and had the touch of the old-style music -hall comedians, but I never of the Turner technique, although his later thought, that one day for me and a few others, it paintings were chiefly of the rural scene. I would become a reality. particularly remember “A snow scene at Red Rock” which he displayed in his Health Shop window at In 1938, Alderman Thomas Ramsden, was Mayor of the top of Makinson’s Arcade - as a window Wigan, and as a keen young press photographer, I scene. He had caught the mood very realistically. was making one of my usual calls at the Town Hall, to check out the Mayor’s Christmas engagements. After As a young artist myself, I used to watch him at a short time, the Mayor himself arrived and soon work, in the tiny corner of his shop, which was becoming aware of what we were trying to arrange, just large enough for himself and his easel. Tom said “Why don’t you come along with us in the Ramsden had made his mark in the Art World, mayoral car and photograph our visits to the hospitals long before Lowry or Isherwood (who usually and parties? I readily and thankfully accepted. worked in oils) came onto the scene-he was Christmas morning found me with the Mayoral group, doubtless an unsung exponent of the traditional first visiting the infirmary and later the smaller watercolour landscape. He made no secret of hospitals - taking the customary photographs of the his pride in being Mayor and truly was a man of Mayor and Mayoress greeting the patients-both the people. young and old. Ever mindful of his family connections with the Unaware of the time in all this activity, we found place, he presented several of his paintings to the ourselves around mid-day at the Frog lane Institution Hindley and District Council to mark his year of Hospital, at that time, more commonly known as the office as Mayor of Wigan. After his death, several “The Workhouse.” After greeting the patients and watercolours were donated by his family to Wigan taking my photographs, we were invited to join Town Council with the prospect of them for their Christmas dinner. I doubt if anyone their being hung in Haigh Hall. would believe us, if we tried to tell them of that Personally, I will always “unique experience.” remember him as a very Later that afternoon, we attended and I kindly man, but especially photographed three children’s Christmas parties, for his generosity and hosted by various organisations in the town. It proved consideration to me at a rather hectic but successful day for me, but ensured that time, as a young that the Mayor got his fair share of showing how he press photographer; participated in the town’s Christmas festivities. but in the main he will doubtless be Tommy Ramsden as he was better known, was also a remembered for that proficient water-colour artist- one of his earliest works painting - “Sunrise over probably painted in the early 30’s “Sunrise over Wigan Pier”, which Wigan Pier,” featured as a colour postcard in transformed what had newsagents and stationery shops for many years, become a derisory holding its own alongside the traditional sepia nationwide joke into a photographic views of the town. worthy work of art.

This is a caricature of Alderman T. Ramsden, sketched in 1938 by Austin Lyons.

23 and being used in the two low pressure cylinders. The cylinders Trencherfield Mill Engine work together to drive the huge flywheel of approximately 70 tonnes. The flywheel contains all of the engine’s power, all 2,500 horse power when it worked at its full speed of 100 Years 68 revolutions per minute, with steam pressure of 200 pounds and still going strong! per square inch from the boilers. On the rim of the flywheel are 54 grooves each of which On October 3rd 2008, it was 100 Edward Wood of Bolton. It was accommodated a cotton rope years to the day since built at their workshops in 1906 that was fed up to the rope race Trencherfield Mill’s steam engine and assembled on site at behind the flywheel. The ropes in started powering the cotton Trencherfield in 1907. The steam the rope race drive smaller machinery in the Mill that keeps was provided from 6 coal fired pulleys, and attached to these Wigan famous in industrial Lancashire boilers made by Ticker were line shafting that ran from heritage circles today. It was the and Shenton of Hyde. To refer to gable end to gable end third mill built on the site by the it using correct terminology, it is on each floor of the mill. From Woods family, and the unusual a ‘horizontal twin tandem triple these, leather belts drove each name comes from ‘Trencher expansion steam condensing cotton manufacturing machine Meadow’ as the site was known engine.’ This can be broken individually. Up to 1,250 before the first mill was built on down to explain the engine’s different machines were the site around 1820. This began layout; Horizontal refers to it powered off the flywheel. As the series of mills that being laid out along the ground, well as the machinery, the culminated in the one built in twin tandem because there are flywheel drove two DC 1907 that still stands today. Each two sets of cylinders linked generators that provided new building took on technical together on each side of the electrical lighting throughout and structural advances at the engine, triple expansion because the mill, one of the first time to improve the cotton the steam is used in three buildings of this size in Wigan quality and increase output. distinct phases and once the to boast such a facility. steam has been used it goes into At the heart of the mill was and a condenser. The three phases of The engine started work in still is the magnificent steam steam use are firstly in the high October 1908, powering the mill. engine which acted as the central pressure cylinder, then it is used The two sides of the engine were power source of the Mill. It was in the intermediate pressure christened Helen and Rina at the ordered in 1905 from John and cylinder, before splitting into two opening ceremony on the 3rd

24 October. Tradition had it that visitors from all across the who look after it. Just listen the two sides of a mill engine world, who have been for the whistle that blows were named after the mill mesmerised by its power before every session. Parts of owner’s daughters. However, and beauty. the mill are being redeveloped Wigan folklore has it that as an arts and heritage However that is far from the Colonel William Woods was so complex which will have the end of the story for Helen and impressed by the engine that engine as its centre piece, so Rina. In 2001 the engine had a they are in fact named after the this free to view opportunity problem with the flywheel and designer’s daughters, and the may not last for ever. So what was no longer safe to run. It two generators, Margaret and better time near the centenary sat silent once again while a Jean were named after Colonel of the mill opening, to come survey was undertaken into the Woods’ daughters. And so the and pay Helen and Rina a visit. work required to get it running present Trencherfield mill started Visit this reminder of a bygone again. In 2003 a successful bid production of Cotton Yarn, a age! It’s a fascinating place for was made to the Heritage function that it was to continue people of all ages. Lottery Fund for help to get the for many years. engine running again, and the Activity days and special The engine continued to power restoration commenced. The events are held at different the mill for a succession of grant was given because the times of the year. For owners until 1968, when Lottery Fund appreciated that information of these, normal Courtaulds, the owners at that the engine was of national engine visits or for private time changed the production importance, a unique and group bookings please focus of the mill to smaller scale important survivor, being the contact The History Shop on clothing manufacture in the only mill engine complete with 01942 828128. upper floors of the mill. The its intact rope race and mill Lancashire boilers were taken building around it. By out for scrap at this time and a September 2004 the engine pair of smaller oil fired boilers was once again ready to run, installed to heat the mill. The thanks to work from the engine however had not been Glasgow firm of Heritage forgotten, a small band of Engineering and the volunteers still used the barring Engine House staff. This engine to turn the engine over time a full restoration occasionally so that it did not was carried out seize up beyond repair. By now and the engine as the Lancashire cotton repainted into industry had been drastically its original shrunk, and steam engines no green colour longer used to power the mills, scheme. Since it was appreciated that it was then a new now a unique survivor. In 1983 boiler has also after local pressure, Wigan been installed Museums service took over the burning low Engine House and with the help emission bio of the Northern Mill Engine fuels giving the Society installed a new steam engine ‘green’ line from the new boilers to credentials that engine, and in 1984 after some could never restoration work it ran again, have been now as a tourist attraction. In thought of in 1986 It became a part of the 1908! Wigan Pier Museum complex and cotton machinery was Since the other parts assembled from closed local of the Wigan Pier mills to give a cotton making Museum complex has demonstration in the machinery shut, the engine still hall adjacent to the engine continues to run. It is free house. By now the engine was for the public to view on the largest working mill steam Sundays with demonstrations engine of its type in its original at 11am and 1pm. Visitors are setting, so as a result attracted free to talk to the engineers

25 BROOK LANE

MEMORIES By Mr Berry

For the first twelve years of my life Road for that was where the “Big My own great grandfather Elijah (1939-51) I lived quite near to Brook Lads” used to hang out. Wright had been killed by a fall of dirt Lane (Lamberhead Green), which at Winstanley Colliery in 1876 at the street appears to have been, according They were much older than we were, age of 39, leaving behind a wife and to my researches, the ancestral home and one of them was reputed to be 8 children. of my mother’s side of the family. able to remove the metal cap from a pop bottle with his teeth! But then, I suppose, the gamekeeper Indeed, Mother used to reckon that was only doing his job. her’s was the first family to come to To return to the matter of not playing Not far from where we had the picnic, the Green, which is quite a claim since with the local girls, one of the growing in the hedgerow at the side of the name of the village appears to exceptions was a half-hearted attempt the cart-road, there used to be tall have been Anglo-Saxon in origin! at a May Queen procession and the other was a summer picnic. plants with hollow, fluted stems. We However, there was a man in 1466 lads were reminded of these plants holding land in Pemberton whose Where the idea of a picnic came from I whenever the green hawthorn berries name was the equivalent of the don’t recall. Perhaps one of our (or haigs as we used to call them) began modern name John Forshaw and we mothers had suggested it. Anyway, on to appear, since cut-off lengths of the had a direct ancestor in the nineteenth a glorious, sunny day we set off down plant stems became our pea-shooters century with the same name, so one Brook Lane with our bottles of tap- and the haigs became our peas! never knows! water and jam-butties, soon reaching the cart-road section and proceeding We were aware that, within a few My childhood playmates (all of them down the cutting until we reached the minutes of applying the shooters to lads) lived on Brook Lane (or Bruck Big Tree and the flat area of land once our lips, they would become covered Lone in the vernacular) in the section known as the Arches. in what appeared to be sores, from the junction with Redwood presumably caused by some kind of Avenue, where I lived, down to the From there we took the cart-road to poison exuded by the stems. the right, climbing past the entrances Wigan Wallgate-Liverpool Exchange However, the observance of the pea- railway line. to Red Wood and Bradburn’s Farm and over the railway via the Red shooter tradition was deemed more We never seemed to play with the girls Bridge. On reaching the Long Wall important than any discomfort we with the exception, of course, of our which surrounds Winstanley Park we knew we would experience! own sisters within our separate followed it to the right until we From the bottom of Brook Lane you domestic boundaries and two other came to a patch of grass outside could follow a wide path on the left, exceptions, of which more later. one of the entrance gates and starting at the Big Tree and leading to decided that this was to be the place the level-crossing at the railway line I would come into brief contact with for the picnic. some of the girls whenever I was sent and thence across a flat area of pit- to bring in my sister Rose, who is 4 The road continued to the right, waste known as the Summersales, years younger than I, at bedtime. climbing up to Winstanley Road and finally arriving at the day-eye colliery passing Fouracre’s Farm on the left. with the same name. They would call me a big bully if I We knew this as Nicholson’s Lane (or sometimes had to pick up my Once, in the Summersales, we Pee Nick’s Lone!). protesting sibling and carry her back observed a number of cloth-capped home over my shoulder! men, presumably miners, standing in a When we had finished our feast ring and playing “pitch and toss”. The I suppose we lads were regarded as someone looked through the open game was illegal at that time and and being too rough for the girls, one of gateway and noticed a patch of so this quiet area would be considered our favourite pastimes being good- bluebells just inside. This proved too to be away from the watchful eye of natured wrestling, where two lads big a temptation to resist and we all the local bobby! would be pitted against two others or trooped inside and began gathering perhaps three against three. My them. After a very short while this On the railway side of the first part of mother, in her childhood a slim, peaceful idyll was rudely shattered by the path the ground fell away steeply pretty girl, was a self-confessed the arrival of the gamekeeper, with a to the brook from which Brook Lane tomboy who played with and fought shotgun under his arm, who told us in took its name. The official title of the with the local lads! This may have no uncertain terms to drop the flowers brook seems to be Smithy Brook but been an unconscious attempt to and leave the park. If I had known to us it was always t’Brook (or to our redress the balance in her family then what I know now, as they say, I elders t’Bruck ). This area was known where she had seven sisters and only could have pointed out to the as the Nursery, presumably because two brothers. gamekeeper that our collier forefathers mothers and older siblings brought had helped to create the wealth of the toddlers here perhaps to play roly-poly We never played in the section of local landowners by their labours and down the grassy slope and to watch Brook Lane leading towards Ormskirk sacrifices. the trains passing by.

26 Between the brook and the railway A few hundred yards down the As regards the clothes we wore in was a flat, grassy area in which was an railway line from the level-crossing, those days, our summer outfits old, open pit-shaft. heading towards Pemberton Station, weren’t much different from our a stone bridge crosses over. This was winter ones. On hot summer days Although it was surrounded by a brick known as the Venture Bridge, we would strip off our shirts and wall, one of our favourite pastimes presumably named after the local vests and be bare from the waist was to climb the wall and peer into colliery. The old pronunciation had upwards except for the braces the depths of the shaft, sometimes been passed down to us so that we holding up our lined, winter dropping a stone down and counting knew it as t’Venter Bridge. trousers! These were the years the number of seconds before it following World War II when there splashed into the water far below. According to my father, this was the was little cash available for fancy, scene of a remarkable incident. A lightweight clothing. The grass surrounding the shaft was local lad, probably influenced by a of a wiry texture and became tinder- serial film he had seen at the cinema, At the far end of Red Wood there dry in summer and the urge to set it climbed onto the parapet and was a barbed-wire fence which alight was sometimes irresistible. I launched himself into space as a marked the eastern boundary of suppose we were encouraged by the goods train was passing underneath, Glover’s farm which was in Edge Hall fact that grass fires caused by the shouting as he did so, “To be Road, Orrell. Being generally law- sparks from passing steam continued!” Luckily for him, it would abiding we never tried to cross that locomotives were a common appear that the train was slow boundary although my brother Bill, occurrence near the railway tracks. moving and he landed in an empty who is 5 years older than I, once did coal-wagon, apparently without so with a few of his pals. When they We discovered that the core of a piece much injury. had been for a while in that of old colliery winding cable would forbidden territory they were begin to smoulder if we focussed the If we got the call of nature while we surprised by the farmer who was sun’s rays on it through a piece of were playing in the Nursery we were carrying his gun. Jokingly he said to thick bottle glass. A fire was then fortunate in that one of the lads lived them, “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot yuh easily started by placing the core in the nearby in the Arches area. His family dee-ud!” One of the lads, no doubt grass and blowing on it. Perhaps I had an old outside closet quite some influenced by the cowboy films he should state here that none of us was way from the back of the house and had seen at the Saturday afternoon a Boy Scout and so panic used to set the great advantage of this was that tuppenny-rush at the local Queen’s in if the fire spread rapidly! there were two holes cut in the board cinema, stuck his hands up and that acted as a seat. If two of us were First we tried stamping on the flames, exclaimed in all seriousness, “Don’t “caught short” at the same time we shoot, Mr. Glover, don’t shoot!” then applying water using the natural would sit there side by side quite method, and finally beating out the without any embarrassment ! Quite recently I had a nostalgic fire using our jackets! Goodness knows walk through the scenes of our what we smelt like when we later Sometimes in the Nursery we got halcyon, childhood days and was made our way home! However my involved in helping to dam the brook rather saddened by the changes mother never seemed to complain. using grass sods. The murky that had occurred in the past 60 paddling pool thus created wasn’t A few yards from the level-crossing the years or so. very inviting and it wasn’t long brook enters a tunnel under the before we further amused ourselves I found that the Nursery was largely railway. The walls of the tunnel used by breeching the dam and letting the overgrown with bushes and small to be covered in slimy green moss, and water flow again. trees. The antics and exertions of the the brook here was usually quite children in our day had kept nature shallow so another temptation From time to time the water of the at bay and the area in good order. presented itself. We would proceed a brook would assume a yellow tinge The Big Tree was no longer there short way from the entrance and whenever drainage water from old and the Arches area was completely shout into the darkness. mine workings seeped into it overgrown. There used to be several The echo was somewhat disconcerting upstream. occupied cottages there, one of which, Pingot Cottage, had a well in and we were frightened to venture Another of our favourite play areas, a any further for we had been told that the garden which, in the days before few hundred yards upstream, was Red piped water, was an important if we did so “Jinny Green Teeth” would Wood (Captain’s Clough on the map), get us! source of drinking water for although at that time there were few Lamberhead Green. One of the games we played in the trees left possibly as a result of Nursery area was follow-my-leader outcrop coal mining there during the Red Wood still exists although it is which involved jumping over the 1926 strike. hard to discern the path leading to brook. The eldest lads would lead the it. Red Bridge is still unchanged but procession, to show how easy it was, I remember one lovely summer the road surface across it requires with the youngest tagging on behind. afternoon when we battled on the some maintenance. For some reason we called this game slopes of the wood, seemingly for hours, using swords cut from nearby When I left St. John’s Primary School “jumping craddums” and you could at the age of eleven my playing-out guarantee that one or two of the bushes. We were each “killed” several times, falling prone in the grass and days were over. Living just over the youngest would land in the brook with border in Orrell, I went on to attend one foot or even two! ferns, but after a minute or two we miraculously recovered and continued Upholland Grammar School and The unfortunate ones would be the fight! Shades of Shakespeare’s thus there was a final parting of the squelching around for the rest of the Henry V:- “On, on, you noble English, ways: one of my Brook Lane pals afternoon, although sometimes we …..that …..have in these parts from and my two best friends from would make it an excuse to build a morn till even fought, and sheathed St. John’s were already attending drying-out fire! their swords for lack of argument.”! Wigan Grammar School.

27 YOUR LETTERS

Dear Editor Dalton. Everyone in Wigan knew brought it all back to me. him. He used to join all the Maybe this letter will be too long I really enjoyed Roy Crabtree’s Sunday School Walking Days, to have it put in Past Forward, contribution (issue 49) and I am wearing a black suit with a but if it is, I hope you see it, and pretty sure he had a sister named buttonhole, and a topper hat. thanks for bringing back memories, I am 82 now. Millie, who played the piano. I was eighteen then and working I am from Ince, and went to Rose on the buses (war job). I turned Mrs Ethel Almond Bridge School, where Miss out at 3.45am one morning, and I Newtown, Wigan could hear a lot of banging and Anderton was our headmistress. Dear Editor It was a lovely school, and I swearing, and I could see Mickey enjoyed every day of going there. trying to get in his house, but his wife wasn’t for letting him in. Further to my article in Issue No. Roy mentions a Dorothy Rawson However, just as I got level to 30, Spring 2002, regarding my whose parents had a grocers him, he turned round and sat on great grand-father’s (Richard shop in Ince Green Lane. My his step, just as his wife opened Coupe) engine building business mother used to send me for bits the door, and he fell in at Worsley Mesnes Ironworks. of things when she ran short of backwards. I laughed out loud, More recently you kindly printed anything, but it had to be and somehow he managed to get a request from Mr. Rod Nuth something urgent because she up and come staggering after me. whose brother-in-law had found said “they were too dear.” I’ve never run as fast in my life. an old engine plate bearing the She used to send me to a shop in I had forgotten all about this, name R.J & E Coupe of Wigan. I Birkett Bank, which was quite a but reading your contribution made contact with Mr Nuth and long way off, over the canal, I remember that the name of the shop was Berry’s. Dear Editor band cost. Austin Lyons was the photographer, - it cost nine I went for a loaf one day, and on A friend let me have a copy of guineas for the whole album. my way back I was crossing the the Past Forward magazine. I Bolan’s from Platt Bridge were canal bridge, and I let the loaf fall was very interested to read the caterers. into the water. It was a hot day about Roy Crabtree. He played and people were swimming there. One of our gifts was a freezer at our wedding sixty years ago full of ice cream from on 11th August 1948, at Ince One of them got the loaf out, and Cassinelli’s who were related to Public Hall. I sat in the hot sunshine trying to our family. It also rained all day, get it dry, because my dad was at Sadly, my husband, Fred, did but we had a wonderful time! home and he was very strict. I not live to celebrate our 60th guessed I would get a clout over The Crabtree family were great anniversary, but we did reach the ear hole. I have forgotten friends of our family. (Mellings - 55 years together. how I went on over the loaf. from the Farm in Ince). The correct name for the farm is I lived in The Grove, off Ince Three taxis from Middleton and Moss Hall Farm, but it was Green Lane; it was a lovely Wood took everyone to St. always known to everyone as estate, with beautifully kept Peter’s Church, Hindley and Mellings Farm. gardens, and great neighbours. then on to the Ince Public Hall. Mrs M Taylor, At the top of the street were four Ince Public Hall was then five Hindley very old houses and in one of pounds to hire, and I have them lived a man named Mickey forgotten how much Roy’s

28 recently he and his sister, widow Gathurst, then walk along the lock is in his front garden. If you of the finder of the plate, side of the railway to Dean search around the fields you will presented the 1882 name plate Brook, cross it and you came to find a dam that was built to raise to me as a representative of the the fairground owned by Mr the water level to form a lake to Coupe Family. Robinson. He had “swings and supply water for the river and bockie boats,” we thought this lock. All the stone used for The plate came from the “Black was marvellous. building the canal and weir was Country” company of Alfred brought from Up Holland via Hickman’s Iron & Steel Works in Workers did not get paid for Roby Mill across a rail track to Bilston. This firm was taken over holidays. I think it was 1938 Dean Wood, and on the opposite by Stewart and Lloyds who in when they got one week, so you side of the river from the turn became part of British Steel. can see why Gathurst was so fairground you will find evidence As part of capacity reduction, popular. One penny halfpenny on of sluices used for driving a corn these works were finally closed the train and you were in a mill. I can remember a cottage and the blast furnace “Elizabeth” different world. there up to 1948. My girlfriend shut down. This historic plate and I used to walk from Appley was found during the final My mother used to take most of Bridge and the lady in the house demolition by Norman Clarke, a the kids from Prescott Street, would make us tea and scones long serving Stewart & Lloyd’s Miry Lane and Horsefield Street for eight old pence. man who unfortunately has with us. A bag full of jam butties recently died. His widow Mrs. and a bottle of water was all you When I go there now on my Julie Clarke kindly presented it to needed. At the end of the day fishing trips, I just sit and think me. It is thought that this plate we would walk home along the how things have changed came from the large “Wigan canal. Even the smell of completely. It was like an open built” steam engine powering Gallagher’s Bone Works was sewer when I was a lad, but now the rolling mill. welcome after a three mile trek. I it supports many species of fish. still visit Dean Wood every week One day I sat quietly fishing and Through the help of “Past when I go fishing with my a kingfisher landed on my rod. Forward” this example of an grandson. I have tried to show Another thing I have noticed are engine plate came back into the him where the fairground was, the different types of transport Coupe family after 126 years. but it is overgrown with trees that cross the spot. The track and it is hard to imagine what it from Roby Mill to Gathurst. The Many Thanks looked like with dozens of river tow path, canal, railway, people there. road, M6 motorway, and “you Joan Francis know whose” helicopter all cross Bolton It has been a very important part this spot. It is truly a wonderful of Wigan since the 1700’s; coal place. I don’t know of any other from many pits was transported place where so many types of Dear Editor down the River Douglas to transport converge. Navigation Lock, where it joined In reply to Mr. F. Atherton’s the Liverpool Canal. I was talking I am sure Mr. F. Atherton has request for information about to the new tenant of the lock some happy memories of Dean “Dean Wood” fairground, at house and he thought the house Wood to share. Gathurst, I first remember being was built back to front, but it taken there by my mother and was built overlooking the canal. P. Clarke brothers about 1935. We would The canal through Wigan hadn’t Wigan get the train from Wigan to been built at this time and the

29 YOUR LETTERS

Dear Editor

A little while ago, someone writing in Past Forward asked if anyone knew anything about Hindley Green. Well, I can give a little information about that.

In 1930, Sacred Heart School, Swan Lane, Hindley Green was trying to raise funds to build a church. They were, at that time, served by the priests of St Benedict’s, Hindley. Somebody had the idea of a Marjorie Lowe’s crowning as Rose Queen. From left Father Gregory grand garden party in the Buissant, Miss Baron (headteacher), Stanley Ellis (who carried the school grounds. There was to crown) Mary Mortimer, Betty Nesbitt, Nurse Norris, Mrs Nesbitt, be a procession through the Nurse Grimes, Dr Nesbitt and in front of him Peggy Mortimer, streets culminating in the Nellie Peters and Alice Goodman. crowning of the Rose Queen. I was that first Queen, and my Dear Editor either side of the central name at that time was Marjorie doorway were more Georgian Lowe. I was crowned by Mrs I was interested to see the than Tudor with stone mullions Nesbitt, wife of the Medical photograph thought to be of as in the photo. Officer of Health, Dr Nesbitt. Norley Hall c. 1950 on page 15 In November 1992, following of Past Forward No 48. After the crowning, there were an enquiry about Norley Hall, all kinds of stalls and activities My great-grandfather, William I received a letter from the to raise money, a baby show, Thorburn, was a tenant farmer at then Heritage Manager fortune teller, band, sale of Norley Hall from approximately (Mr Blakeman RB/BM 11/11/92 handicrafts and guess the 1850 until 1871. My signed by A. Gillies). Apart weight of the cake. It proved grandmother, Jenny Thorburn, from the early mediaeval such as success, that it was was born there in 1852. She was history nothing more about repeated for some years. The an amateur artist and at my Norley Hall seemed to be following year, Peggy Mortimer home in Scotland a charcoal known. The letter also stated was the queen, then Alice drawing of Norley Hall by her that it was not known when Hitchen and after that I’m hung on the wall. Norley Hall was demolished, afraid I lost track. possibly about 1883. It is over 50 years that I last saw I have read with great interest They eventually got their the drawing and it was most Past Forward from its inception. church, and became a parish in likely thrown out after my mother died. I had no great their own right. Yours sincerely interest in family history in those Mrs Marjorie Bryden days. However I have a dim Margaret Sellers Eastbourne recollection that the windows on Guilford, Surrey

30 WIGAN ARCHIVES SERVICE

Your Archives • Pemberton Colliery Plans, including If you would like more information Venture Pit and King Coal Pit, c. 1905 details are available in the Guide to the Volunteers play an important part in the (Acc. 2008/30) Archives, or on the websites of A2A work at the Archives, listing and catalog- • Marriage Registers of Park Lane (Access to Archives) and the Greater uing collections to improve access. Unitarian Chapel (Acc. 2008/37) Manchester Pastfinder. • Marriage Registers of Lowton Road Remembering the Past: A Christmas New lists are now available or will be Methodist Chapel, Golborne Acc. message from... Ellen Weeton, 25th shortly for the records of: 2008/38) December 1808 The Lancashire & Cheshire Miners’ • Records of Terry Wynn, M.E.P. (Acc. Permanent Relief Society, 2008/39) Sunday Decbr 25 The Pink/Dootson of Leigh Collection, Shall I let this day pass over unnoticed? and the engineering Using Solicitors' This, / which is the anniversary of my drawings of the Records birth? Not, without thank / ing the Worsley Mesnes Most Highest, with soul-swelling Ironworks, Pemberton. gratitude, for / permitting me to add Solicitors Records hold some of another happy year to the many I have The Archives is the hidden gems of the Archive / now numbered – I am this day 32. furthermore involved in Collections, including How much more there / is of happiness a nationwide project to everything from property than misery in the world! scan and digitise deeds, to turnpike records, Notwithstanding the / contrary is so archive catalogue lists. mining company documents frequently, and so generally asserted: and workhouse papers. Working with The the days, / the many days that pass National Archives The papers of Wright and peaceably over, are forgotten by un / - (TNA), the digitised lists Appleton contain those of grateful beings; whilst the hours of are to be made available through the Thomas Grimshaw, town clerk and sickness, or misfortune, / cling to their website of the National Register of coroner of Wigan between 1818 and remembrance, as tenaciously as the ivy Archives (NRA), administered by TNA. 1835: the collection includes a list of to the / oaks. Let me forget what is bitter in the past, and let me / perceive Some of our archive collections are militiamen in receipt of alms (1811), only the brightness of futurity. I will already listed on the websites of Access leases for shops and houses beneath rejoice in / the days that have been; to Archives (A2A) and the Greater the Town Hall (1764-1806 – the original without regretting they are gone; and Manchester Past Finder, but we hope to Moot Hall depicted on the town seal look forward with hope to those which fill in as many gaps as possible using and other insignia, including the old are to come. the NRA, and in time make detailed Wigan Grammar School badge), and the records of the Wigan Indigent descriptions available on-line for all our Ellen Weeton was at this time residing Clothing Society. collections. in Liverpool with the family of Miss In Leigh, the records of Marsh, Son & Chorley, initially a friend but later the Recent Acquisitions Calvert include important documents cause of much anxiety and ill-temper, relating to the foundation of the Leigh “Oh, Miss Chorley, you are in this house The Archives Service depends upon Poor Law Union and the workhouses. what Buonaparte is to Europe. A friends and volunteers scourge!”. Ellen was shortly to leave Substantial collections of to alert us to records in Liverpool and take up a position as a business records appear in danger of being Governess to a family in the Lake Solicitors’ Collections and were destroyed or lost that District. retained as important legal need professional care documents, essential to the The diaries and letters of Ellen Weeton and preservation, be functioning of business form part of the Edward Hall Diary they minute books, operations. The records of Collection (Ref. EHC/165). maps or manuscripts. Peace & Ellis, Wigan, include This is our shared files on various colliery (Abram heritage, so please let Coal Co., Wigan Coal & Iron us know if you have Co., Sankey Brook Coal Co.) any tip-offs… and railway companies. Recent accessions Marsh, Son & Calvert contains include: documents concerning the Astley • Leigh Girls Grammar School, School Estate Co., as well as brewing, Magazines and School Photographs malting and public houses in Bedford (Acc. 2008/27) and Leigh.

31 FAMILY HISTORY

Recent additions Wigan Lower Ince Cemetery 942.76 Lancashire Local Historian Burials 3 Sept 1856 – 23 July No. 20 Aspects of Lancashire to the Reference 1865, revised edition with grave History; essays in memory of Collections at the numbers and religion. (CD ROM) Mary Higham. (2007-08) Wigan Lower Ince Cemetery 942.76 Record Society of History Shop Burials 21 Feb 1873 - 11 June Lancashire & Cheshire 1880. Revised edition with grave Transactions Vol 143: The Court numbers and religion. records of Prescot 1640-1649. Donations Centenary of the Church of Genealogy 942.76 Historic Society of Christ, Rodney Street 1841-1941. Lancashire Parish Register Society Lancashire & Cheshire Volume 167: The registers of Transactions Vol 156. Goold, Madeline. Mr Langshaw’s Standish 1653-1732. square piano. 942.76 Antiquarian Society of General Lancashire & Cheshire Howe Bridge, Atherton Cemetery 306.480941 Bygone Britain on Transactions Vol 103 (2007). Burials 13 Jan 1975 - 31 Dec Holiday 1900-70. 2007. (CD ROM and paper copy) Project News 343.4 Wigan Council Licensing Volunteers and Friends have yet Standish Hall RC Chapel policy statement 2008-2010. again been very active Baptisms, Marriages and Burials transcribing records and 352.042736 Wigan Council 28 July 1728 - 18 Dec 1864. donating copies of their work Wigan Borough Community Plan to Wigan Heritage Service. 2005-2010. Standish St Marie RC Church Freda Chorlton, since completing coverage of indexes Baptisms 8 Jan 1865 - 13 Oct 362.73 Kershaw, Roger for Wigan Lower Ince Cemetery 1963. New lives for old (the story of up to 2007, has started to Britain’s child migrants). Standish St Marie RC Marriage revise the older indexes and has included grave numbers and index 16 June 1871 - 625.1 Kichenside, Geoffrey religion. At the same time she 15 March 2008. Great train disasters. has indexed both Howe Bridge Standish St Marie RC Church 790.1922 Kelleher, Susan and Westwood Cemeteries. Burials and cremations The games we play. Westwood Cemetery in 29 Jan 1865 - 12 June 2008. particular is an important 796.3331 Clayton, Ian addition to our records since we Turton, Georgina When push comes to shove. previously had no burials A public childhood. records at all for this cemetery. 796.3331 Wilkinson, Phil Freda is hoping to tackle more Legends: 35 great players of Sunflower Project. local cemeteries in 2009. Wigan RLFC. Families: a collection of Other equally prolific stories and poems from the 821 WEL Wellings, Hazel transcribers have been at work. Pemberton area. Shadows: a collection of poems. Gerry Rigby’s Pimbo Group has once again completed yet Westwood Cemetery Burials 942.719 Sharpe, Alan. another large project. This time 1946-2007. (CD ROM) Croft: history of a village. it is St Marie’s at Standish.

32 HERITAGE NOTICE They are also currently working on St Mark’s CE at From the 23rd December 2008 Newtown, Pemberton and the registers of Holy Trinity at Downall Green, Ashton in Makerfield. The group of The History Shop will be transcribers on this occasion consisted of Pam temporarily closing. Ashcroft, Alma Harrison, Barbara Davies, Marianne Humphreys and Shirley and Gerry Rigby. Many thanks The closure marks the to all concerned for your industry and dedication! start of an exciting £1.3 million refurbishment One donation not listed above, is that presented to which is due to be our Learning and Outreach Manager, Rachel Orme, completed in early 2010. at the commemoration service for the Maypole From Monday 5th Disaster on Sunday August 18. You may remember January 2009 an interim the article in Past Forward 49 telling the story of the heritage service will be events following the explosion. available at Wigan Library. A considerable number of Irish miners were killed in Facilities will include: the explosion and the disaster was reported widely in the Mayo newspapers, in particular The •A local and family history area – Connaught Telegraph. The Mayor of Mayo County with a selection of resources and Council, Joe Mellett was present at the ‘Ancestry.Com’– the leading genealogical Commemoration and presented Rachel with a resource of its kind online. FREE to use. bound copy of the articles from the Irish Booking essential. Contact: 01942 828020. newspapers. These add some knowledge concerning Heritage Services Opening Times the victims in that their home villages and some at Wigan Library: relatives are noted. This volume is available at The Monday 10.00am 4.00pm History Shop for all to read. Tuesday 10.00am 4.00pm Meanwhile the Lancashire BMD indexing project Wednesday CLOSED marches onward. For those of you starting out on Thursday 10.00am 4.00pm family history, it would be useful to look at the Friday 10.00am 4.00pm www.lancashirebmd.org.uk website. This invaluable Saturday 10.00am 1.00pm site has been steadily growing in coverage over the Sunday CLOSED past few years as volunteer transcribers throughout Lancashire (and some other counties, notably Wigan Library, College Ave, Wigan WN1 1NN Cheshire) gain access to the indexes of birth, marriage and death registrations that are in use in Further services will continue to be available at: local town register offices. Currently Marriages for Heritage Leigh Local Wigan registration district are complete on the site Archives History for the years 1837-1950. Births are fast (Leigh Town Hall) (Leigh Library) approaching the same dates, with most parts of 01942 404431 01942 404559 the borough indexed as far as 1921. Up until In addition, look out for heritage activities and recently, however, there was some doubt as to events happening throughout the borough! whether burials would be included for Wigan and Leigh on the site. For further information please contact 01942 828128 or visit: Fortunately, it now seems that former problems www.wlct.org/heritage have been ironed out and once births are also indexed up to 1950, the deaths will indeed be started. YOUR HERITAGE

33 CAN YOU HELP?

Johnson I hope you are able to include this in your Dear Editor publication which I find most interesting and extremely informative. My father comes from Lancashire as does the Yours faithfully paternal side of my wife's family. I am David Pott enjoying the research in areas of the country new to me. Joseph Houghton The family I am interested in and around Wigan is the Johnson family, relatives of my Dear Editor wife. Her Great Grandfather was James Henry I am trying to establish the when and where Johnson (b. 1829) manager of Strangeways my great, great grandfather Joseph Houghton Hall Colliery and subsequently partner and died and also his burial place. He was born then director of Abram Coal Company Ltd. Warrington 1824, his father’s name was In 1871 he, his wife Elizabeth Orme Scarlett Samuel Houghton, mother's name Johnson (nee Litler) lived in Low Green House (unknown). His son, Thomas, was my great with their 10 children and servants. grandfather, and married Jane Lathom (ex Chester) and lived in Warrington. His son, James was a JP and the first chairman of the my grandfather, also named Thomas, was local board of the Abram Township. born in Croft, later married and lived in Leigh He was a great benefactor donating money to before moving to Hindsford/Atherton in the the Children's Wing of Wigan Infirmary, the early 1900's Mining School and Bickershaw Church. I am aware of all the aforementioned, when I have found a great deal of information from and where they, and their families are buried the internet but I am sure there is much more (Warrington and Croft) just Joseph is an to be found in Wigan as well I hope of relatives enigma! I have visited archives, checked of whom we are unaware. It is our intention to census, and last noted 1882, when his wife, visit Wigan in the near future. Prior to then it Jane, died whilst in residence at their home in would be nice to make contact with possible Cockhedge Lane, Warrington. We have gone relatives in the area and others who are also through all relevant internment books at researching the family. Hence my letter. Walton Lee Crematorium and Cemetery, also Manchester Road cemetery where Jane is Finally I see from past issues of PAST actually buried, together with their daughter FORWARD you have referred to Speed Skaters and grandson, but of Joseph there is nothing. and locals who were entered in the 1908 We have also approached Wigan and Leigh London Olympics. cemeteries but to no avail!

Although not a resident of Wigan, the If anyone can help, please email: youngest son of James Henry Johnson of the [email protected]. same name (James Henry Johnson born in Southport in 1875) won a silver medal in the Acknowledgement for any information will pairs ice skating of 1908 with his wife Phyllis. be forthcoming. They were also World Skating champions prior to WWI. I mention this out of interest albeit Mrs B Battersby not of direct local interest.

34 Lost Orders, Please! I want to know what YOU remember about your favourite pub; the characters, the foibles, the amazing pints and “donkey-choker” For those readers of “PAST FORWARD” who are unfortunate enough never to have caught sandwiches (Thanks Zeta!) and just what that my ramblings on “Wigan World” place meant to you. (www.wiganworld.co.uk) and other Wigan I’m also looking for any photographs of pubs; based sites, I’d like to introduce myself and any you submit to me will be lovingly scanned ask for assistance in my latest project. and repaired if necessary and full credit given. It may not be the subject of the photo; you My name is Ian McLoughlin, I am based in the may have an old photo of a walking day with “heart of Wigan’s Theatreland” as it states the “Shovel and Broom” on Scholes Bridge in unashamedly in my blog, and my latest view – here’s hoping! project is a comprehensive history of the Pubs and Beer houses in the borough from around If you feel that this is something you would 1800 to the present day. like to know more about or be involved in please feel free to drop me a line and cheers!!! With eventual publication in mind – either as a book or, more likely, as a web-based resource, Ian McLoughlin “Lost Orders” will provide a fascinating E: [email protected] glimpse into the history and culture of the B: http://blog.wiganworld.co.uk/ianmcl people of the borough through their relationship with that most cherished and, sadly, disappearing of institutions, the Pub! Have you a family or local history query you think our readers can help you with? Please Not only do I want this to be a compelling write to the editor. social history of our town, I also want to If there are no contact details with individual provide a resource for people studying their letters, please send information to the family history as well as simple pub fanatics Editor, and it will be forwarded. Editor like myself.

So, for example, if you discover a James Treffit in your family tree who you thought might Published by Wigan Heritage Service, have had a pub, you could check with Lost Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust. Orders and find out that in fact it was the The views expressed in this issue are not “Buck i’th’Vine” in Wallgate, which went on to necessarily supported by Wigan Leisure & become the “Clarence” and is now “Harry’s Culture Trust. Nothing printed may be Bar” ! (James was landlord there in 1816!) construed as policy or official announcement None of the little I have achieved so far would unless so stated. Neither Wigan Leisure & have been possible without the help of the Culture Trust, nor the Editor, accept liability for staff of the History Shop and at the Borough any matter in this publication. archives who have been unbelievably patient Contributions are welcome, but no and kind (and are a fantastic and invaluable responsibility can be taken for loss or damage resource) but I am also aware of another to contributors’ material. practically untapped source of information sitting out there: YOU! © Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust December 2008

35 A Personal Road to Wigan Pier By Roger Fisher

The following narrative records a recent visit I About 20 minutes later we finished a conversation made to Wigan. I would be interested to hear that ranged from the location of every land mark in from anyone who remembers the shop in the town to the rebuilding of much of it including the demolition 45 years ago of the house he had been Leader Street, although it ceased to be about born in. By then I was getting to understand at least 50 years ago. For this reason I append a every third word of his Lancashire dialect and had contact address and phone number at the end learnt much about the pride with which the locals of the text. think of their town. In August 2008 I visited Wigan for the first time; My friend the postman’s directions led me to The the purpose was to search for my paternal History Shop. The active history part is small, well great-grandparents, Henry and Ellen Fisher. arranged and staffed by knowledgeable people. I started work right away and within 10 minutes had My expectation was to find a coally, small and made the first hit. But closing time at 4.00pm came possibly mean town. Quite wrong. It is small but quickly and that was it for the day. So back to the smart and the people warm, friendly, helpful, but so hotel, into the car and a geographical tour of the broad-accented that it was often difficult for a district looking at the suburbs (once villages) southern ear to understand what was being said. surrounding the town where the Fisher clan had lived from time to time. It turned out to be a wonderful experience. I had looked at parts of Wigan on Google Earth before the Finally back to the main town and the parish visit so did realise that many if not most of the mid- church. All Saints was to be the high point of the nineteenth century streets had been totally rebuilt exploration as it was the place where several although the general street pattern observable on the ancestors had married and others had been old maps remained. baptised, although they did not lay buried by the walls as there was no graveyard. There were some right at the top of the town in an area I now know to be called Scholes that certainly 'Open on Saturday morning' read the notice on the had retained some of the original terraces of houses - portico gate. This was not to say it was not and this was an area I knew to have been the home obviously still an active church. The church fathers of my family. probably wisely accept the failure of religious order to make all men honest and respectful of public I drove up from Oxfordshire on a Monday, arriving in adornments. This was very disappointing as I would the early afternoon, time enough to spend an hour or not be there on Saturday. so in the Wigan Heritage Centre before closing hour at 4.00pm. On Tuesday morning it was in the car again and up to the Scholes above the town. The first discovery was a I booked into the hotel, selected for its proximity to real original cobbled street. Moreover the old terraced the town centre, and set off on the journey of houses, albeit somewhat refurbished, still stood exploration. It took about 3 minutes to become lost proudly along each side of it - and in the and doubt my map reading abilities. neighbouring streets as well. It was those Hesitating at a pedestrian crossing I was approached neighbouring streets that were the focus of attention. by an elderly man carrying a shopping basket. He as in two of them - Leader Street and Belvoir Street - summed me up. I looked helpless. He asked if he were the homes of my great-grand parents between could assist (I did managed to translate that). 1850’s and the 1890’s. The Heritage Centre, I pronounced (and he managed Belvoir Street was their earlier residence. On one side to translate that). Well, he said, I could not have the old terraced houses still stood neatly but on the asked a better man as he was, proudly, a retired other the old had given way to small modern postman, born and bred in Wigan. bungalows - and this was the even-numbers side

36 where Henry and Ellen Fisher first established a Just at that moment a car pulled up and grocery shop, probably during the mid-1850’s, in the parked. The driver got out, a precise man in a suit, years immediately following their marriage. walked over to the door of No. 25, opened it with a latch key, went inside and closed the door So off up the hill a short way to Leader Street. behind him. Wonderfully complete. Number 25, the one-time Fisher home and shop. a corner house had an I was still in a state of mental paralysis but this entirely rebuilt new frontage but was otherwise little woke me up. There was only one thing to do - go changed. and knock on the door. It opened. The look on the man's face was one of adverse curiosity which On the opposite side the old terrace houses had been anyone would adopt when finding a total stranger retained and above the one there was a sandstone on the door step at a relatively unsocial hour of plaque built into the eave bearing the words MARIAN the day - it was about 08.30. TERRACE 1875. So this was when the street was built. The Fishers probably moved there at about that time, The only way to disarm his suspicion was to acquiring the large corner property into which to explain that he had my great-grandparents' names expand home and business. on his wall. The effect was immediate. The usual Wigan friendliness turned on. Yes, he said it had The rest of Tuesday was spent at the heritage centre. been a shop once and is now an accountant’s One of those days when not much happens except office; it still has a very large cellar underneath. the slow elimination from the search of a few miles The original house is now divided into two, of microfilm. No. 25a, at the corner, and No. 25 next to it. Early on Wednesday off to Manchester and the John So it looks as if my entrepreneurial grandparents Rylands Library which holds a voluminous collection had taken the premises when newly built and may of Methodist church records. Henry Fisher had been have influenced the design of the property so that in his later years a primitive Methodist lay preacher it would accommodate not only the family but the and his son, John Fisher, my grandfather, became grocery and provisions business as well. ordained as a minister in that church. The research room at John Rylands is housed in a modern There was more to come that morning. Returning extension of a beautiful neo-gothic building of the to the centre of town with some 20 minutes to 1890’s housing a superb collection of rare books and wait for the heritage centre to open I thought to manuscripts, many on display in tall carved oak go and have another look at the parish church. As shelving gleaming with a century of polish. I came near to the portico a lady tried the gates The Methodists proved fruitful. I discovered for the and found them locked. She turned and went over first time that John Fisher spent the years 1873 to to a friend sitting on a nearby bench holding bags 1878 in the east end of London. In April 1871 he had containing bunches of flowers. Together they been with his family in Wigan. Age 18 he is recorded began to make their way round to the side of the as being a local preacher and draper, so this was building. It occurred to me that these may be probably within his probationary period prior to flower ladies whose duty was to decorate the ordination. From the contemporary church records it church, so I followed. appears that the probation was a full four years, with As they approached the side chapel door one examinations at the end of each year. It is likely that withdrew a large key. The moment had to be his move to London was his first appointment as an grasped. I went up to them and asked could they itinerant minister - the word itinerant does possibly let me see the inside of the church as my characterise the rest of his life. great-grandparents had been married there 150 Back to Wigan. Looking at the photographs taken in years ago. the previous days I noticed something that had Once again the Wigan warm heartedness won escaped my eye during the Tuesday morning visit to over suspicion of strangers. A short conversation Leader Street. So a quick breakfast and back up to and a few moments later I was standing in the that part of the town. Parked the car and walked a aisle down which 22-year old Ellen Gaskell walked short distance to No 25. And there it was. High up on 19 June 1852 to become the bride of Henry embedded in the new front wall of the house was an Fisher. Another deeply emotional moment. I had old sandstone plaque. Badly eroded but not so badly come home. that it was not possible to discern the carved writing: MOUNT TERRACE If any reader remembers the shop at H & E FISHER 25 Leader Street please contact the AD 1876 author by email at: I was overwhelmed by emotion - and very [email protected] annoyed with myself for having failed to notice it at or by phone: 01235 521680 the earlier visit.

37 Westleigh Local History Group – Post-16 Learners

I use Past Forward as one of my learning resources on a 10-week local history course I run out of Westleigh Community Centre for post-16 learners. I find the publication an excellent source of local history information and research, and the learners enjoy the articles immensely. Rachel Orme The learners say: “I found the article in Past Forward on the Maypole Disaster very interesting as it had been the subject of one of our local history group sessions. Thank you, Past Forward.” “Past Forward – a great read full of interesting articles and super sources of information for research into the Borough’s heritage.” “Yippee! Time for another edition of Past Forward. Great articles and pictures about the people and places who came before us”.

38 Past Forward Down Under!

My wife and I moved to Australia in 1987 to be I have recently enjoyed the memories of Austin near to our daughter who lives in Sydney. Lyons. Especially as I was privileged to know him personally for many years through my work at the We had lived all our lives in the Wigan area prior to Lancashire Evening Post in Wigan and the Daily this and, as you can imagine, this was a big move at Express in Manchester. My wife, Lena, also had a our time of life. baby linen and wool shop close to his photographic shop in Market Street, Hindley for many years. We missed many things from home – friends, social life, tomatoes, sausages and many other things. It is difficult to select individual items of interest as I must admit to enjoying the publication as a whole. In 1994 we returned to Wigan for a holiday and to “Past Forward” is a nostalgic trip back through time catch up with family and friends and it was during of the Wigan scene through the ages, it is also full this trip that we visited the History Shop to research of knowledge and memories. information in relation to Wigan Boys Club. I wish to In 1946 I was a member of the boxing team congratulate all representing Wigan and I was interested to find out the people if there had been any record of this event in any involved over the newspapers etc. of the time. past 50 editions I was lucky enough to find a copy of an advert in of the magazine the Wigan Observer publicizing the event and also a for the effort they short article advising of a win by Wigan against have contributed Lancaster which also reported a win for myself. in making it one of the best such It was during this visit that I heard about the Past publications in Forward magazine and I decided to subscribe. I also England. arranged to get copies of all previous publications. I would just like to end with a bit of self-praise. Two I thoroughly enjoy reading this publication. years ago I was privileged to receive from the Mayor Each edition manages to bring many memories of Hornsby Shire Council, “The Citizen of the Year” flooding back. award for services to the community. I only mention this to show that it is never too late to serve your Ernie Taberner is one of my favourite contributors to fellow man/woman, who is less fortunate than the magazine and I always look forward to reading yourself. I am 78 years young. his articles which bring back memories of days long forgotten. He must have a wonderful memory. Fred Rosbottom Sydney, I also enjoy News from the Archives - which again Australia. take me back to my younger years in Wigan.

39 How to Find Us

TE Y A History Shop P A A R G S W O M H S K P N E I S R S D N A W E N P A S A P Library Street, L T K R NO S TESCO 9 T D RTH P 4 S WAY A ET P Wigan WN1 1NU K POWELL ST AR MARKET P C WM R ST E O D Telephone 01942 828128 N M M AR A THE P P 9 H R T C GALLERIES O 4 H K E N R A T A T S FROG S E T O [email protected] LL BUS T A G D P G STA. S O T H GRAND A S R T I Y S E ARCADE P A C N D H IN N W O A SAT T O G S ONLY L ES T R L L EE A O TR M E CH S L I P V S K I L I B L IN R G R G A A W S R T TE T Y E A W P LG A WALLGATE S R G . T IL RE STA. K M R A I I T N N G G E G O ST R T GE O NORTH N ST WEST STA. 9 L 4 A HISTORY A Q P C UE A A SHOP R EN L DAR O L LIN L S E GTON ST A INE S T P P 5 A 7 H 3 T C P

Q Leigh Local History S H ENRIET E TA ST G SUPER WALME A T S S LEY RD R MARKET A T E C S P T Leigh Library, I S V C O K T LEIGH H L S U H D RCH S I T L S LIBRARYLIBRARY T S N ST O M S ARYS O Turnpike Centre, WY B T E N S L R R T N E S A T P V CIVIC O L S H A I Civic Square, SQUARE N C G T BO P E U RA EN ND S P I P D K T LW B OR AY LF R RD SA A Leigh WN7 1EB . K M L B ORD T ST S N S TRI ARCHIVES Telephone 01942 404559 O NGE R ST LEIGH P INS BRAD K TOWN HALL SHAW T G L YO ATE I U S D T S E T S T W R S E K BO M UG O G S HE E Y O N BUS L GAS ST I ST C L K STATION E MARKET Archives SQUARE P SPINNI NG JENNY WAY T

D S R Y Leigh Town Hall, S R N O SUPER E G E L MARKET R E G SUPER Leigh WN7 1DY H MARKET T S Telephone 01942 404430 [email protected]