Produced by Wigan Heritage Service Issue No. 51 April - July 2009

CROWNED WITH THE STARS CELEBRATING THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY

NEW FEATURE: COLLECTIONS CORNER

£1 YOUR HERITAGE in partnership with Wigan Council HERITAGE SERVICE

Contents Letter from the 3 History Shop Update 4 Archives News Editorial Team 5 Learning and These are exciting times for the History Shop. You Outreach Activities can read all about progress on the opposite page. 6-7 Local and Family History Update We’ve introduced a new feature called ‘Collections Corner’ which can be found on page 34. Each edition the Collections 8-10 International Year Team will select an interesting object to share with you and tell of Astronomy feature: Crowned you more about. This issue we’ve chosen to focus on the war with the Stars medals of Charles Hogg gained for service in the frontier wars in India, the Boer War and the First World War. We hope you enjoy 11 Friends of the this new feature! History Shop By popular demand, we’ve brought an old friend back! 12-14 Weaving Memories Some of you may remember an old FORWARD feature Together PAST which sought to find out information about some of the 15 Do you remember? photographs we have in our collection. As we are currently 16-18 Trades Council undertaking a project to make some of these photographs to Labour available online, we are finding lots of images that we need Representation to know more about! Turn to page 35 to find out what this 1906-1908 issue’s photograph is. 19 The commercial hub Finally, the next issue of PAST FORWARD will commemorate of post World War II 25 years since the Miners’ Strike of 1984 and we would in Wigan particularly welcome your contributions around this theme. 20-21 The Parish Vestry 22-23 Welcome Floods Information for 24-25 Looking Back and COPY Looking Forward DEADLINES If you would like to submit an article for 26-27 Hidden in Haigh FOR PAST FORWARD, please note that: 28-29 Your Letters • Publication is at discretion of and Questions ISSUE 52 Editorial Team. 30-32 Trips on the Barge Contributors • The Editorial Team reserve the right to edit submissions. 33 Society News please note that • Submissions will remain on file 34 Collections Corner the deadline for until published. 33 the receipt of • Submissions may be held on file for Probing Pictures publication in a future edition. material for • Published and rejected submissions will FRONT COVER PICTURE publication is be disposed of. Charles Hogg wearing his 19 June. • Articles must be received by the copy war medals. Turn to page deadline if inclusion in the next edition is 34 to find out more! desired.

2 HISTORY SHOP UPDATE

Work on the History Shop refurbishment is in full swing. Contractors are due to start the building work in the next few weeks and the new exhibition designs are well underway. The Parish Maps and reference material have been securely removed in order for building works to begin and new homes have been found for most of the maps within Township schools and community centres.

Chris Watts, Local & Family History Officer who coordinated the removal of the reference material had this to say: "The interim service started in Wigan Library on 5 January. The following day work started on the long process of packing up all the remaining book stock and machinery and sending it off into storage. Volunteers were heavily involved in this arduous task but as usual they managed to make light of it in their inimitable way through their willingness and unfailing cheerfulness. Wigan Heritage Service and in particularly myself, are eternally grateful for their tremendous efforts on our behalf. The ‘chain gang’ in just under four weeks managed to pack and carry down four flights of stairs and load into cages, the total of 1054 boxes and 358 parcels! Special thanks go to Barbara and Charles Miller, Les Norburn, Kate Irvine, Nick Howell, Barbara Lambert and John Wogan. Of course it will all have to be brought back at the end of the year. Top: The 'chain gang'. My muscles are groaning already in anticipation!" Bottom: Empty shelves near the Local History Enquiry Desk. We’ll keep you posted as work progresses! You may like to take a look at our website to keep up to date Contributors with progress.

Submission Guidelines The interim service at Wigan Library. • Electronic submissions are preferred, although handwritten ones will be accepted. • Maximum length – no more than 1,500 words. • Include photographs or images where possible – if you wish these to be returned, please include a stamped addressed envelope. • Include your name and address – we will not pass on your details to anyone unless you have given us permission to do so. • Anonymous submissions will not be published. We aim to acknowledge receipt of all submissions. Contact Details [email protected] or The Editor, PAST FORWARD, The History Shop, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NQ.

3 ARCHIVES NEWS

Your Archives Medical Records

First things first, we are pleased to announce that As a place of deposit for the Archives Service has been recognised as a 2 Star Public Records, the service in the recent self-assessment programme Archives Service cares for carried out by The National Archives. The the records of a number nationwide assessment commented that the service of hospitals and welfare is one of those “we believe… is likely to improve homes across the further.” We would like to thank everyone who has borough. These include contributed to the ongoing work of the service, the records of the Wigan staff and volunteers alike, and hope for further Dispensary, established in success next time around. 1798 and which was to later develop into the Recent Acquisitions Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, and the Leigh Recent months have seen a number of important Infirmary from 1906. But collections of local records accepted into the these are not the only archives. Recent accessions include: records in the collection with a medical theme. • Additional records of St Andrew’s Church, Between 1798 and 1832 Wigan (DP/25) Account Book of Leigh we are allowed a glimpse • Records of Our Lady of the Rosary School, surgeon John Yates. into the world of medical Heath Lane, Leigh (Acc. 2008/55) practice by examining the records of the Leigh • Additional records from the Royal Albert surgeon, John Yates. Yates’ account book, compiled in Edward Infirmary (Acc. 2009/1) the course of his professional duties offers detailed • Records of Stotherts Ltd., Atherton, evidence of the state of medical treatments in manufacturer of medications (Acc. 2009/3) Lancashire during the Georgian and Regency periods. • BICC Company Magazines, 1936-1970 (Acc. 2009/5) The first entry in the volume is for a James Rigby of • Records of Leigh Literary Society “Leatley Common”, charged 6 pence for the administration of an emetic and “Cortex Peruvian” (Acc. D/DS/84) (Peruvian bark), at 1 and 6, for the treatment of a Details of the fever; the next entry is for the treatment of a collections listed above dislocated elbow, at 5 shillings. The surgeon attends a are available from the wide variety of patients, including women in labour, Archives Service, as is men injured in agricultural accidents, and many further information on traditional treatments remained commonplace, other recent acquisitions. bleeding (6 pence) amongst them.

At the time, Yates’ professional contemporaries were gaining an ever increasing knowledge of medical science, the volume beginning two years after Edward Jenner’s experimental use of vaccines against small pox in 1796; by 1815, Yates himself is administering Leigh Literary Society inoculations to children. Yet, it was not until later in Conversazione the mid-nineteenth century that sustained advances in Programme, 1896. chemistry, bacteriology and virology brought great The cover was designed leaps forward in medical treatment with the by J.C. Prestwich, a development of general anaesthetics (James Simpson, local architect who 1846) the principles of antiseptics (Joseph Lister, designed Atherton & BICC Newsletter cover, 1865), and patients benefitted from a true revolution Leigh Town Hall. 1937. in medical understanding.

4 LEARNING AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

FAMILIES AT WAR ARCHIVES A call for wartime memories & LOCAL LIVES Do you remember what life was like when we were Discover the past through Wigan’s local at war? resources Did you have an Anderson Shelter near your house? Did any male members of your family serve in World War II A new 10-week course at Wigan Archive Service either overseas or at home? will explore local ordinary people’s lives through Did any female members of your family have to work for the primary source documents such as journals, war effort? letters and records. Do you remember any of the home front campaigns such as The course is open to all abilities – no local Dig For Victory? history knowledge required! I am collecting memories of life during Britain in wartime for an exiting Big Lottery Fund project. I would love to hear your The cost of the 10-week course will be memories if you are willing to share! £20.00 per person and £5.00 concessions. Please feel free to come to the first session if Please contact Rachel at Heritage Services: [email protected] or you would rather ‘try before you buy’. However, phone (01942) 828121. please book a provisional place by phoning CURATING IN THE COMMUNITY (01942) 828128. As part of the Vision for Heritage, Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust The course will take place on a fortnightly have developed a Curating in the Community programme. The basis taking into account Bank Holidays and aim is to support local organisations in the borough develop tutor availability – the dates the course will run heritage activities and promote heritage in communities. will be as follows, and all sessions will run from Applications for support from the Trust, whether through 2.00-3.30pm: expertise, advice or funding, are being sought. Monday 2 March Monday 1 June Projects should have clear aims, objectives and outcomes. Monday 16 March Monday 15 June They should show how they will enable and empower local communities to ‘curate’ their own heritage. This could mean, Monday 30 March Monday 29 June amongst other things: Monday 20 April Monday 13 July • Conserving or exhibiting local heritage artefacts; Monday 11 May Monday 27 July • Undertaking research into local heritage which can be exhibited to the community; • Running local heritage events; • Undertaking training to enable local groups to develop FAMILY HISTORY their own skills and knowledge to deliver heritage activities to their community. Family History taster sessions in your local library Curating in the Community grants to date have been awarded to a variety of exciting and participative local projects including: If you are interested in researching your Family • A gala day held by the Red Rose Steam Society; Tree but don’t know where to start, come along • A heritage garden developed in partnership with other funders by the Stubshaw Cross Resident’s Association; to our Family History Taster sessions in your local • The Civic Trust’s 2008 Civic Trust Awards; library. Sessions last for 1 hour 30 minutes and • A Dig for Victory schools/Adult Services project run by include information on primary sources and use Groundwork Trust; of the internet. Places are limited so book early • Turnpike Theatre Company’s production of Westleigh’s by calling (01942) 828128. Glorious Past; • Wigan Archaeological Society’s Roman Road Pattern around Friday 3 April - 10.00am Aspull Library Wigan Project. Thursday 7 May - 2.00pm Standish Library For further information, or to request an application form contact Wednesday 24 June - 10.00am Wigan Library Rachel Orme on: [email protected] or telephone (01942) 828121. Friday 31 July – 10.00am Hindley Library You can read more about some of the funded projects on our website: http://www.wlct.org/Culture/Heritage/curating.htm Friday 31 July – 2.00pm Ince Library Wednesday 16 Sept – 10.00am Leigh Library PLEASE NOTE: the next round of funding closes Friday 10th April 2009.

5 LOCAL AND FAMILY HISTORY UPDATE

784.90941 Newsome, Roy Any miss-spelt or miss-transcribed By C. Watts The modern brass band entries can be corrected with the 942.7612 Sands, Nigel minimum of fuss and the image Books recently The Skelmersdale story 2nd ed quality is excellent. Victoria County History of This is the first census to show the added to the East Riding of Yorkshire volume 8 actual handwritten forms filled in Record Society of Lancashire and by our relatives. The questions Reference stock of Cheshire volumes 135, 136, 139 asked on previous census have Catholic Record Society volume 81 been expanded to include not only The History Shop the occupation of each person but Due to our refurbishment to requiring the actual industry Donations programme, the books listed worked in to be named. In some above will not be available for instances, the actual firms have Hollows, Derek As I recall: a Bevin browsing until we return to our been stated. Another useful piece boy’s story 622.334 full service sometime early 2010. of information added has been as Williams, A S The Lowes of Wigan Meanwhile, we have few local a result of the married women of in 3 vols history books accessible through the house being required to state our interim service at Wigan how long they have been married, Genealogy Library. We have managed to how many children they have borne and how many have Chambers, P Early modern make all our microfilms available survived into adulthood. genealogy: researching your family along with local parish register transcripts. We have also squeezed history 1600-1838 The cost of viewing a household in 4 microfilm viewers and a page is 30 credits (between £2 Lancashire Parish Register Society reader printer, for any copies you and £3.48 depending on the Newchurch in Rossendale may wish to make, into the small package bought) for an actual St Nicholas Part 2 1723-1772 area that we are now occupying. image, and 10 credits (costing DVD format Booking is essential before any between 83 pence and £1.16 Lancashire Parish Register Society visit. The machinery may be depending on the package Volume 168 The registers of booked on our normal phone lines bought) for a transcript of the Todmorden 1813-1837 - 01942 828020/828128. household. Packages are £6.95 for Lancashire Parish Register Society 1911 census 60 credits, £24.95 for 280 credits Volume 169 The registers of and £49.95 for 600 credits. Stretford St Matthew 1598-1837 The other long awaited event in Unused credits may be used on Raymond, S A Genealogical jargon the calendar is of course the www.findmypast.com for family historians unveiling of the 1911 census online at www.1911census.co.uk. The high cost of the images is General Due to public pressure this census explained as being as a result of has appeared 3 years earlier than the high cost of the project. There 282.4276 Hilton, J A The artifice of the stipulated 100 years. The only was no public subsidy for the work eternity: the Byzantine details omitted are those from the and because individual household Romanesque revival in Catholic column naming mental and entries are used as opposed to Lancashire physical handicaps. Apart from multi-household entries for a 283.42736 800 years of several of the smaller counties street, this has meant that the Christianity in Standish which have as yet not been fully census has 16 million entries more 320.531 North West Labour uploaded, these are the only than the 1901 census. Since History Journal No. 33 2008-09 issues. Brightsolid, the company launch day, the site has conducted 631.2 Miller, Garry The stable at which owns the excellent 15.8 million searches and Forest Fold Farm, Shevington: a Scotlandspeople website as well as produced over 70 million page draft historical report Findmypast, was awarded the impressions. contract by The National Archives 681.113 Davies, E Greater to digitise and index the census. Local studies units and record Manchester clocks and The 1911 website does not offices may be given the clockmakers disappoint and they have opportunity to purchase digitised 711.40942736 Wigan Council produced yet another excellent county datasets from The National Wigan Eastern Gateway site. It is possible to search both Archives in 6 months time. Watch development framework on name and address if known. this space!

6 Projects and donations in Wallgate and his descendants are temporarily held in our new site As usual we have received the throughout the world. However, within Wigan Library and are now amended discs for the Wigan having found out yet more about available every Wednesday at 1.30 Lower Ince Cemetery indexes from the family, she is contemplating a and 3.30, availability of volunteers Freda Chorlton. The indexes online fourth volume. permitting until June. at www.wiganworld.co.uk have Booking is essential. Cost is £2.50 also been updated. The Lancashire with starter pack. BMD project has recently finished Please phone 01942 828020 or bringing the births indexes for 01942 828128 to book or simply Leigh and Wigan registration call in at Wigan Library and speak to districts up to 1950 and in some Heritage Service staff stationed there. cases beyond that. The project has now moved on to getting ready to New Workshop start the burials which up until recently were not to be added to Hit a brick wall with your the site. family research? Don't know where to go next? Book in Finally, the Lowes of Wigan in with an expert to try and three volumes recently presented solve your problem. to The History Shop by Mrs Susan Wednesday afternoons in Williams (pictured), sees the end of Family History Workshops July and August. Contact a long and well researched project. If you are just starting out on your details as above. Please state The 3 handsome volumes tell the family tree and need help, why the problem when booking. story of the family of particularly not book onto a family history Cost £2.50. James Lowe, of the blacking shop workshop with an expert? These

7 Crowned with the Stars By Tony Ashcroft

2009 sees the commemoration of a number 1941 after 25 years work in Kansas Schools.1 of anniversaries including the International Should any reader have further information Year of Astronomy. This is a global about Harry Rigby I would be pleased to hear celebration of astronomy and its from them. contribution to society and culture. Professor Vincent It was 400 years ago that modern astronomy was born. Galileo has been Cartledge Reddish credited with this event because he was the first person to study the night sky by glimpsing Professor Reddish, the only son of Mr and Mrs through a telescope. W. H. Reddish, was born in Leigh before moving to Culcheth. He was educated at Wigan Well, you may ask what has this to do with the Technical College and London University. By Wigan Borough? Although I am not aware of 1954 he had become Lecturer in Astronomy at any local astronomical societies now or in the Edinburgh University. Whilst at Edinburgh, past (I am certain that some person will let me Professor Reddish was appointed one of five know if I am incorrect), there have been assistants to Professor Lovell at Jodrell Bank individuals from the area who have strong where he spent three years. Five years later, in connections with the subject. 1959, he was appointed lecturer in Radio Astronomy at Manchester University. Following Harry Rigby on from this in 1962 Professor Reddish became Principal Scientific Officer at the Royal In March 1930, the ninth planet, Pluto was Observatory, Edinburgh. Four years later he had discovered by the American Clyde Tombaugh, a become Deputy Chief Scientific Officer. On leading astronomer of his time. Tombaugh 1 November 1974 he was appointed by Royal attended Burdett High School in Kansas. His Warrant to the position of Astronomer Royal Mathematics Master whilst he was there was a for Scotland, a post which he held until his Harry Rigby from Leigh. resignation on 30 October 1980.

Harry was born in Plank Lane where his father The title Astronomer Royal for Scotland was Simeon carried out his business as a created in 1834 and formerly linked with the greengrocer and fruiterer. Harry received his post of Regius Professor of Astronomy in the early training at Plank Lane R.C. School. University of Edinburgh. The position itself is Eventually he became a certificated teacher and one of the two senior posts within the Royal held an appointment at Bolton before Household of the Sovereign of the United returning to Leigh where he held teaching Kingdom, the other being the Astronomer positions at Plank Lane Methodist School and Royal. Between 1991-1995, the title was in then Leigh Council School. He emigrated to abeyance, during which time the decision was Kansas in 1909 and retired from teaching in made to separate the post of Regius Professor

8 of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and the Director of the Royal Observatory at Edinburgh. The traditional ties also existing between the two posts was severed.

During the years 1981-1997 Professor Reddish was Governor of Rannock School. His heir was the author of numerous publications including: Evolution of the Galaxies, 1967; The Stella Formation, 1978; and The D-Force, 1993. James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847-1913)

James Ludovic, whose family home was Haigh Hall, represented Wigan as an MP from 1874 to 1880. He was a trustee of the British Museum, President of the Camden Society as well as being a prominent Freemason, having been a Past Senior Grand Master of England and Master of the Wigan Lodge of Antiquity and the Lindsay Lodge, Wigan.

He had also been President of the Wigan Literary and Scientific Society which had been formed in 1877. James Ludovic was an ardent bibliophile like his father Alexander. He added many literary and historical documents to the fine library at In 1886 Ludovic bought back the Balcarres Haigh Hall. In fact the Bibliotheca property from Sir Coutts Lindsay son of Lindesiana was considered to be one of General Lindsay, his uncle. Not long afterwards the greatest private libraries in Britain. he presented all his telescopes and other Through his interest in science and astronomical equipment at Dunecht to the astronomy in particular, he was Observatory in Edinburgh and sold the responsible for the erection of an Dunecht estate. observatory at Dunecht. At the age of 31 James Ludovic was elected President of James Ludovic Lindsay, as William Bamford the Royal Astronomical Society. states in his excellent paper, read before the David Gill, a fellow astronomer who lived at Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1986 the Dunecht Observatory became Astronomer ‘became an enthusiastic experimental scientist Royal of South Africa. In 1872 he accompanied and astronomer with his own laboratory Ludovic who had financed a private expedition in London’. to view the transit of Venus from the Island of Mauritius. It was from here that Ludovic His first laboratory was in Eaton Place, then he contracted Mauritius fever. moved to 48 Greek Street, Soho. Shortly

9 before his death in 1913 his grandson David A second lecturer from Stonyhurst who gave Lindsay visited him and ‘saw his laboratory in an astronomical lecture for the Leigh Literary the garden at 2, Cavendish Square, full of Society was the Rev. Father Aloysius instruments and lathes’.2 Lawrence Cortie. He appeared at the Co-op Hall on 7 October 1901, to talk about After the Government suggested that the ‘The Age of the Sun’. Royal Observatory of Edinburgh be abolished due to its state of disrepair, Lord Crawford Cortie had studied astronomy offered to donate his whole collection of under S.J.Perry at Stonyhurst. He books and instruments on astronomy from was a Fellow of the Royal Dunecht Observatory to the Nation. His Astronomical Society and served donation was accepted and resulted in the for many years on the Council. opening of the Blackford Hills Observatory Between 1900-1910 he was in 1896. Director of the Solar Section, British Astronomical Society. As The Royal Observatory for Scotland now President of the Manchester houses the astronomical book collection in its Astronomical Society, he travelled Crawford Room and is regarded as second widely to places such as Vinaroz, only in the world to the one in Russia. It Spain to observe a total eclipse includes around 400 photographs of comets and also to the Tonga Islands and on which Lord Crawford became an expert. Sweden. Cortie was distinguished in solar and stellar physics as well Leigh Literary Society as well as terrestrial magnetism. He taught Physics and The Society was established in 1878. Since its Mathematics at Stoneyhurst inception it encouraged speakers from outside for twenty seven years and was the geographical area of Leigh to lecture on a also Director of Music wide range of subjects including science. and a Gilchrist lecturer.

On 19 October 1887 a large number of people One publication in the Dootson attended the Liberal Club Lecture Hall to hear Collection at Leigh Library by S.J.Perry a Jesuit Priest from Stonyhurst give a Cortie is entitled ‘Father Perry, the lecture on ‘Solar Eclipses’. A Londoner by birth, Jesuit Astronomer.’ It was Stephen Joseph Perry (1837-1889) studied at published by the Catholic Truth St Acheul, Stonyhurst as well as at London and Society in 1890 and includes a list Paris. In 1860 he was put in charge of the of Father Perry’s Scientific Papers observatory at Stoneyhurst where he also as well as Perry’s Observation on taught physics and maths. Faculae and Veiled Spots. In 1863 he went to St Beunos in Wales. Three years later he was ordained, after which he Notes returned to Stonyhurst. Here the observatory 1. Leigh Journal 8th November 1946 became noted for its studies in Meteorology 2. Donald Anderson. Life and Times at and Solar Physics. He engaged in numerous Haigh Hall. Smith Books (Wigan) 1991 surveys and made trips all over the world to observe solar eclipses. Like Lord Crawford he Editor’s Note: If you want to find out more went to Madagascar to observe the transit of about the International Year of Astronomy, Venus. He died on 27th December 1889 in the please visit www.astronomy2009.co.uk Salut Islands off French Guiana whilst on an expedition to study a solar eclipse.

10 FRIENDS OF THE HISTORY SHOP

FRIENDS volunteer. Sessions are at 1.30pm and 3.00pm and there is a nominal charge of £2.50. To book a place OF THE please telephone (01942) 828128. HISTORY SHOP Ongoing Projects Indexing of cemetery records of St Aiden’s Billinge and Helping with Local and Family Holy Trinity Downall Green. Plus St William’s RC History in Wigan and Leigh baptismal records.

Christmas Get Together Things to be Addressed The constitution needs to be updated and a meeting is On the 19th December the friends and volunteers from being planned for this purpose. Volunteers and Friends Wigan and Leigh were invited to Trencherfield Mill to currently have separate identities, but it is hoped to see the steam engine for our annual Christmas thank bring them together under the same umbrella terms in you. Chief Engineer Bill Rowley gave the friends and the future. volunteers a talk about the engine and showed an AV presentation about the mill. Unfortunately the main If you have any queries about the Friends engine was under repair please contact me at and waiting for a valve, [email protected] but the auxiliary engine or John Wogan, c/o The History Shop, was used to turn the Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU. rope race and run it at a slow speed. John Wogan “Friends” news co-ordinator Friends and volunteers in front of the rope race wheel. Archives at Leigh At the Archives volunteers have been assisting Lisa Keys to select 5,000 images from the photography collection to be digitised and put online. At Leigh Library the Leigh Family History Society provides a workshop each Monday. History Shop Once the History Shop closed for refurbishment volunteers sprung into life! Under the supervision of Christine Watts volunteers began the hard task of moving thousands of books out of the Taylor Gallery. Tasks included the erection of boxes and lids, filling the empty boxes with books, bubble wrapping larger books and manuscripts, labelling boxes/books and bar- coding them. The full boxes of books also had to be manually moved down three flights of stairs, into seven cages each holding 16 boxes! Hopefully there will be a lift in place when the books return after refurbishment! Family History Workshops Although the History Shop is closed Family History workshops are still going ahead and will be held every Wednesday afternoon at Wigan Library. Workshops take place on a one to one basis with an experienced

11 Basil Joseph, Michael Joseph, myself Mary Philomena and Veronica Mary Weaving Memories Together

By Philomena Morgan

But this was no ordinary bench with a basin to spit out the From the mid family, this was ‘The Tierneys blood into. I’m sure I didn’t of Dicconson Crescent, imagine that memory. 1940's through Wigan’. Husband Basil, wife We lived on the north side of town Veronica Mary Margaret and off Standishgate but not far the 1950's, an their four children, Basil enough up Wigan Lane to call Joseph, Michael Joseph, ourselves posh. We were far from ordinary family myself Mary Philomena and posh. We were brought up to be polite and ‘to be good’, whatever Veronica Mary, all good lived in a that meant. Catholic names for a ‘good terraced house Catholic family’. We were in St. Mary’s Parish and Mummy was a teacher there.I surrounded by With half a dozen Catholic started nursery school when I was churches within striking distance three and often went on my own an extended of our house we had no excuse to asking someone to put me across miss Mass on Sundays and we the main road. For a short while in family in the often went during the week. the infants I was in Mummy’s class Maybe this was out of duty or just and was made fun of for calling nearby streets. to be sociable but I like to think the teacher Mummy, it was it’s because we wanted to go. Dad difficult to call her Miss. In school once went to 11 o’clock Mass the we had lots of toys to play with day after he’d had all his teeth and an indoor slide. There was a removed, sitting on the back big open fire surrounded by a

12 large brass guard-rail and heavy the middle of Wigan. Not quite enormous wheels and ornate water heating pipes around the the middle, that was Market Place handles. On summer days the large room with radiators. All the where a policeman would be on larger prams would have fringed floors were polished wood and point duty standing on a small canopies which would sway in the had a wonderful smell. platform at the road junction breeze as the pram rocked along conducting traffic. He would be effortlessly. We had a hood to Every day we were given a gill (a wearing large white gauntlets and protect us from both the rain and third of a pint) of milk to drink blow a whistle. I suppose his job the sun. through a straw, on cold days this wasn’t that dangerous and maybe really made the roof of your mouth a little boring as there wasn’t At an early age I remember being ache and on hot days it tasted much traffic. The big double- taken to the clinic in Millgate to dreadful. Michael, one of my decker buses would have to pass have an injection in my arm, this brothers says he used to be a milk close to him as they parked near was probably a polio jab. I was monitor; I wonder if this was to the underground lavatories. told to look at pictures on the tiled give out and collect the bottles or walls while the needle went in and just made sure everyone drank it? Anyway back to Woolworths. The then I really cried. On the way In school we were encouraged to store was famous for selling home I was bought a ‘humming think of others less fortunate than everything and when I was about whistle’ to pacify me, which it did. ourselves and were given ‘prick three years old I also thought they Mummy used to take us in the old cards’ to take home and collect sold babies due to the line up of pram to this clinic to get our money for the Black Babies, prams outside. Here I thought the supply of orange juice, this came pushing a pin through a square mummies could take their pick of in small glass bottles and was each time a donation was given. the babies left in the prams. Our wonderful. We were also given a We were only babies ourselves and pram was rather dumpy, I think it regular spoonful of cod liver oil each afternoon little camp beds was yellow with small wheels and and malt to keep us healthy. The were put out for us to take a nap. I had a false floor under the plastic after taste as you sucked the have an excellent photograph of covered mattress. It was possible spoon was delicious. myself and my friend, Josephine to find old crusts of bread or a Generally I suppose we were quite Russell, taken as we are kneeling leftover Farley’s rusk to suck on if healthy except for the regular on a mat during an activity session, you delved down far enough. colds everyone would get. I I think we are playing musical bells. Parked alongside our pram outside remember Basil once being Josy was, in the years to come, one Woolworths were quite a range of bandaged up all round his head of my ‘best friends’. prams, some similar to ours and with only his eyes showing. This I others much grander coach built Woolworths, the famous store was found out later was impetigo prams on spring frames with up at the top of Standishgate in which was very common in children. It was treated with Gentian Violet, whatever that is. Veronica was the one often ailing with something, at the age of seven she had her tonsils removed.

During the War years Daddy was at the Munitions factory at Beech Hill and a member of the Constabulary. He was a tall man and I was proud of him being a policeman. He had dark wavy hair, wore glasses and had a strong voice which I never remember being raised in temper. Later he worked as a cutter at the Bleach Works at Red Rock. Some of the ends of the material would be brought home and put to good use. The blankets stamped with the utility sign came in very useful and lasted years.

Mummy was of medium height with dark hair which during those

13 War years she wore long and held washing. She would also make have been more interesting, or back with combs as was the matching summer bonnets with a better still to have stolen fashion. She was always very calm brim over the face and at the back something or even committed and her sister Winifred told us that to shade the neck. We had winter murder. You would then listen to Veronica never grumbled at bonnets which were really warm the priest, who was behind a trellis anything or anyone. It was lovely to and tied under the chin. I screen, mumbling in Latin and then sit quietly with Mummy. I have a remember a beautiful artificial furry in English he would tell you what distant memory of each day around coat with matching bonnet and you had to do for your penance, it two o’clock in the afternoon muff that Veronica had when she was usually to recite three Hail settling down with her near the big was little. It was brown and we Marys. Before leaving the old radio to ‘Listen with Mother’. called it her teddy coat. I had a confessional box you would say an The first thing we heard was “Are white fur trimmed coat once also Act of Contrition. You had the you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll with a muff and I loved it. choice of this prayer being the long begin…”. When the children’s or the shorter version, I always programme had finished we’d get So far we weren’t too different to went for the shorter as, by this ready to go out. It was always most of the families around and time, I was so worked up and sunny and I would have my face this stayed like this for a while. Our nervous about forgetting my lines washed at the kitchen sink with a house in Dicconson Crescent was that I wanted to get it over with flannel and the golden light coming rented and every Saturday morning and get out. On getting out I through my eyelids. It was either a the money and rent book were always felt so happy, spiritually, I walk up town to Woolworths to see taken down to Hilton and Leylands mean with my soul shining within how the babies were selling, or the office on the corner of Greenough me. Or so I thought. other direction up Wigan Lane Street. 17s 11d a week The May Day procession was an towards the Little Park. On the 18th June, 1949 when I was important event in the church’s coming up to seven I made my first calendar and Grandpa was very Our Mummy was always busy Holy Communion at St. Mary’s. involved in its organisation. The sewing and knitting. The Singer I had reached the age of reason, so statue would be surrounded with treadle sewing machine was always they say. We had practiced a lot flowers and an arc of light bulbs. in use making clothes for her and preparing for the real thing we The congregation would sing children or hemming curtains or had been given ‘pretend’ hymns and as the May hymn tablecloths. She did some beautiful Communion bread. A few days “Bring flowers of the rarest, bring embroidery, some of which I still earlier we had made our First blossoms the fairest” was sung. have. Mummy was a wonderful Confession. Going into the The ‘Queen’ would climb a ladder knitter and produced sweaters and Confessional box was quite and hold the crown over the berets worked in intricate ‘fair isle’ daunting, but we were told exactly statue then when the words “Oh patterns and even made covered what words to use, “bless me Mary we crown thee with blossoms buttons for the many cardigans she Father for I have sinned, it today” she would place the crown knitted. One such cardigan can be is…weeks since my last confession on the head of the statue. Grandpa seen on a photograph of myself and I accuse myself of these sins”. would flick the switch and all the when I was about three. The We then had to list the sins we had electric light bulbs would light up. photograph was taken by Uncle committed. I can only remember He never failed to do it, just at the Hubert, one of Daddy’s brothers confessing to telling lies, a venial right moment and it always sent who lived at Bryn near Ashton-in- sin, which got quite boring, maybe shivers down our back and, in later Makerfield. Daddy took me there, if I’d missed Mass one Sunday years, bring a tear to the eye. about five miles away, on his which was a mortal sin it would Real theatre. bicycle. He tied a cushion to the crossbar for me to sit on. As he cycled down the street Mummy called after him to remind him to remove my cardigan for the photograph as she had made a special dress for the occasion. He forgot but even so it’s a lovely photograph. Mummy made all our dresses usually with smocking worked across the chest or frills going lengthwise down the bodice. They would normally have a white Peter Pan collar, which would sometimes be removable for Morgan P 1949 crowning group St Mary’s Wigan

14 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

MR DAKIN SHARES MEMORIES OF HIS Do you YOUTH WITH US By Mr Remember? E Dakin Do you remember the days before diets? get roped in for a couple of hours hard graft. Excuses I do. We, the working-class folk, even in weren’t accepted. My reward was some unforgettable those penniless times of want, tried to advice on how to do a good job, and perhaps, just perhaps, a butty smothered with jam or margarine. keep a good table. One or the other, you couldn’t have them both. They Good thick broths made with plenty o’ vegetables, weren’t made o’ money, you know. and left to simmer for ages with a good size bone Back then, growing up in times of poverty, possessions, from t’butchers, just to give it plenty of goodness; even clothes, amounted to almost nothing. Those were mopped up with chunks of Mam’s home-made white the days when a best suit meant just that. Best, was bread. By ‘eck, just remembering makes me slaver. worn on Sundays for church, visiting relatives and for Home-made steak and kidney puddings that you weddings, funerals and christenings. Things weren’t sliced open the pastry of, to let free a flow of meat bought because you took a fancy to them, they were and rich gravy, that made you dizzy with anticipation. bought because they were essential to your needs. There were always plenty o’ spuds. The ubiquitous Your parents, especially your Mam, gave a great potato. How can you survive without potatoes? deal of thought as to how the family budget was to Boiled, chipped and mashed or made into a belly- be allocated. filling hash. Sunday was our posh day. Best suit and tie, clean shoes, newly baked bread and cakes and pies. And what about those thick beef dripping butties? Tinned salmon for tea, or plates of Lancashire hotpot Finish up with plenty o’ rice pudding or Mam’s with red cabbage. currant cake smothered in butter. All good body sustaining food, full of stodge. Lovely! Those were the days when no one dieted (only sick folk). Your Mam cooked the grub, put it in front of you and you Standards scoffed the lot. There were just folk, thin folk, and in between folk, and Success that was it. There were no keep-fit clubs or health clubs or dieticians. We just got on with living, and being ourselves. Our main exercise was walking. To the shops, The History Shop, with Trencherfield Mill, has been work, pictures, pubs and clubs. Even our leisure time successful in achieving Visit Britain’s Visitor Attraction was spent walking at places like Haigh Hall, the park Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS), an increasingly and along the canal towpath. If you saw someone recognised quality and standards endorsement. running, you knew he’d done something wrong. You didn’t run unless you were in trouble. The assessment involves a mystery visit by an independent assessor Grandparents were always stern and grim and always looking at the quality of the visitor lived just a spit away. experience from pre arrival onwards and evaluates all aspects of service, My paternal grandparents lived just around the corner including interpretation. We aim to from us, and granddad, a retired canal boatman, continue to provide this high level spent his retirement on his allotment behind the of service when The History Shop house. If Mam sent me round there on some errand reopens next year following or other, I would ?be handed a hammer or a spade and refurbishment.

15 Trades Council to Labour Representation 1906-1908 by Yvonne Eckersley

On 9 October 1908 the Leigh Chronicle records ‘The Leigh Labour Party have definitely selected Mr Thomas Greenall for their candidate’.

A deceptively simple statement. One that marked the end of a remarkable journey by a group of determined working men that formed the nucleus of the Leigh Trades Council. Men like George Brown (Secretary) and Charles Aubrey (President) and many others, had the foresight and tenacity, in the face of stiff opposition, to develop a group of local trades union representatives into an independent political party with its own prospective Parliamentary candidate. This is Cllr Charles Aubrey the story of that journey.

Leigh became a Parliamentary Historically the Liberal party in When the Trades Council first Division in 1885. From then until Leigh was a sympathetic supporter floated the idea of joining the 1922 it was represented by Liberal of social reform. C.P. Scott Leigh’s Labour Representation MPs. In 1885 the electorate was MP from 1895 to 1905, who had a Committee in 1903, one extended to include working men leading role in Manchester politics opposing argument was that the (no women and not all men). In and Parliament, was a radical interests of Leigh workers were 1901, 35.4% of men worked in the Liberal. He was also editor of the well represented by the Liberals. mining industry (53% of the Manchester Guardian. This daily Given Scott’s high profile in electorate), 7.5% in general paper, priced to facilitate a radical politics it would have engineering and 13% in the working class readership, seemed so. However in Leigh, as production of textiles. There was championed social reform. nationally, the power of a whopping 67% of female However upon Scott’s organised Labour was in the workers employed in the textile retirement, the next Liberal MP ascendency, many were becoming industry! By 1906 there were for Leigh was not as sympathetic. disillusioned with Liberal politics 13,625 male voters (population Often Mr Brunner was perceived and saw independence from the approximately 40,000). to be the reverse. Liberals as the way forward.

16 The pioneers of the Leigh Labour elements both striving for the interests of labour in Leigh Party working within the Leigh supremacy’. A week later it was appeared adequately covered by Trades Council, had the task of reported at the meetings there the Liberal party. Mr C. Walkden persuading this group of Union was ‘worldly warfare’. On the was especially keen to retain the Representatives - whose priority 15 Nov 1907 the Leigh Trades status quo and of course the lay with improving the pay and Council found it ‘hard to keep Socialists thought they conditions of working men - that order at the meetings’. Again represented labour interests best. their task would be better served on 13 March 1908 it is if Leigh had independent Labour commented ‘in the Leigh Trades A significant problem for the representation in Parliament. Council there was always a budding Labour party’s passage of arms between independence was this The leaders of the Socialist Socialists and Labour’. The identification of their members Democratic Party and the particular actions of Lees and with other political parties. supporters of the Liberals were Gregory who were ‘always alert Action was required to break the two most powerful to come down on any mistake in this pattern. opponents to the Trades Council the Trades Council’ were noted. officials’ attempts to form an As early as January 1906 the independent Labour Party. The From June 1908, after Lees and Chairman of Trades Council Socialists saw themselves as Gregory left the Trades Council, started the ball rolling telling champions of the working the ethos of the meetings were the Trades Council ‘It would be classes. Indeed they were very reported thus, ‘Trades Council better for the Labour Party if active in local politics. At that more peaceful’, by July the Leigh every man connected with it time the Trades Council was Trades council meeting was ‘of a kept themselves clear of the actively trying to organise very humorous nature’ whilst in Liberal and Conservative support, the Socialists were August ‘the LTC meetings have parties’. Many Trades Council holding many high profile become more businesslike and delegates had canvassed for debates and public meetings in peaceful’. By this time the Trades Liberal or Socialist candidates in Leigh. The local press covered the Council had formed a Labour municipal and Parliamentary proceedings in detail. Party and was well on the way to elections and this it was felt selecting an independent was hindering the election of Unfortunately for the Socialists prospective Labour MP for Leigh. the Labour candidates. many of their political aims alienated the ordinary working What makes the achievement However there was nothing in man. Their vision for Britain more astounding is that the the Trades Council’s constitution could be interpreted as members of the Trades Council that prevented this collusion. Communist. Mr MacCartney were all working men who had Changes needed to be made. The Conservative MP for Manchester only minimal formal education. debate was raised, ‘In the speaking in Leigh voiced this. It They worked hard and for long absence of a Labour candidate was said that the Socialists’ hours, brought up families, were should a Labour man take any policy was to ‘nationalise or trades union representatives, part in party politics?’ This socialise the whole means of some became municipal prompted the resolution production, distribution and councillors and still found the forwarded by George Brown exchange’, and by Socialism the time, energy and motivation to ‘That no Official of this council Socialists ‘meant communism apply themselves to the shall identify in any capacity with and that means the complete enormous task of setting up a any political party in any reversal of the way in which they political party! municipal or parliamentary work, lived’ (Chronicle 17 Jan 1908). whether it be Liberal or At each stage these far sighted Conservative’. But before this The same press also recorded the men were required to convince resolution could be voted on, the struggle, often vociferous, their fellow members of the term ‘official’ needed to be between members of the Trades benefits of the actions they were clarified by each branch. Council particularly Mr J Gregory proposing. They adhered to the and Mr A Lees, (Socialist activists) recognised procedures of their By this time the Trades Council and the exponents of organisation, ensuring all its had made its political intentions independent labour branches were fully informed and clear. In February 1906 the Trades representation particularly involved in making decisions. Council became the Leigh and George Brown and Charles They coped with scepticism and District Trades and Labour Aubrey. The Chronicle of direct opposition, explaining Council or Labour Representative 13 September 1907, notes that themselves as they went along. Committee. Accordingly there there were ‘two antagonistic For many, particularly the miners, were subtle changes in the

17 constitution. Branch delegates confusion he wanted to say they branches had no provision for decided the term ‘official’ applied belonged to the Independent joining the Labour Party they to the president, secretary, Labour Party’ (Chronicle should join through the Trades treasurer, auditors and the 23 Nov 1907). Council. Mr Gregory and Mr A Lees executive of the Council, delegates did not join. were members, and that the However before a Parliamentary Labour Representation Committee candidate could be selected the During the summer of 1908 constitution stated that ‘members vexed question of independence George Brown produced a detailed strictly abstain from identifying needed resolving. On 17 January draft for a Leigh Labour Party themselves with the Liberal and 1908 it was mooted that Socialists constitution. It was circulated to Conservative parties’. This should be removed as Trades the branches for debate and theoretically left just the Socialists Unions would withdraw if they did approval. Approval duly received to be dealt with. not. A statement in the Socialist and the first meeting of the Standard had said ‘We now declare Labour Party was held on Tuesday However this was going to prove War on existing trades unions and 23 July 1908 in the Cooperative difficult. At the meeting of their leaders’, and had alienated hall, Ellesmere St, Leigh. At that 27 April 1906 a resolution was their Trade Council colleagues. meeting nominations for municipal moved by Tyldesley Spinners and parliamentary candidates Association ‘that no official shall On the 13 March the Miners were requested before the 21 identify himself in any capacity jumped the gun and a poster September. The adoption meeting with any political party during any announced that that Tom Greenall, was to be held on 5 October. municipal or parliamentary the miners candidate, was to be elections neither shall any official the ‘Labour Candidate for the By October 1908 then the vexed of this Council hold office in any Leigh Division’, this led to some question of a completely political party ie Liberal, confusion. The Trades Council, independent candidate for the Conservative or Socialist parties’. jealous of its independence, denied Leigh Labour Party was resolved. The resolution was lost 12 votes to they had adopted him. The affiliation the Miners 8. Trade Council members who Federation of Great Britain to the were opponents of the resolution In May a decision was made National Labour Party and the were led by the vociferous formally to form a Labour Party. agreement of the Lancashire and Mr Gregory and Mr Lees and the A Resolution ‘that the Trades Cheshire Miners Federation’s to pro-liberal Mr C Walkden. This Council should form a Labour Party fund Mr Tom Greenall’s campaign resolution was again debated in with a view to the adoption of a facilitated his adoption as Leigh late August resulting in 8 for and 9 labour candidate for the Division’ Labour Party’s first Parliamentary against. A Leigh Spinners delegate passed 12 votes to 10 (Chronicle candidate. The funding was a defended the Socialists and 15 May 1908). At this meeting the major consideration. Mr Greenall’s Tydesley Gasworkers delegate said Socialist delegate was not re- election expenses in January 1910 ‘they should leave well alone’ elected. In June the affiliation to were £1,349 1s 0d whilst the Leigh whilst at the same time raising a the National Labour Party was Labour Party’s first balance sheet resolution condemning Mr agreed on unanimously. In July it (March 1910) recorded £27 5s 3d Brunner‘s opposition to Sir Charles was announced that where cash in hand. Dilke‘s amendment to the Trades Disputes Bill. The Engineering delegate stated ‘the Socialist party in his opinion was a conglomerate of artists, poets and every class of people under the sun, any of whom could not possibly belong to a trades union’ (Chronicle 31 August 1906). Clearly it was a divided Trades Council.

By 1907 the campaign for local recognition of an independent Labour party developed further. Increasing numbers of municipal seats were being fought and won. Many, including Charles Aubrey’s, were fought on a ‘straight Labour ticket’. As Aubrey stated ‘to dispel Trades Council Coop, Leigh

18 The commercial hub of post World War II in Wigan By Joyce Churchill

All around the town centre, the financial affairs of Wigan’s commercial life took place in the banking institutions. The monetary activities of the grocers, florists, gents’ outfitters, cafes, gown shops, tobacconists, bakers, butchers, fishmongers, hotels and pubs were all attended to by familiar, friendly bank staff. They were well-trained on the premises, to deal with all customers, including many manufacturing companies, and even the local dealings of the mighty National Coal Board, with huge income and outgoings. Remember the ‘Big Six’ banks in Wigan? There was Westminster in Standishgate, Williams Deacons and Barclays in Wallgate - and their smaller branch in Mesnes Street, District Bank at the top of King Street - with its County Bank Branch at the top of Library Street. Immediately opposite was Midland, with Martins situated on Market Place. The honourable Trustee Savings Bank, near to Wigan Hippodrome, was favoured by many small savers, like my dear late Granny, happy to invest there, and take pride in the balance in their Savings Book. Many other Wiganers used the Post Office, to suit their needs at that time. Wigan Savings Bank, King Street, 1936 I was duly appointed as a member of staff, after signing the obligatory ‘Declaration of Secrecy’ document, by District Bank Ltd at No1, King Street. A splendid, solid building to work in, as was our County Bank Branch nearby. We had four other sub-branches at Ashton, Hindley, Pemberton and Upholland - which was only open on Thursdays. A member of staff, Mr Fred Wardle lived in a flat above the Pemberton Branch, situated by the Police Station, with its living quarters too. The opening hours of Banking were from 10.00am-3.00pm, Mondays to Fridays, and on Saturdays from 9.30am until noon. The daily routine of District Bank Ltd had to be strictly observed. All staff had to register by signing into an Attendance Book before 8.30am, after that time, they used red ink for Mr John W. Mason, the accountant to check. The staff side entrance was supervised by the janitor/porter, a Mr Daniel Rafferty, a character as solid as the Bank’s pillars. Before the main doors opened there was much activity and preparation for the day’s business. Vast amounts of post had to be opened, recorded, checked, and generally dealt with. The phone-lines were frantic, the cashiers prepared all their tills, the cash was brought up from the vaults, ready for withdrawals. The task of the Junior was to fill all ink-wells, to change all the pen-nibs (pre-Biro days then!) and to fix fresh, pale green blotting paper in the main body of the bank. Thus prepared – let business commence! More to report later! Manchester and County Bank, Market Place Wigan 19 The Parish By Bob Evans The Latter Days of the Parish Administration Vestry Atherton 1839 to 1864

Until the second half of the 19th Meetings began with acceptance expenses each day they attend century the administration of of a resolution to adjourn to the Board & be paid out of the local affairs was still based on either the Bear’s Paw or Queen’s Highway Rate…” legislation enacted in the 17th Head. Once reassembled, and no century and even earlier. doubt suitably refreshed, those A notice dated 23 November Responsibility still lay in the present proceeded with an 1839 appears to indicate that hands of prominent ratepayers agenda comprising the approval initially the Constable’s year still appointed each year by their of the previous year’s accounts followed the traditional pattern fellow townspeople. Separate followed by the selection of the beginning and ending in the late sets of records show that until principal officers, Overseers, autumn: this date the principal officers, Highway Surveyor, Church “Notice is hereby given that a the Overseer, the Highway Warden and Assessors of Taxes, Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Surveyor and the Constable, were for the coming year. Township of Atherton, being appointed at different dates ratepayers, will be held in the during the course of the year to By this date the responsibility for Towns Office, Chowbent, on serve for different twelve-month actually providing relief had been Thursday, the fifth day Decr. Next periods. transferred to the Union for the purpose of….laying before Guardians and the overseers the said Inhabitants the Accounts In July 1838 notice was posted were only responsible for of the Constable of the said that “a public Town’s Meeting collecting and passing on the Township for the last year….” will be holden at the Town’s poor rate to the Union. They, Office in the old School at however, continued to make In the autumn of 1842 Chowbent …for the purpose of public the names of all who ratepayers were called to a considering and adopting received relief who were thus meeting to respond to an Act of Measures for the Management of labelled as paupers. Parliament requiring them to the Parochial Affairs of the Township of Atherton.” From the following year a single book contains the minutes of Annual or Vestry Meetings at which the Officer appointments were made at the same time for one administrative year, extending from the end of one March to the next. The ratepayers and others were summoned to attend these meetings on specific issues, by notices posted on the Chowbent chapel door.

In 1844 the selection of three appoint more Parish Constables. Guardians to represent the From 1843 onwards, prior to the Township was included in the Annual Meeting and following agenda and they receipt of notices from the Justices, were,“…allowed 2s for their 15 constables were appointed.

20 By the second half of the century it was clear that the Vestry administration lacked the powers or resources to provide an infrastructure and range of services to meet the social and economic needs of an expanding local community. In 1863 the decision was made to adopt powers provided by the 1858 Local Government Act and form a Local Board to give the township The names of those appointed, typhoid which resulted from the an administrative system based on as in 1856, include their lack of sanitation and clean water. a greater degree of occupation and appear to In 1849 a committee was professionalism, continuity and allocate each to one area of appointed to meet the access to central funding for the township. requirements of the Sanitary Act capital schemes to provide “..for the removal of nuisances in sanitation, drainage, clean water the Township.” In 1856 Mr. Selby and road construction. became its chairman and John The Vestry however continued to Manley was appointed Sanitary meet annually though with very Inspector with a salary of five much reduced functions, principally pounds. Again there is no record only retaining the duty to appoint of any work he did. Overseers and Guardians to the Little space remained in Church or Union and express views about chapel burial grounds and the rating issues. Its powers to Vestry was able to take advantage supervise the Burial Board and cemetery were transferred to the A small payment of twenty-five of an Act of Parliament that Local Board in 1876. However, later shillings is recorded for this duty. permitted the use of money from local rates to establish public- minute books continue to record Payments were also made to the funded cemeteries. During 1854 meetings until the end of the Highway Surveyor. In 1840 William and 1855 decisions were taken to second decade of the 20th century Fildes received £15, paid quarterly, form a Burial Board and to when its remaining duties in but in 1843 Jonathan Hesketh was purchase three acres of land for a relation to the provision of poor only granted £10 to be paid at the cemetery. The cost was set at relief were assumed by County and end of his year of office. Neither £2100, later increased to £3000, Borough Councils. the minutes nor the surveyor’s for laying it out and building account books that survive provide chapels. This cost was to be met much information about the work from a loan from the Loan Sources and that was actually undertaken. For Commissioners to be repaid by acknowledgements “..charging the future Poor Rates of reasons not explained, when Peter The account is based the Parish with the payment of Wood was appointed in 1850 he principally on the minutes of Such Money...” It was stipulated was informed “..that the Surveyor the Vestry meetings 1839 to that two thirds of the land was to of the Highways is not allowed to 1885 (A/1/3) in the Atherton be used for Church of England employ either his own sons & or Township records together Horses in repairing or amending burials and the rest for dissenters. There was no mention of Roman with illustrations from the said Roads or work himself..” Catholics. In 1856 Mr. George associated miscellaneous Marsland was appointed as clerk to documents. (A/2/1). Brief Existing legislation limited the reference is also made to the ability of the vestry and the Board with a salary of £20 and provision was made to hold annual contents of A/1/3 Minutes of appointed officers to use income Vestry Meetings 1886 to 1897 they raised from local rates to meetings of the Board in February each year. In 1863 there was a (A/1/3) and Vestry Meetings paying the annual revenue costs 1899 to 1927 (A/1/4). of their duties. meeting at which “..the Burial Board be requested to procure an As always grateful thanks is This financial restriction limited estimate of the probable expense due to the archivist for any ability to address many of the of a Heurse and Heursehouse with making documents available problems facing an increasing harness for one Horse also the and for help in suggesting population particularly the spread probable receipts that might be additional sources. of diseases such as cholera and expected per annum..”

21 WELCOME

FLOODS By Bob Blakeman

Flooded fields in winter There is a strong correlation Lane. Here there is a large area were a welcome sight to between deposits of alluvium of alluvium extending and field and street names approximately from Pottery the medieval peasant. containing the word ‘meadow’ Road in the north to Keats The layer of water where the River Douglas wends Avenue in the south. In this area protected the soil from its way around Wigan. current names are Fourteen Beginning in the Haigh Meadows Road (about which frost, and stimulated Plantations, where the valley of more later), Swan Meadow the grass into early the Douglas is too narrow to Road, and Parson’s Meadow. growth once the floods contain any sizeable fields, the Swan Meadow Road may sound valley opens out at Bottling idyllic, but it is more likely to be had subsided. In Wood. Here there is a flat piece named after a landholder addition, rivers and of alluvial land called Hermitage named Swan, than the bird. streams in spate carried Meadow. The valley suddenly Swan is a not uncommon narrows again as far surname in the Wigan district. particles of rich minerals downstream as the present This may also be the origin of from the uplands, and Tesco supermarket where it Swan Lane, Hindley, where, until deposited them on the opens out, and there is a large recently, there was no large flooded land, increasing area of alluvium as far body of water. Parson’s downstream as Darlington Meadow, lying behind the the fertility of the soil. Street. Just downstream from present Halfords and Tesco, and on the same side of McDonald’s retail outlets was Livestock were prevented from the river were the Pillitoff glebe: it belonged to Wigan grazing on the grass when the Meadows. On the other side of Parish Church. floods had subsided. In June the the river, where the Quality luxurious growth was cut and Hotel now stands, were the Following the Douglas further dried, and stored as hay to Water Heyes (i.e. water and downstream, on the site of the provide food for livestock in fields); near the Wigan Little present Robin Park Arena was winter. Without this animals Theatre was Pennington Harrison’s Meadow. On the would have had to be Meadow. Mill Meadow, named other side of the river near the slaughtered. after the Rector’s corn mill, present Meadows Street was a which was situated at the freehold estate called simply Land that was used for the bottom of Millgate, occupied ‘The Meadows’. Further to the production of hay was called land near the present Derby west, on the canal, is a lock ‘meadow’. The best meadows House high-rise flats. A little called El Meadow Lock. This is occurred where the action of further downstream was Pepper derived from Elbow Meadow, so running water over a long period Mill Meadow, which extended to called because the River Douglas had produced a fine-grained the present Darlington Street. used to take a very sharp bend fertile soil known as ‘alluvium’. here until its course was altered. However, where the valley floors Downstream from Darlington were filled with acid peat, the Street there is only a very Not all meadows were found on surface would be covered with narrow strip of alluvium, and the flood-plains of rivers: these coarse vegetation unsuitable for there are no ‘meadow’ names were simply the best. Away from use as hay. until we come to Poolstock the flood-plains any patch of

22 grass more luxurious than that Meadows could be held Although the construction of surrounding it might be reserved individually, collectively, or as reservoirs at Worthington in the for meadow. An example ‘parson’s freehold’. In this last mid-nineteenth century reduced appears in the Legh Terrier of case such meadows belonged the amount of water in the River 1466. This is a detailed register to a church, but were Douglas, flooding was still a and description of lands held by considered to be the freehold frequent occurrence in the area the Legh family. These lands of the parson during his between Poolstock Lane and included the sub-manor of incumbency. Parson’s Meadow, Wigan Pier (see photograph). Norley (Hall) in Pemberton, and mentioned previously, was part Improved flood prevention here we find mention of “The of the church lands or ‘glebe’ works after the Second World Parkfield, containing eight acres of All Saints’ Church, Wigan. War reduced this threat; but and more of land, with a small Individually-held meadows recent increased rainfall, as part parcel of meadow in [it]”. included Harrison’s Meadow of wider climatic change, has and Swan Meadow. Fourteen once again meant that former Flood-plain meadows were Meadows Road refers to some meadows are subject to valuable: two or three times collectively-held meadows. In flooding. In January 2008 more valuable than arable land, such cases the meadow was flooding occurred at the bus and manorial lords whose divided into strips called depot near Pottery Road, and manors were on higher land ‘doles’. These strips were later in the year emergency were eager to acquire them. So allocated in rotation to those sandbagging had to be put in it was that Bruggemore persons who had the right to place further downstream. More Meadow, situated between farm them. Originally their permanent flood prevention Warrington Road (A49) and boundaries would have been schemes are in the offing, Parson’s Meadow, became part marked by lines of stakes, but including the construction of a of the sub-manor of Norley, but they seem to have been dam at the bottom of Coppull separated from the main body enclosed and made permanent Lane; so once again Hermitage of the estate by the properties fields by the time the area was Meadow will be flooded as it of other landholders. surveyed in the late 1840s. was in the past.

Pottery Lane Flooding, 1931

23 By Elizabeth Fairclough Looking Back and Looking Forward

So far the year 2009, connection with the town of and early 1960s! Often it feels Wigan. However, Buddy Holly did that these earlier periods are even in its early stages play on 18 March 1958 at the eclipsed somewhat by the seems to be a time of Ritz Cinema, later known as the 1973-1981 period of Northern new beginnings and ABC, which was situated on Soul/All-Nighter period. anniversaries of note. Station Road, and is now long gone as part of the Over in the USA, Detroit, redevelopment for the Grand Michigan, was the hub of the Firstly, in January 2009 came the Arcade Shopping Centre. car-manufacturing industry and Inauguration of President Barack was known as Motor City. For Obama and the 50th Anniversary The World War One building in years migrants had moved to of the Tamla Motown music Station Road, (again no longer Detroit from Southern states to label. February brought the 50th there) which was originally settle and work there. It was Anniversary of the untimely named the Empress Ballroom from this background that Berry death at 22 years of age of and Billiard Hall, with the 2nd Gordy, a black former car American singer Buddy Holly. At floor adjoining known as The assembly-line worker had the first glance it may seem that Palais, was later better known as idea of creating a universally these events have little Wigan Casino. It also had an appealing presentation of black adjoining ground-floor building, music which could break down The Beachcomber Bar, where the cultural and class barriers and be practice was to try your luck to accessible to the rest of America see if you could gain and indeed the world. The music admittance there before that was bursting forth from attempting the actual Detroit, Gordy named Tamla Casino. Wigan Casino Motown, short for Motor Town was one of the most and he named his studios pivotal places for music Hitsville USA. It seems barely and dancing in the credible to us now, but in the 1960s and early early 1960s in America, black 1970s, and indeed for music struggled to be heard on decades earlier. Who radio, with many stations can forget the mill refusing to play any. girls wearing their brightly coloured see- However, as the Civil Rights through headscarves Movement began to gather over their spiky rollers on momentum, the music labels of Saturday afternoons, Tamla Motown, Stax and Atlantic preparing to go dancing on provided the soundtrack. As I Saturday nights in the 1950s watched the footage from the

24 Tamla Motown Revue from March success. The polished 1965 on TV last night (shown professional Georgie Fame from Leigh on BBC Four on Saturday performances, 21 February) I was transported immaculate and back to being 13 years old whilst glamorous outfits and seeing and hearing a brilliant choreography struck a blind boy introduced as Little chord with the British Stevie Wonder playing harmonica people. It seemed so on Ready, Steady, Go! I could not colourful, vibrant, believe the amount of talented exciting and uplifting. artists that were assembled The music after that TV together in one place, The show seemed to be Supremes, The Four Tops, The everywhere in the years Temptations, Smokey Robinson & to follow and Wigan The Miracles, Martha Reeves & The Casino became the Vandellas, Mary Wells and Marvin main place to be if you Gaye. There began my perpetual wanted to hear it and love affair with Tamla Motown in dance to it on its particular and music in general. fabulous sprung floor. The show was put together at the insistence of Britain’s most Favourite live local bands prominent female artist of the of the time were Edward time, the marvellous Dusty John Concern and Springfield, who was a great fan Harlem John’s Reshuffle who fans from about 1968 to 1970, of Gordy’s stable of Tamla’s artists played blues and souly stuff. But with full coaches leaving Wigan and who herself appeared at the who can forget the queue to get Market Square on a Saturday Empress Ballroom in Wigan. in right down the steps at the night. More locally, other Casino! With the pulsating beat favourites were The Cromwellian The Tamla Motown Revue had of ‘Nowhere To Run’, ‘Road in Bolton, Leigh Casino, The played extensive dates Runner’ or ‘Just A Little Monaco at Hindley and Wigan throughout Britain, including Misunderstanding’ coming from Rugby Club at Central Park. The Wigan in April 1965, at half- inside! Once inside, the music just last two places were places that empty venues. The members of defied you not to dance! It was people normally walked home the tour were understandably impossible NOT to! You just did from. No-one seemed to bother disappointed and resigned to not want the night to end. The about taxis then! returning to the U.S. without feeling was that you were there in much success. On this same tour the midst of something special. The Tamla legacy lives on and was a local lad Clive Powell, from many contemporary artists in the Cotton Street, Leigh near to the Saturday afternoons after UK and around the world admit Sportmans Pub (Georgie Fame of finishing work at 12 were often how much it has influenced them. Georgie Fame and The Blue spent choosing a pair of ear-rings Paul Weller is a great example. Flames) who was riding high in from the Market Hall, and maybe the UK charts with a hit single a top from Margaret Razaq’s or Although there may not seem ‘Yeh Yeh’. Martha Reeves told Ali Khan’s stall. If it was just after outwardly to be many parallels reporters that though the pay-day you may even buy an with black working-class kids from Motown artists were all used to item at Chelsea Girl and some Detroit and white working-class the harsh, cold winters of the US, Miner’s make-up from Woolie’s as kids from Wigan, the music they and they were all from housing well! Then the luxurious bit, a pot listened and danced to may in projects (or estates as we would of tea in Lowe’s Tea Rooms on the some way have helped to bring a say) they were used to central top floor of the store (now greater understanding and heating, iced beer and soft toilet Barclays Bank). After discussing awareness of other communities. tissue. England in 1965 was still the night before and making final We all hope that ‘A Change Is largely a land of coal fires, no plans for the next one we would Gonna Come’, that the late Dr. central heating, warm beer and try to squeeze a third cup of tea Martin Luther King prayed for, will hard, shiny toilet paper! out of the silver pot and then be happen. We do know that the on our way home. music that was brought over in After Dusty constantly badgered that Revue in 1965 is still enjoyed TV bosses they agreed reluctantly The Highland Room at Blackpool extensively, probably more than to air The Tamla Motown Revue. Mecca was another favourite ever, whether you are from Detroit The TV show was an immediate with Wigan Motown and Soul or Wigan. Long may it continue!

25 Trace of the lost canal at Haigh

Hidden in Haigh

By Mr Neil Cain

Most Wiganers know of and Douglas Valley. Traces of these lost workings. Continue along the enjoy, the wonderful amenity important developments still exist, river until the path climbs sharply on their doorsteps that is often hidden in vegetation or and bends to the right. At the fork converted into today’s broad turn left off the main pathway. Haigh Country Park. Joggers, walkways. They can still be found Opposite the boulder marked ramblers and dog-walkers all quite easily; knowing where they ‘Devil’s Canyon’ you will see a high benefit from having access to are may add to the enjoyment of a bank on your right. An easy walk its pathways through walk in the park. up onto the top of the bank puts magnificent woodland, but you above the Ince seams of coal One of the earliest references to the just how many realise that and a circular depression near the use of Haigh Estate in a commercial they are walking through one drop into the valley marks the site sense comes from 1538 when John of an old shaft. of the cradles of the Industrial Leland wrote in his itinerary ‘Mr Revolution? Bradshaigh of Haigh hath found Return to the fork in the paths and much cannel, like sea coal in his notice two mouldering sets of Over the past year I have become ground, very profitable to him’. steps. These lead up the ‘lost’ canal fascinated by the history of the of the 1790s which ran for about Haigh Estate during the years in Cannel was famous for its property half a mile from Haigh Foundry at which modern Britain was being of burning with extreme heat the foot of Leyland Mill Lane, to forced, quite literally, along the whilst leaving virtually no ash. The Marsden’s Farm in Bottling Wood Great Haigh Fault threw the cannel and conveyed coal to the Foundry. to the surface under the Haigh The clearest impression of the canal Estate, so early mining was at a is between the steps and the big relatively shallow depth. Other pond. John Lewis of Montgomery seams, like the Ince Four Foot seam cut the canal for Alexander were easily mined. Coming down Haliburton, the Manager for the from the impressive gateway on Earl of Balcarres. It is shown on the Wigan Lane, opposite the Infirmary, first Ordnance Survey map of and turning left at the bridge over around 1850. It was soon the Douglas, will give the walker superseded by another advance in Old drainage tunnel near old pits the chance to see some of these technology.

26 Return to the main pathway up this tunnel Sir Roger Bradshaigh from the Douglas Valley and walk drained a large area of coal on his with the valley on your right. You land and set the seal on the are now walking along an old profitability of the Estate inherited railway line parallel to the canal, by the Lindsays. dating to 1856, linking Haigh Foundry to the Lindsay Pits at Return to the main drive and up to Whelley. This railway only lasted the Hall, walking to the green until about 1869 when the Whelley railway bridge. Take the narrow Loop-Line, which ran under the woodland track to the right and large green bridge on the main one may see the old shafts that Tail race of Old Brock Mill Forge drive to the Hall, was built. As you were sunk at the time the Sough walk the old track-bed, you will see was built. The easiest to see are to mention of Haigh’s industrial a cutting on the left which once the left of the track and quite close history would be complete carried the railway and probably to it - 4th Pit and Sandy Beds Pit, without mentioning Haigh the earlier canal. It exposed the with the protective metal fencing. Foundry and Brock Mill Forge. Ince Four Foot seam again and was At the beginning of this piece I Many early pumping engines for the site of an illegal ‘day eye’ pit of mentioned the early shallow pits of mines were made at Brock Mill, the General Strike of 1926. Haigh. One such is a collapsed bell now a new housing estate. Haigh pit in Bottling Wood where the Foundry was engaged in similar The path finally runs out at the roof has fallen in after a circular work as well as manufacturing over intersection of the main drive with chamber was worked in the coal at 100 locomotives for use in local the path up to Whelley. Drop onto a modest depth. Retracing one’s pits and for the famous Great the main path and double-back to steps to the wooden bridge over Western Railway, for French use the wooden bridge over the ‘Yellow the Yellow Brook and climbing the and for the 1850s Crimean war. Brook’. Today the Yellow Brook is pathway up the facing bank will What a sight it must have been to rarely yellow, since the ochre-laden lead you to a point where the see huge teams of horses dragging water from the pit workings is paths level out. Here on the left is a heavy machinery up the steep cleansed in the newly constructed quite noticeable deep circular pit incline of Leyland Mill Lane to settling ponds. that marks the site. Wigan Lane before the railway system was established! This area was once the site of From here return to the main drive scientific pilgrimage and was called and go down to the Douglas So why were the two works ‘The Eighth Wonder Of The World’. Bridge. In this area occur clays that founded here? Water power from View this by crossing the wooden were used to make bricks. More the Douglas for the hammers and bridge, then turning left along the interestingly, in the 1670s and local coal were prime influences. In bank for a few yards. Opposite you 1680s John Dwight of Millgate, addition, ironstone occurs in the will see a rusty metal grating - the Wigan, patented the first English- river banks. Between the main drive entrance to the Great Sough. This made porcelains made from the bridge over the Douglas and Haigh tunnel was two thirds of a mile Haigh clays taken from the area Foundry orange ironstone nodules long and six by four feet. It took 18 close by. may still be found in the streams years to cut it by hand without any running into the Douglas. blasting powder, at an average of The circular walk is now 66 yards per year! By constructing virtually complete, but no This brief walk over some sections of the Park can only hope to scratch the surface of Haigh’s hidden past. There is so much more, but next time you are enjoying a walk in the lovely grounds of Haigh Hall just keep an ear cocked and you may hear an anvil ring, or a horse whinny as it pulls a barge on the lost canal, or even the thud of a pick, such is the legacy of the past.

Thank you for kind assistance to: Jenny Metcalfe, Geologist at Haigh Country Park, Wigan Sandy beds pit sunk to the great sough Leisure & Culture Trust

27 YOUR LETTERS AND QUESTIONS

Dear Editor

I am keen to support your efforts to engage readers in a wide- range of activities in Wigan & District. I am moved to offer the attached photograph to see if you feel it might provoke some interest and response.

I believe it depicts several of the local Rugby League referees of the time probably in the 1950s or 1960s. Whilst I can recognise the faces I am having difficulty naming them all.

The one on the right is definitely Tommy Monks who served at one time as Mayor of Wigan. My own father Willie Ainscough is squeezed in at the back centre of the photo. Dear Editor replacing the ropes and Yours faithfully, cleaning up the original gold, Roy Ainscough green and red paint, the drum Hindley & District History now looks magnificent and is Society recently acquired the PS I wonder if the seated figure on display in Hindley Museum. big drum used by St Benedict’s on the left was Tom Catholic Boys’ Brigade some 60 Watkinson/Wilkinson and the We at the History Society are or 70 years ago. The drum was seated figure on the right trying to gather as much found under the stage in St perhaps Norman Railton? But information as possible about Benedict’s Club and now resides these are just guesses. the drum. If any readers in the Museum at Hindley remember seeing the drum in Library. It was very dirty, not action, or have paraded behind Dear Editor surprisingly after all these years, it with the Catholic Boys and there is some damage to Brigade, we would love to hear the paintwork by the St We make reference to the ‘Can your stories and see your Benedict CBB sign. Mr Jimmy you Help’ letters, article Joseph pictures. Batley, a member of the History Houghton page 34 (issue 50)! Society undertook the task of Could you please make a Any information readers have returning it to its former glory. correction to the email address. that will help us piece together Jimmy removed the ropes and Please note that the email address the history of the drum or St two outer rims to give the drum Benedicts Boys Brigade it would [email protected] is no a careful but thorough clean to be much appreciated. longer in use! Our new email remove the grime. The rims address is [email protected] revealed gold paint on the Please write to Norma Brannagan, Hindley History Thank you! insides, the skins look much cleaner and, although fragile, Society, c/o Hindley Library, Market Street, Hindley. Yours sincerely sounded healthy enough. After Mrs Betty Battersby washing, repairing and

28 Dear Editor such a luxury here in our RAF camp. Everything then seemed to happen After such a million to one chance so quickly. The gangway was meeting, we had to say our lowered and we prepared to board In a clearing in the Burmese jungle “Cheerio’s” without even sharing a the ship. Struggling with our full kit in 1945, we, RAF photographers, mug of char (tea). At least the Army we were met with an Army Division were responsible for showing it would seem, had a canteen! coming into Singapore on the other feature cine-films to the lads. The Apart from a small report in the flank. Just as both columns levelled screen was a large piece of canvas local paper recording our rare out on deck, a voice cried out stretched between two tree trunks - meeting in Burma, we lost touch above all the noisy activity “Austin, not very ‘professional’, but our with each other after the War. Austin, hello there“ and kept this efforts usually kept everybody up for some time. Eventually, I saw happy. One day I suggested we Sometime in March 1946, my a hand waving in a sea of kit bags - could make the screen similar to ‘demob’ came through at last. My and there he was - George Fallows, those in cinemas, if we painted a time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, was a near neighbour of mine, who black band around the edges. This almost ended. I duly went for my lived only a short distance from my would obliterate the jagged edge medical and started packing my home on Chapel Green, Hindley. surrounding the projected picture. bags. A few days later saw me Neither of us could stop, so we Naturally, having suggested it, I was joining the RAF demob contingent both kept up shouting and frantic given the job. I set about making a for the long, hot and dusty train waving until we lost sight of each ladder- using two trunks of slender journey down to Singapore. Here, other. This indeed, was surely a trees, with cross-pieces nailed as after the usual checking in at the remarkable coincidence. Thousands required. With a can of black paint Transit Camp, we were allotted of miles from home and here the from ‘the stores’, I climbed my temporary billets to await the two of us, pass within a few feet of ladder and started work. I was arrival of the troop ship, which, each other, going in opposite rounding off the corners to make according to the song, ‘would take directions on a troop ship. my efforts look more like the real us home to Blighty’. After a week thing, when someone called up to or so, we were called out on Considering we both lived in me in a strong Wigan accent which parade with orders to move out. Hindley, we met up again after the I recognized immediately, “Can you We were transported to Singapore War and now we meet frequently show me the way to the canteen docks, and there she was, a at Tescos and have a friendly chat, chum?” As I turned - the shock beautiful sight, the ‘Winchester usually both struggling with a nearly brought me off the ladder. Castle’, our floating abode for the loaded food trolley and certainly Looking up at me was Bert Ball, next 28 days or so. This time it not a heavy kit bag. formerly chauffeur to the Mayors of would be a solo performance, no Wigan. I scrambled down the need for a naval escort as before. Mr Austin Lyons ladder and almost landed on top of him in the excitement as we fell about laughing and joking with each other, over our remarkable encounter. Now an Army Transport driver, he was here looking for spare Free swimming. Imagine that. parts. Before the War, Bert and I met almost weekly on the various From 1st April EVERYONE can swim for FREE* Mayoral engagements in and * To benefit from free swimming around the Wigan district, which I you will be required to become a covered as a local press lifestyle member and upgrade for £1.50. photographer. What a Pick up an application form from any transformation for Bert with his WLCT leisure centre or pool. formerly large, gleaming and always As well as free swimming you will be immaculate limousine to the dust entitled to a number of other covered, camouflaged Army truck discounts. A full list of these can be he was now driving. I’m afraid I found on our website. couldn’t direct him to the canteen as requested as we didn’t enjoy telephone 01942 486901 www.wlct.org/lifestyle

29 By Barbara TRIPS ON Anderston THE BARGE

I am looking forward to Appley Bridge, near Wigan, to from the canal. He would get a meeting Uncle Bob who has a help with picking potatoes. We big shovel butt, put thick wire barge along the Leeds & would both get half a crown, mesh over the shovel, and tie Liverpool canal based at which seemed a lot of money rope over the shovel which Crooke Village. I can’t wait to us, and of course we would could then be thrown into the for the holidays and the spend it on raspberry pop and canal. Slowly they pulled out weekend when I am able to Smith’s crisps which only cost pieces of coal, this method was go with Uncle Bob and help us threepence, leaving us plenty called ‘cebbing’. This coal was him with taking coal to of change. I would like it when then put into wheelbarrows in Wigan Power Station. Some my cousin and I would go to some old flour sacks; the full days we change route and go the drift mine at the John Pit sacks of coal then placed into to Burscough, and take flour colliery at Crooke, where the wheelbarrows. These were then to a corn mill at Parbold big coal wagons loaded with taken around the village and through to Burscough. If the coal would go down the old-age pensioners were asked flour wasn’t ready to be railway lines to be weighed on if they would like to buy some collected, Uncle Bob would the roundabout. The coal cheap coal and slack. take me and my cousin back would be released down a on the barge. chute in the barge and some I met some interesting people coal would spill over from the and heard sad tales along these It was August, the potato- barge and fall into the canal. trips; there used to be some picking season; my cousin and I One old villager thought up an shops along the village of would go to Valentine’s Farm at idea on how to get the coal Burscough where they sold Indian brandy out of a tap. It was in the time of the 1940s with old-fashioned shops where you could smell polish when you opened the door. On returning from Burscough we would go back to Crooke, where on a Sunday it was time to clean the barge down; clean the coal grates, brush the carpets and wash all around the barge ready for Uncle Bob’s next trip down the winding, peaceful canal.

Living near the railway and canal was very nice but sometimes things would go horribly wrong. One time I came home from school and Crooke Coal Tip Pier, 1938. remembered my mother telling

30 me that a big coal wagon had slipped its brake and was slowly going from the drift mine and gaining speed down the line. There was a big stone house really close to this line where the tipping used to take place. Mrs Barlow, the lady who lived at the house, collapsed with shock at the sight of the coal wagon upturned at the end of the tipping near to her house. Everyone in the village was saying that it was a wonder no- one was in the way of the Old Windmill and Canal, Parbold runaway wagon. This incident was reported in the Wigan Evening Post newspaper. The boy’s leg. The impact of this that if Poker wasn’t afraid of villagers were left a bit drew blood and his shoes the big locks then we should frightened after that, but I became covered in blood. The not be either. He said we don’t remember anything quite motorbike rider had not should hold Poker and try not like it happening again. realised what had happened. to look down at the big walls The family took the little boy to inside the lock. We did this, Sometimes the lads next door the nearest pub along the canal remembering what we had would go into the wagons and bank where his wound was been told; we thought of get a shovel of whatever was cleaned up and dressed. Poker being fearless and our left. Helping with coal would reward of fish and chips provide fuel for winter and I Another favourite pastime was afterwards, and so did not remember many people would having fish and chips at think of the danger! cycle from Springfield and Burscough, as there was no fish Beech Hill, bringing their and chip shop at Crooke where After that first time of staying families with them on bikes, so I lived. The nearest was the one on the barge as we went into they could watch the tipping at Burscough which was six the locks, we became less off the barges. miles away. We loved these fish frightened and soon got used and chips and raspberry pop. to the locks and the big keys. In the school holidays, people We like going with Uncle Bob Sometimes it would be raining would spend all afternoon at on the barge, and each barge and cold, so we would stay Crooke Village when the barges had its own name; Uncle Bob’s below in the cabin, having our were going to Wigan Power was called ‘SHELGA’ (I think the ‘Oxo’ drink with our butties of Station and Burscough Corn name is an Indian Queen name, sliced bread, cheese and pickle Mill. When it was sunny, and meaning ‘Keep Faith Within and an apple and a pear. We always on Fridays and Me’). We also enjoyed cleaning would read our comics; ‘Beano’ Saturdays, my cousin and I the brasses around the fireplace and ‘Dandy’ – which we had would sit in the garden of the just bought from the shop pub alongside the canal. on the barge, as Uncle Bob liked it to shine. At first, my down the way to Burscough, Sometimes Uncle Bob would sit just off the canal. Sometimes outside with us, or sometimes cousin and I were scared when we approached the canal locks Uncle Bob wanted to go further stay inside. He liked to get than Burscough, but we needed chatting to other barge owners and we would ask to be left at the side of the bank until we the right key for every lock, and discuss what they had because if not, the locks could became used to the big, wide heard or seen during the day. not be opened. One time, a family with two locks. It took us a while to get boys were walking down the used to them, and we believed Uncle Bob would sometimes go canal bank when some motor- what helped us was finding a to the pub at Parbold with the bikers came along; a stone was stray mongrel dog who became other barge owners, and we accidentally thrown up by their our friend. We named the dog would sometimes meet other wheels which hit the small ‘Poker’, and Uncle Bob told us children from nearby Wigan.

31 They would sometimes tell us of him pigs’ trotters and black tripe, near the barge tucking into their drunken men fighting over who or would give him five shillings sacks of oats. Sometimes Uncle had won at card games. On trips to for getting their items of would be asked to save the Wigan, the Summer Fair on the shopping for them. horses’ shoes and the old people Market Square had candy floss, in the cottages would nail them Uncle liked to tell us there was toffee apples, lollies and cups of onto their coal sheds to promote some treasure at the bottom of the black peas; my cousin thought they good luck around the cottage. canal, because of the drunken men were delicious, Uncle Bob told us Some would ask for the horse who had fallen in wearing they were called ‘pigeon peas’. muck to put on their gardens to expensive watches and rings. Our They certainly made us feel warm help the roses and fertilise the soil; last night on the ‘SHELGA’ was and ready for the walk down this would get good Burscough always a Sunday, as we were at Wallgate, where ‘SHELGA’ was potatoes and carrots. Everyone in school on Monday; but we were moored with all the other barges, Crooke liked it when Uncle always excited and couldn’t wait their owners and families. brought back Burscough until Friday when we would back vegetables, saying they tasted on ‘SHELGA’. Some of the old people around better than Wigan Market the Wallgate canal area would It was Uncle Bob’s dream to retire produce. They could tell the sometimes ask Uncle Bob to get and settle down in the old lock difference as chips from them some Indian brandy from house at Appley Bridge, with Burscough’s Fish and Chip shop the shop at Burscough; they ‘SHELGA’ moored at the side, tasted better than ones from believed it had a strong flavour ready to use for barge trips once Wigan. Perhaps it had something because it came from the barrel. the tipping of coal was finished. to do with the rich soil from the Other requests would be to bring We would still go on ‘SHELGA’ up horse muck! back paraffin from the barrel, and and down the canal, but not bottles of ‘LANRY’ bleach which carrying coal. Uncle would get Our barge trips were lovely down was stronger and more powerful talking to other barge owners, the Carfell tow-path on the Leeds& than other makes. When the old who, at first, had horses pulling Liverpool canal. ‘SHELGA’ got too people from the Wallgate canal the barges. These horses worked old and sadly ended up in a basin area went shopping, they hard pulling barges filled with coal boatyard in Wigan. would repay Uncle Bob by buying and flour; they would be tethered SEE THE MIGHTY TRENCHERFIELD MILL STEAM ENGINE! Don’t let Built in 1907 and recently restored to its former glory, computers discover the fascinating history of the engine. pass you by! Hear talks from the engineers and enjoy an Attend our FREE weekly ‘My Guide’ exciting audio-visual show. sessions where you can discover * their many uses and benefits. FREE every Sunday Find out more each week at the following libraries Viewing Times: or call to reserve a place: 11.00am - 11.45am Ashton ¤776647 Wed 3.30-5.30pm & Fri 1.30-3.00pm 1.00pm - 1.45pm Leigh ¤404404 Tue 1.30-3.00pm Trencherfield Mill, Marsh Green ¤760041 Thur 4.00-5.30pm & Fri 3.30-5.30pm PotteryYOUR PAST Road, Wigan contactYOUR 01942 PRESENT 323666 Wigan ¤827619 Mon 2.15-3.45pm & Thur 2.15-3.45pm YOUR FUTURE Bring along this advert and receive a FREE gift!

YOUR HERITAGE

www.wlct.org/libraries www.wlct.org/heritage

32 SOCIETY NEWS

Aspull and Haigh Leigh & District Wigan Family & Historical Society Family History Society Local History Society

Meetings are held on the second Chairman: Tel 01942 743428 Meetings are held at the Thursday of the month at Our Lady’s Secretary: Tel 01942 729559 Caledonian Hotel on Bolton Road, RC Church Hall, Haigh Road, Aspull Ashton-in-Makerfield, Near Wigan, Monthly meetings held in the Derby at 7.30pm. All are welcome, contact WN4 8PF on the third Monday of Room of Leigh Library at 7.30pm on Barbara Rhodes (01942) 222769 for each month (7.30 for 8.00pm). the third Tuesday of each month. further details. Attendance fees are £2.00 per Weekly Help Desk run by members meeting for both members and Atherton Heritage Society of the Society each Monday from visitors. For further information call 1.30pm to 3.30pm in the Local (01942) 727875 or visit Meetings are held on the second History Section of Leigh Library. www.wiganworld.co.uk/familyhistory Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in 20 April St Richards Community Centre, Local History Federation ‘A torurous jumble of title deeds Mayfield St., Atherton. Members Lancashire and Family History’, £1.00. Non Members £1.50. Speaker - David Lambert. For further information contact 18 May (01942) 884893. The Federation holds several meetings each year, with a varied and ‘Lancashire the Black and White Tuesday 14 April interesting programme. For details County’, Speaker – John Mackie. ‘The History of Real Chocolate’, visit www.lancashirehistory.org or 15 June Speaker - Michael Clarke call (01204) 707885. Annual General Meeting. Tuesday 12 May No meeting in July or August. ‘Where Does Time Go?,’ Skelmersdale & Upholland Speaker - Peter Watson Family History Society Wigan Archaeological Tuesday 9 June Society ‘WW1 - Our Boys’ (The story behind Meetings held at 7.30pm on the a WW1 Memorial Plaque in the 4th Tuesday each month at We meet on the first Wednesday of village of Hawkshaw, Nr. Bolton), Hall Green Community Centre, the month, at 7.30, at the Baden Speaker - Jonathan Ali. Upholland. For more information Powell Centre (District Scout HQ) in visit www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk Billinge History Society Greenough Street, Wigan, for 28 April lectures and discussions on topics of ‘Irish’, Speaker - James Firth. historical or archaeological interest. Meetings are held on the first Admission is £3. For more Tuesday of the month at Billinge 26 May information call Tom Glover on Chapel End Labour Club at 7.30pm. ‘Breaking down the Brick Wall’, 01695 624372 or Bill Aldridge on For further details visit Speaker – Peter Jolliffe. 01257 402342. You can also visit the www.billinge-history.com 23 June website www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk Hindley & District ‘How I researched my family’, 4 April Speaker - Alma Harrison. Roman Settlement at Walton-le-Dale, History Society No meeting in July or August. Speaker – Peter IIes. 6 May Meetings are held on the second Wigan Civic Trust Ancient Footprints on Formby Beach, Monday in the month at Hindley Speaker – Ann Worsley. Museum in Hindley Library 7.00pm If you have an interest in the standard to 9.00pm. Admission is £1.00 for 20 May of planning and architecture, and the Committee Meeting. members and £1.50 for non- conservation of buildings and members. Everyone is welcome. structures in our historic town, come 3 June Star Carr - A 10,000 year old site The museum is open to the public at along and meet us. in North Yorkshire, Speaker – least once a week and entry is free. Meetings are held the second Ian Trumble. Contact the library staff for times Monday of the month at 7.30pm. and dates or telephone our The venue is Drumcroon, 2 Parsons 1 July Secretary, Mrs Joan Topping on Walk, Wigan. Contact Mr. A Fora and Fana - Meeting place (01942) 257361 or Mrs Norma Grimshaw on (01942) 245777 and temples of the Eternal City, Brannagh on (01942) 258668 for further information. Speaker – Bill Aldridge.

33 COLLECTIONS CORNER

The second and third medals from the left are the medals The War Medals of Hogg was awarded for service in the Boer War. The Charles Hogg Queen’s South Africa Medal was awarded between 1899-1902, in addition to the medal Charles gained five clasps for his service, they were ‘Cape Colony’, ‘Transvaal’, Welcome to a new Past ‘Orange Free State’, ‘Defence of Ladysmith’ and ‘Talana.’ Forward feature On one side of the medal is a bust of Queen Victoria. ‘Collections Corner’ The other side shows a coastal landscape with battleships which will focus on standing offshore and an advancing army heads toward items that are part of the main figure of Britannia. the museum collections. In this The King’s South Africa Medal was awarded between edition the spotlight is 1901-1902. It recognised service in the difficult latter on five war medals phases of the war, and was to reward those who by that belonged to Mr their long service in the field had brought the Charles Hogg. campaign to a successful conclusion. The obverse has a bust King Edward VII, the reverse is the same as the Charles Hogg was born Queen’s South Africa Medal. in Standishgate, Wigan on the 7 September 1871. He enlisted into the 18th The final two medals, the British War Medal Hussars at an early age and served in the frontier wars 1914-1920 and the Victory Medal 1914-1919, were in India receiving the India Medal. He also served in awarded to commemorate service in the First World the Boer War receiving the Queen’s South Africa War, and to record and celebrate victory. These medals Medal and the King’s South Africa Medal. When the are probably more familiar than the others; this is First World War broke out he had reached the age because these medals were issued in unprecedented limit for active service so he enlisted in the Royal numbers with virtually all service personnel. Those Engineers under a false age. He went on to earn the civilians who served in an officially recognised British War Medal and Victory Medal. Mr Hogg himself organisation qualified for at least one of these medals. donated the medals to the museum collection in 1963 when he was 91 years old. He died in Wigan on The British War Medal has an effigy of King George V the 29 October 1966 aged 95. on one side; the other side depicts a male figure mounted on horseback, trampling underfoot the eagle The first medal on the left of the picture is the India shield of the Central Powers and the emblems of Medal. It depicts an Indian and British Soldier death, a skull and cross-bones. Above is the risen sun supporting a flag with the inscription ‘India 1895.’ of victory. The Victory Medal depicts the classical Charles was awarded clasps for service on the ‘Samana figure of Athene Nike, the goddess of Victory on 1897’ and the ‘Punjab Frontier 1897-1898.’ the obverse and the reverse has the inscription ‘THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION’. Both medals were struck by the royal mint.

Charles Hogg’s name, rank, service number and unit are stamped on the bottom edge of the medals.

The Exhibition Team is currently designing new displays for the History Shop. It is hoped that Charles Hogg’s medals will be on display when it re-opens following refurbishment

34 PROBING PICTURES

The photograph feature is back! Take a look at this picture - all we know is that it was taken in Scholes, Wigan. It possibly dates to 1900. Can you tell us more about who is in the picture, what the occasion was, what the street name was or anything else?

On the look out Do you have any old photographs of children playing games? We’re interested in finding a photograph of children playing ‘Piggy’. If you think you might be able to help us we would be very pleased to hear from you! Please contact Lisa Keys on 01942 404080 or email [email protected] if you can help.

Finding out more

If you would like to find out more about British war Ancestry - www.ancestry.co.uk - Ancestry medals there are several websites you can use: contains many army service records and pension’s records that you may find useful. You can Imperial War Museum access Ancestry for free in any of the libraries in ‘British Service Medals of the First World War’ - the Borough. www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.986 If you would like any assistance or advice North East Medals ‘The Guide to British War you can contact our local history helpdesk Medals’ - http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/ currently located in Wigan Library on britishguide/british_index.htm (01942) 828128.

35 How to Find Us

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M P C

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