Issue No. 36 March – July 2004

Produced1 by Wigan Heritage Service FREE

From the Editor Wigan Heritage Service I’m pleased to report that the The Heritage Service has three main outlets – the History Shop, Archives and Leigh Local reaction to the re-vamped Past History. Please note that all telephone numbers have a 01942 code. If no individual Email Forward has been good – and address is listed, please use [email protected] particularly with regard to the new Family History Section, The History Shop which has produced some very Library Street Wigan WN1 1NU positive comments. Tel: 828128 (general enquiries) There was also a good 828020 (local history desk response to the quiz which we – research enquiries and ran in aid of Wigan & Leigh bookings) Hospice, based on a drawing by Fax: 827645 Gerald Rickards. Unfortunately, Email: [email protected] the results are not yet available Opening hours: Mon 10.00 - as we go to press, but they will 7.00; Tues - Fri 10.00-5.00; appear in the next issue. Sat 10.00-1.00 As you will see, there is a lot going on in the History Shop at Archives the moment. You can read about Town Hall Leigh WN7 2DY our Events & Activities on p3, Tel: 404430 (general enquiries) and our exhibition programme Fax: 404425 on p4. I would particularly draw Opening hours: Tues-Thur 10.00 - 4.30 (by appointment) your attention to Phantoms of Delight, the new exhibition in the Taylor Gallery. This is a Leigh Local History fascinating display of books from Turnpike Centre Leigh Library Civic Square Leigh WN7 1EB the Dootson collection, Tel: 404559 Fax: 404567 beautifully presented. The Opening hours: Mon, Thur, Fri 9.30-7.00, Tues 10.00-7.00; Wed 9.30-5.00; Sat. 10.00-3.30 Heritage Service staff involved have done a really splendid job here. Staff My thanks to all of you who Alastair Gillies – Heritage Services Manager (and Editor of Past Forward) – have submitted articles for 821079 – [email protected] publication. I am delighted that Philip Butler – Visitor Services Manager – 827594 - [email protected] this issue contains contributions Yvonne Webb – Collections Development Manager – 828123 – [email protected] from several new writers, as well as some ‘old faithfuls’. As always, Heritage Officers I will do my best to include all Tony Ashcroft – Local History, Leigh – 404559 contributions, but I must make it Alan Davies – Archives – 404431 – [email protected] clear that I can never guarantee Mike Haddon – Industrial History – 828121 publication - the magazine is Claire Hawkins – Community Outreach & Education - 828124 – heavily oversubscribed with [email protected] regard to contributions, so Christine Watts – Local & Family History – 827404 inevitably, some will not actually make it. My apologies to all Heritage Assistants COPY those who may have been Hilary Fairclough – 828128 DEADLINE Barbara Miller – 828128 disappointed not to see their Please note that Stephanie Tsang – 828128 name in print – as I have said the copy deadline many times, in this respect Past Technical for issue no 37 of Forward is very much a victim of Past Forward is its own, huge, success. Len Hudson – Senior Technician & Photographer – 404432 28 May 2004. Terry Meehan – Museum Technician All comments and correspondence should be addressed to: Editor, ‘Past Forward’, Wigan Heritage Service, Market Suite, The Cover: An illustration by Gustav Canton from the story of Reynard the Fox, Galleries, Wigan WN1 1PX currently on display in the History Shop as part of the splendid Phantoms of Email: [email protected] Delight exhibition (see p4 for further details). 2

Events and Activities FOR details of all our future events, see the What’s On booklet published by WLCT and available throughout the borough, or check our web site www.wlct.org. For further information about events and activities contact the History Shop on 01942 828128. For details of the Education and Outreach service please contact: Claire Hawkins, Heritage Officer (Community Outreach & Education) on 01942 828124 or email: [email protected] May 2004: Museums and Galleries Month This annual celebration of the best in the UK’s museums and galleries takes place in May, when special events, workshops and special exhibitions are held in large and small museums. Museums and Galleries Month is organised by The Campaign for Museums and Engage (National Association for Gallery Education). It is an opportunity for museums and members to the History Shop for a visit, this service is free of galleries to try out new events and workshops, to attract new charge but must be booked in advance (tel: 01942 828128 to and past visitors and to show off all the fantastic things they book). have to offer! Here in Wigan borough the History Shop has teamed up with Wigan Pier and the Turnpike Gallery to bring you a variety Free Family Fun at the History of special events and activities throughout May. Look out for our leaflet for further details Shop Spring 2004: or visit the Museums and Family activities run every Wednesday during school holidays at Galleries Month web site the History Shop. Sessions start at 2pm and 3pm and last www.may2004.org.uk about an hour. All children must be accompanied by an adult. To book your place call 01942 828128. Admission FREE Family Fun In February for example, children created some crafty The History Shop runs activities for families with children Parish Maps in miniature to take home with them. These are aged 12 and under in the school holidays. Activities are free some of the results. and the finished product can usually be taken home (all children must be accompanied by an adult). The activities have become so popular that it is now advisable to book a place in advance. Families are still welcome to turn up on the day, but we cannot guarantee everyone a place without prior booking. Our up and coming family activities include storytelling in the Easter Holidays, featuring fabulous favourites and new twists on old tales. Ever wanted a museum of your own? In June we will be creating miniature museums to take home (you can bring small objects of your own - details below).

Schools Wednesdy 7 April and Wednesday 14 April 2pm & 3pm The “Wigan on the Map” exhibition of Parish Maps is an Fantastic Stories and Tremendous Tales ideal exhibition to visit with your class and has links to the Come and enjoy classic children’s stories, and be gripped National Curriculum for history and citizenship at KS2 and 3. by some rather unusual tales as told by our talented story- We can send you a Teacher’s Pack to enable you to get the teller. This activity accompanies the Phantoms of Delight most out of your visit, including follow-up activities. To request exhibition of illustrated books from the Dootson collection. a free pack or to book a visit, contact Claire on 01942 828124 or email: [email protected] Wednesday 2 June 2pm & 3pm Make a Miniature Museum Far Flung Places is full of objects from our collection. What Wigan on the Map would you put into a museum? You can bring small objects We can offer talks and tours of the Parish Maps (upon (e.g. shells you collected on the beach) with you or make some request), kindly given by the key coordinators of the original new things for your very own museum. project. Available to groups and societies who wish to bring Continued on page 4 3

not so young, come and read a few fairy tales and relive your childhood! Special story telling events, with a professional Events and Activities storyteller, have been arranged for the Easter Holiday (see p3). Continued from page 3 15 May – 24 July Temporary Exhibitions at the Far Flung Places Temporary Exhibitions at the National Museums and Galleries Month is a History Shop celebration of museums in Britain, and the theme this year is travel. We are celebrating with our temporary 1 March – 24 April exhibition Far Flung Places. Phantoms of Delight – Book Illustrations from the What souvenirs have you brought back from your holidays? A Dootson Collection Spanish doll, a donkey in a straw hat or a beautiful piece of Many of you will be thinking what is the Dootson Collection? indigenous craftsmanship? Well, it is a collection of books and paintings given to the Travellers in the past often collected ‘exotic’ items or wrote borough of Leigh in 1952 by the widow of a Leigh local solicitor, extensive diaries as reminders of their journeys, to show how well Thomas Robert Dootson (1864 – 1951), who stipulated that it travelled they were, and for public education. Objects collected should be known as the T R Dootson Collection. abroad in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially by the wealthy, often became the foundation of many of our museum collections, including the nationals such as the British Museum. There are many such items in the Heritage Service collections, which were brought back by people travelling and working abroad and in other parts of the country. These include archaeology from Egypt, ethnography from Africa and diaries by travellers to Australia and Europe. We will also be featuring some snaps of mountaineering in Switzerland taken by the Rev William Wickham on his honeymoon in 1892. On a lighter note, there will be souvenirs and postcards from well loved holiday destinations such as Blackpool, and the Heritage Service staff will also be bringing in their favourite holiday reminders. Visitors will also have their chance to bring in items to pin onto our ‘My favourite holiday’ notice board (but only if you do not mind whether the items are returned or not!). Children under the age of 12 can join in our holiday activity (see p3) and make a miniature museum using objects that they have collected on their travels. If you have any History Shop queries, please contact Yvonne From The Marvellous History of Jack the Giant Killer, written Webb (01942 January – July 2004

and illustrated by Richard Doyle, published 1851. To find out the 828123). EXHIBITIONS & connection with Sherlock Holmes, visit the exhibition.

It is the books which are the subject of this exhibition. There New Exhibition are several thousand volumes, with particular emphasis on and Events Lancashire publishers and authors, and the history of the Leaflet county of Lancashire. However, there are a number of literary Have you seen classics, especially children’s stories and fairy tales, which our new leaflet? It contain superb illustrations, and over 50 of these will be gives information EVENTS displayed. In addition, nearly 100 other illustrations copied on all exhibitions from the books will also be on show. and workshops tak- The illustrations have been selected by Local History ing place up until (Leigh) Officer Tony Ashcroft, who looks after the collection. He July this year. Again chose them simply because he liked them, and remembered it has a handy ‘how many of the tales from his childhood! I am sure you will too! We to find us map’, have ‘Jack the Giant Killer’, ‘Hans Christian Andersen’ and the lists opening times, ‘Story of Reynard the Fox’. There are also some scary ones like telephone numbers ‘The Goblin Market’ illustrated by Christina Rossetti, and the and web and email tale of the ‘Shadowless Man’. The work of Kate Greenaway and addresses. It is Phantoms of Delight, 1 March – 24 April Walter Crane also feature strongly. available at the There will be a drop-in story telling area set aside, with History Shop, some well loved old and modern children’s stories. Parents will Libraries and all the be able to read to their children, or the children can read for Leisure and Culture themselves, and make up their own stories and pictures. We Trust outlets. Make will display children’s drawings in the exhibition. Even if you are sure you get a copy! 4

WHAT A MEMORY!

WE read of so many skates using a golf ball or a out on the hill. I watched as reach the ground I ended up peoples’ memories today piece of wood and walking they started off from in hitting the tree with my and with the possibility of sticks, or trundles (metal front of St. Michael’s Hall; back. I dropped like a stone Alzheimers hovering in hoops), or sometimes even they were going fairly fast winded and couldn’t get my the background, I feel I using an old tyre. when the driver lost breath! should get something That reminds me of the control, crossing Avondale When it had been dry down on paper before it time two of us were at a Road! Now on this corner for a number of days on disappears. loose end, when we went there is a well built brick that hill, the grass became In the 1930’s and 40’s I into our yard and found an wall, and the trolley and like glass, so that anything lived most of my life in old tyre that had come off driver hit it right on the - cardboard, old trays, any Shaw Street, Swinley, and my father’s lorry. I rolled it corner! There was blood sheet metal - would go like although the gang were not to my friend, intending for everywhere - the trolley the clappers, in some cases all from this street, they him to catch it, but it was didn’t survive either. even reaching the ‘Duggy’. always seemed to too big and it was travelling When it comes to roller No suggestion of setting congregate there. too fast’.! It set off down the skates, you can keep your fire to it as they do today. Obviously it depended hill, and we held our breath skateboards and your When the snow came (I on what time of year it was in case a vehicle should be inline skates (these I have remember drifts up to 10 as to what was in vogue. crossing Avondale Road. tried even at 74!). There is feet deep in front of our Dark nights, for example Fortunately nothing was. It nothing to beat a pair of house), the real fun could meant pictures - the Palace, continued on its journey, Winchester double ball- begin with sledges, Pavilion or Empire on a and as it passed a certain bearing skates, bought snowmen and snowballs. Saturday (Flash Gordon, gateway a little girl was just from Oliver Somers. I can’t Your fingers froze, and that The Clutching Hand or coming out of the gate. The recall the number of wheels was through your gloves of Charlie Chan). We used to tyre shot past, continuing I replaced. I ran over my course (then you borrowed get in to the Palace around on its journey to Trafalgar fingers more than once anybody’s). With the empty the side (not having Road. Probably quite a few doing the ‘little daddy’, and pig bins in Avondale Road enough money for the front of you will remember the when we played hockey we we made dugouts, from entrance). It cost 6d or less pig bins that stood at the didn’t wear helmets, knee which we could surprise the if you had jam jars or if you foot of many a gas lamp? or elbow pads. Another other gangs. We would dig lied about your age. The tyre made a mess of a great game on skates was a hole in the snow and Any time after tea it pig bin (these used to stand to form a snake, and woe insert a pig bin, one of us could be ‘skilly’, ‘throw out at the foot of many a gas betide the person on the would get in and then the can’, ‘call a ball’ or ‘hide lamp), bounced through end when the leader others would cover us in and seek’. The blank wall double gates and ended up decided to turn a corner! snow. The opposing gang we used to use was on a at the foot of someone’s Moving on to the other would be enticed down the house that was lived in and trellis! Surprisingly, those summer treats - damming road past the dugout, and the owners could get really two boys were nowhere to the Whitley brook, daring would be surprised and annoyed! Then there was be seen!! pals to go through the pelted with snow. Then, at the necessity for some of How about the trolley? tunnel under the railway, night, when all had gone the players to run along the A most adaptable machine, putting pennies on the line, home and you were left on yard walls so as not to be particularly on a hill where collecting engine names your own, with the light fall caught. This frightened a it doesn’t require motive and numbers, riding the of snow backed by the light certain old lady who lived power. My machine, bikes over the tips. And on from the gas lamp, silence on her own, and naturally constructed by myself of to the Scroggs and the area all around. IT WAS MAGIC! she told the local bobby inch thick timber and 10 below Kings Field. We I also tried skating on who lived round the corner inch diameter pram wheels, played for hours, even the ponds at the bottom of in Sandicroft Avenue; if he had a brake and a steering venturing into the Coppull Lane, using very caught you, and he very wheel! Not having a drill, Plantations, although we old skates strapped to my often did, your ear would the hole for the front axle expected the keeper at shoes (not boots), with quite literally had to be made with a red- anytime. cardboard round my ankles During the summer and hot poker! One game was to hang a for support. One year I tried other days when it wasn’t Another story concerns rope from a tall tree on the them on Wrightington Fish raining, there were all the a certain gentleman (who slope. Brave Hector, of Ponds when the ice was usual goings on. Toys of today has a chip shop) and course, had to go higher up three inches thick in places. the time included roller a friend who, envying the the hill. It was all right Dare I say, “those were skates, bicycles, trolleys, other boys, made a trolley swinging out over the the days”? marbles, top and whip. We out of fruit boxes. One tea- ‘Duggy’, but when I swung R.D. Heaviside played hockey on roller time they decided to try it round the tree and didn’t Standish Wigan 5

THE GHOSTS OF UPHOLLAND Miss Weeton’s guests looked the very picture of wreck. The by Alan Miller paper on the walls was tattered and Miss Ellen Weeton regularly recorded torn and plaster was chipped to the stone, as though the wildest of furies in her letters that Up Holland in the ‘unsolved mystery’. On Sunday 7 had been at some vindictive play. The early 19th century was full of “ghosts, August 1904 mysterious noises could stones in the wall below the window visible and invisible, some that let you be heard at the home of a widow, Mrs seat had been wrenched out of their see them, and others that are only to Winstanley, and her four sons and original setting and were all loose- be heard”. She maintained that “at three daughters. The stone house, jointed; the mortar that had cemented least a tenth of the houses in this three storeys high, was one of the them, as well as the coating of plaster neighbourhood” were said to have oldest in the village, with walls that on the walls, having been used up by such ‘guests’. Miss Weeton went on were several feet thick and windows the mysterious agency in a fusillade of to claim: “Scarcely a field, gate or stile that had deep recesses nearly the scraps. Two great books, which had is without its attendant spirit; and in thickness of the walls. The haunted been flung across the room from the some of the houses the noises these bedroom, which was about four yards window recess were resting on the beings, or shadows, or spirites or square, was accessed via a heavy old bed, where they had alighted.” One of whatever they are, are said to make, door “hung crooked on its hinges”, the Winstanley boys was so terrified are terrible beyond anything”. and had a low ceiling strengthened by by the manifestations that he had to The Mill house was “the terror of massive whitewashed oak beams. be restrained in his bed by his the whole neighbourhood” with its The ghost “gets agate between brothers. “horrid yells, looking glasses falling, 10.30 and 12.30pm” with the sound furniture moving, tongs, shovel and of trickling water, followed by poker dancing, raps at the door and knockings that seemed to travel from Investigation team window, windows being broken one side of the room to the other. The without hands or any living creature curtains were torn from the window The remarkable occurrences were near, noises as if somebody were and thrown over the beds. Paper was kept quiet for some time, and then spinning, churning, dancing, or a mill torn off the walls, patches of hard Councillor Richard Baxter was going; and many other things not mortar were scattered about the room privately informed of the affair and he worth writing”. and large books were flung on to the made preliminary observations. He Ellen was conscious of ghosts in beds. Stones 8 to 12 inches long and believed that, with the exercise of a her own house in Church Street. 2 inches thick were pulled out and little “detective ingenuity”, he would “Some people say they should not like thrown to the floor with a resounding be able to “lay” the “destructive to live by themselves so near the crash. “The walled in window ghost” and with Councillors Bibby and Churchyard as I do. I don’t find that I recess…was the scene of principal Lonergan, he formed an investigation am any nearer the Ghosts for all that. havoc, and this corner of the chamber I have at various hours of the night ¶ when I have been awake, tried to change a gravestone into one, but not all the exaggeration of a strained fancy would make it like a man, a woman, a cow, a dog, a dragon, or a monster of any kind”. For years after the death of her mother, Ellen thought that she could hear sounds of heavy breathing from the room adjoining her bedroom. “I have got up and gone into the room, turned down the bed quilt…felt all about it, examined the curtains, but could find no one”. She concluded that “it must be the owls in the Church steeple”.

Unsolved mystery in 1904

About a century later another house, virtually next door to where Church Street, Up Holland, c.1920. The “alleged haunted house” is jutting Miss Weeton had lived in Church out on the left, just beyond the ‘White Lion’ public house which was re- Street, was the location for an built in the early 1900’s. 6

darkened the knockings began again and stones were thrown about. When the light was immediately restored, it was obvious that the box had been thrown into the corner at the farther side of the room, while the stone with the small piece of paper on its edge was lying on the bed. However, the paper itself had not been touched or moved, even though “the stone had been hurled with great noise and force from the window recess, and the bandbox actually thrown across the room!” Councillor Bibby, who had made “a considerable study of physiological and psychological phenomena”, concluded that the strange manifestations were due to “some as yet unexplained and undiscovered natural law”.

Crowds

The noises emanating from the Front view of the “alleged haunted house” in Church Street, Up Holland, house could be heard 60 yards away. overlooking the grave of St. Thomas the Martyr, taken c.1904. Throughout August the approaches to Up Holland were thronged with people, as exaggerated rumours of the team. The three ‘highly respected and “some lunatic has got secreted in the strange happenings in the ‘haunted’ reputable’ gentlemen stayed in the chimney” or that “rats may have got house began to spread throughout the house on a number of occasions, often into the walls” or that it was due to a area and large crowds assembled in until three in the morning, as part of “passing traction engine”. the village. Despite drenching rain on their attempts to explain the eerie some days hundreds of people arrived disturbances. The stone throwing Councillor Bibby’s theory in Up Holland, where the inns did a continued unabated, one of the roaring trade. Each night “the Winstanley sons being struck by Meanwhile, Councillor Bibby, “a multitude increased” and especially at flying plaster, not only in the haunted very matter of fact business man”, weekends when there was “an exodus bedroom but also in the adjoining continued his investigations. He from the towns and villages for miles bedroom, the hard mortar being described the knocking noises as round” as far afield as Wigan and St “thrown through the communicating being like the ‘ticking’ heard in a Helens. So dense were the crowds doorway”. In the course of their telegraph office. Of the stones and that the police patrol had to be investigations, the three councillors mortar that came from the far corner multiplied by ten. often found stones scattered about the of the haunted bedroom into a On some nights the police had room. They repeatedly wedged them connected room: “They had to difficulty in abating the crowd’s fury, back into the wall, so tightly that they describe almost a right angle in their which manifested itself in bottle could not move them again. However, flight, having to cross the diagonal of throwing at the house and other when the light was dimmed, the the haunted chamber, then turn in the actions “not far removed from stones were again torn from the wall doorway connecting the two rooms, rioting”. At midnight on one Saturday and thrown violently onto the floor. and afterwards take the opposite night the police had to control a crowd Samples of stones and mortar were diagonal in the communicating room.” of about 2,000. Many in the crowd collected and exhibited in a local shop Mr Bibby could not see how a “human could not hear the noises because they window. hand or human agency of any kind were ‘tipsy’ and made more din than Councillor Lonergan, a man of could so direct and control missiles”. the ghost. ‘religious propensities’, was at first He used a pocket knife in an effort to The best view was obtained from inclined to feel rather sceptical of the remove paper from the walls of the the churchyard, just above George incidents and sought a rational haunted chamber but he found it Lyon’s grave. “Midnight at Up explanation. However, on a difficult to dislodge even a small piece, Holland with the clock on the ancient particularly active night, when a box so firmly was the paper stuck. “And church striking, the horrible noise filled with stones flew across the room yet no sooner has the flashlight been going on in the room in front of you, over the bed, Councillor Lonergan turned down, after the experiment, and the gravestone, with memories of could contain himself no longer. He than strips of paper have been torn years gone by, make up a weird and jumped into the middle of the haunted from the very place where he had been uncanny combination, by no means bedroom, clasped his hands together using his knife.” pleasant for any nervous individual”. and cried, “In the name of the Lord, On another occasion, Councillor One girl fainted when she heard the speak!” Councillor Baxter concluded: Bibby, without telling anybody else, first noise from the house whilst a “there’s something quare here” and tore off a small piece of paper and local man confessed: “I’ll never come invited anybody who had doubts as to placed it on the very edge of a stone past here in’t dark agen”. A Billinge what was taking place to “come and resting on the top of a bandbox in the hear it tonight”. It was suggested that window recess. When the light was Continued on page 8 7

one of the sons declared: “I’m going to and which performs all these curious stop no longer, I’m getting frickened.” and meaningless tricks”. THE GHOSTS Councillor Bibby was convinced that Likewise, Mr S S Swithaine there was “no trickery or connivance” believed that if a nationwide search OF from the Winstanley youths. “They were made “it would be impossible to are quite willing for any person to find a more ideal spot for the uncanny UP HOLLAND sleep with them when the performances which have been investigations are being made”. In mystifying the countryside for so long ––––– fact, Mr Bibby advised the exhausted a time”. A haunted house was “never Continued from page 7 Winstanley brothers to escape the more weirdly situated” as the one in uncanny performances in the haunted Church Street, Up Holland, “just above chamber and to get some sleep the grave of a notorious highwayman elsewhere. Eventually, their weary and within sight of an ancient abbey man was too scared to go home and mother stopped people entering the ruin”. “even the bobbies were trembling”. house declaring: “Folk will …think it’s In his article entitled The Haunted Those who were brave enough a money-making concern”. House of Up Holland, Mr Swithaine were admitted to the house in twos John ‘Dolly’ Mills, the village quoted the widespread belief that the and threes to view the chamber and to prankster, was suspected of being phenomena were caused by the ghost experience the “rowdy ghost” involved in the events of 1904. But in of the notorious George Lyon’s personally at close quarters. They Councillor Bibby’s view: “If by any “visiting the scenes familiar to him in climbed the “long, rambling, rickety possibility all this is the work of some life, for rumour has it that Lyon, while staircase” with bated breath. Once in trickster in the flesh then all I can say following his profession on the the bedroom they looked round is that he doesn’t know his business. highway, lived for some period in this fearfully, before departing “visibly The commercial instinct is certainly identical house”. Lyon was executed impressed” by what they had seen in lacking in him. He would be a fool at Lancaster Castle in 1815 for his the candlelight. Some came to scoff who could perform so mysteriously crimes and was buried in Up Holland but most went away with “awesome and play the ghost night after night at churchyard, directly opposite the faces”. For most, the “eerie spectacle such a place as Up Holland, and all for haunted house in Church Street. and ghostly scene” was sufficient “to nothing, when Blackpool would only However, many villagers were freeze the laughter on their lips”. be too glad to have him as an convinced that George Lyon’s ghost entertainer, and pay him for his “would not resort to such pranks” in Possible explanations performances.” 1904.

The house was examined by The answer? scientists, antiquarians and journalists More theories who postulated and explored various When the haunted house was explanations of the phenomena. The Meanwhile the house continued to demolished in 1934 there were hopes investigators concentrated their efforts be “quite a Mecca for psychical that something might emerge to throw on the walled up recess, the scene of investigators”. Colonel Taylor of the some light on the strange events of the greatest damage. One theory was Psychical Research Society took up 1904. However, no one ever explained that an electric battery had been placed residence in Up Holland, to investigate the mysterious happenings of 1904. in the chimney and was worked from a the “weird and eerie drama”. One Any explanation of the Up Holland discharge. Some attributed it to mines prominent spiritualist maintained that phenomena involves a combination of and underground passages beneath the manifestations were caused by “a factors. Mr Swithaine characterised Up the house. A stonemason was called dark spirit that cannot materialise”, Holland as “a place that belongs to the in to undertake a thorough and this “dark spirit” was most active past”. The houses “have crooked, examination of the walls and the in the presence of one of the bulging gables and fortress-like walls” chimney, but he discovered nothing Winstanley sons who was “very and the narrow and winding streets that could account for the mediumistic”. were so steep that in some parts “a disturbances. The wall in the corner of The Daily Mail employed the horse could not drag an empty cart up the room was cemented up, but the eminent ‘ghost buster', Mr W E Garrett their precipitous ascents”. mysterious agency responded by Fisher, to investigate this example of Another journalist believed that Up breaking into another part of the wall. “one of the most characteristic and Holland was ideal ghost territory: The police patrolled the district and interesting types of ghost”. He “Search England through and you Superintendent O’Hara, Head of Wigan outlined three possible hypotheses to could not find a more ideal spot to Police, thought it was a hoax. One explain the events. First, it might be a locate a haunted house than Up policeman brought his ‘bull’s eye’ with human agency or practical joker. But Holland”. In addition to the character him into the chamber and as soon as this would have required “so much of the historic village, the following the ‘blinker’ darkened, the stone skill on the part of the deceiver and of were essential ingredients - the throwing began. But when the stupidity by the observers”. Second, a gullibility and superstition of the constable flashed on his lamp “all was poltergeist or boisterous spirit was at public, the ingenuity of well-known quiescent again”. work. “In the present case he tears local pranksters like John ‘Dolly’ Mills, Some observers believed that the paper off the walls and flings paper and the interests of village publicans manifestations were due to one of the about the rooms (and) no doubt he will and shopkeepers who did a roaring Winstanley boys exhibiting an soon go on to more adventurous trade and had no reason to complain “overflow of youthful honour”. But manifestations”. Finally, Mr Garrett about the ghost and, indeed, for whom the general view was that it was “no Fisher hinted at a “still unknown force it was a blessing in disguise! lark” and that there was no way that with certain human organisms… © Dr Allan Miller the sons could have set it up. Indeed capable of excreting or concentrating Orrell 8

MINING TALES

ANYONE who has ever worked in knot behind him. This allowed him RETIRED Assistant Area to lash the rope around his arm to Mining Mechanisation coal mining for whatever length of time will have a selection of get a better grip. He took his time Engineer, No.2 Wigan Area, digging his heel in the soft ground Ken Pearce, now living at amusing stories to tell of their and, on turning his cap back to Harrogate, has sent us an time below or above ground. The front, indicated he was ready. amusing mining anecdote atmosphere amongst workmen at On the other side of the canal, from his days at Bickershaw the pit was a unique one, and quite a large crowd had gathered, Colliery, Leigh. many natural comedians were to be found. and the man with the cat in the bag Joking and banter with was finding it difficult to sort out “I WAS working in the coalcutter officials were all part of making attaching the rope. The crowd was engineering shop at Bickershaw life down the pit bearable. One beginning to push forward, and the Colliery in the early 1950’s when a well known undermanager down man with the cat was asking for a young man on entering the colliery Bickershaw Colliery many years little more room, and for the spare lamp room saw two attendants ago had a very short temper and rope to be thrown out of the way. looking at him and arguing one with would scrap with men at the The stage was now set and, as the the other. They seemed to be slightest excuse, a sackable man bent down to fasten the cat discussing his physical ability. He offence. Five minutes later he with a piece of ribbon round its heard one say, “I believe he can”, would be sharing his butties with neck, he shouted across to the the other saying, “I bet you he the man involved. young man to check that he was can’t”. Many a young lad starting ready. The young man was overcome below ground has been sent half The young man, glancing over with curiosity when the argument a mile away by an arduous route his shoulder, to see how far back he became a little overheated. He asked for a left handed screwdriver or could run with the cat, shouted his one of the men what the argument been sent to an official to ask agreement that he was ready. After was about, sensing it obviously was where the can was which needed that, he did not know what hit him about him. One of the lamp room to be carried! because, having placed the knot attendants, pointing at the lamp Fairly ordinary occurrences behind him, which spun him round, room doorway, said, “he says you could appear heightened by the he literally took off like a kite with can’t pull that cat across the canal”. surroundings and situations in arms and legs outstretched. He The young man, already taken a which you found yourself at the landed in the middle of the canal little bit by surprise, was more pit. Often other men’s like a rocket, with the underwater surprised still to hear one of them misfortunes were fair game for speed of a nuclear submarine, just say, “he would put money on it”. ridicule. I’ll never forget the man leaving v-type visual traces of his The young man, whose curiosity sat with three of us one miserable progress, with his cap slowly was by this time boiling over, Monday morning on the making its way down the canal. wanted to know why the lamp room manriding train down Bickershaw On reaching the other side he attendant was so sure he could not Colliery, describing in great made a very verbal appearance, do it. The attendant explained that, sadness how his anthracite boiler which did not impress his young in the kitchen had had a mini as everybody knows, when a cat lady who rode away on her bicycle. explosion on Saturday as he sees water it goes mad and gains The young man standing there wet cleared the ash pan. Red hot coals super strength, digging its claws in through, looking somewhat in a shot out, showering his cherished daze at the cat’s superior strength, so that nobody can move it. brand new lino, each piece The lamp room man, on feeling was led off to dry himself in the melting into it. After describing blacksmith’s shop. On entering the the young man’s arm muscle, said how he had also nearly lost his he would back this lad all the way shop, he saw a cat sitting on the eyebrows we were in agony anvil, licking itself. The young man, and money started to change hands. holding back laughter. The young man by this time was unfortunately for the cat, Alan Davies caught up in the challenge, and it immediately rushed across, grabbed Archives Officer was just a case of when and where. it and drop kicked it through one of It was agreed that this should be the square holes that let the smoke kept secret and would have to take out of the blacksmith’s shop, saying, place outside the colliery premises. side of the canal, at the Bickershaw “you’ll never do that to me again”. To this end a site was picked at the Street end, including the young What the young man hadn’t bottom of Bickershaw Street where miner’s girlfriend. He duly arrived known was when he indicated he the canal was slightly elevated on the opposite side of the canal, was ready and the man threw the above street level, the other side of dressed appropriately, including spare rope out of the way, there the canal being level. new boots and long gauntlet gloves. were half a dozen strong young men As I recall it was a lovely sunny He started to get ready; a rope was ready to catch it and run like the afternoon, and even though it was thrown across to him on the clappers the length of Bickershaw supposed to be kept secret, quite a opposite side, which the young man Street. Incidentally, this was done lot of people had gathered by the tied around his waist, placing the on the young man’s own command! 9

Tom Taylor’s War

AT THE outbreak of War I On arrival at Liverpool we worked for the L.M.S. railway in Dear Sir, were given a thick chunk of the Divisional Operating Some years ago my father, bread and had our enamel cups Superintendent’s Office, Hunts Thomas Taylor, was asked by my filled with tea, then we boarded Bank, Manchester. I immediately daughter to write down an account if SS Scythia, a Cunard Liner. It joined the LDV (Local Defence his experiences of the Second World was by then about 8 a.m. on a Volunteers), which was War. This was part of a school project sunny Thursday. The ship soon subsequently renamed as the set by her history teacher. I was not moved away from the quay and Home Guard. This involved aware of this at the time, but stayed all day in the middle of taking your turn at guarding the following his death in 1995, at the the Mersey before setting sail office buildings throughout the age of 84, I came across a copy of early in the evening. We slept in night. After 12 months of this I this short, hand-written account of hammocks – all 4000 of us! – was then called up for Army his wartime activities, which he had and when we woke on Friday duty. On 14 November 1940 I written for my daughter. Although it morning we were in the River was enlisted into the Royal may be a bit sketchy in dome of its Clyde. There seemed to be ships Engineers at Siddals Road detail, I thought it might be of interest everywhere, all anchored behind Barracks in Derby, from where I to your readers. a chain boom that had been was conveyed by Army truck to Both during and after the war he stretched across the mouth of Castle Donnington in north lived at 39 Charterhouse Road, the Clyde to keep out enemy Leicestershire for military Lower Ince, until he moved to 35 submarines. training. This, my first night in Beech Walk, Winstanley in 1964. On Friday evening we set sail the army, was the night of the Something that he does not again, about 20 troopships in Coventry blitz and in the mention in this account was the fact convoy protected by destroyers. distance the sky was fiery red that he was in the army from We must have sailed half way to from the German bombing. November 1940 until being de- America before we double back After passing out in basic mobilised early in 1946. In all this towards Africa to pass through military training at Castle time he did not get to see his the Straits of Gibraltar at around Donnington I was sent back daughter, who was born in January midnight, more than a week again to Derby for technical 1941 until he returned home, by after setting sail. We arrived in training. This involved sorting which time she was a little girl aged Algiers on a Sunday, after being everyone out into their five. at sea for 16 days. respective trades and I was put Malcolm Taylor It was quite peaceful at down as Clerk (Railway). On Lowton Warrington anchor off Algiers until about 7 arrival back at Derby we were p.m., when enemy planes from all billeted out in private digs, Soon after arriving at Longmoor Sicily started to fly over. They and it was while I was there that we were under embarkation came in to attack the convoy Derby had its first air raid. I was orders and were issued with every quarter of an hour and sitting at the table writing a tropical kit. It was anybody’s when they flew low over the letter home to my wife Maggie guess as to where we were harbour all the ship’s guns when a bomb fell very close toe bound. We had extensive battle opened up. This went on the house. Fortunately I was at training at nearby Blackmoor continuously until 6.30 a.m. the the front of the house and the and then, one evening we were following day, yet SS Scythia bomb dropped at the back route marched to Bordon Station was the only ship to be hit. An causing extensive damage to the to join a special troop train. This aerial torpedo blasted a huge back parlour. I can remember train travelled overnight hole in at one end, but the that close by about six people through the Midlands until watertight compartments were killed. about seven o’clock in the prevented it from sinking. From Derby I was posted to morning it stopped at a station. Several RAF personnel were 156 Transportation Stores Coy, Looking out there was one of my killed. Next morning Scythia Apple Pie Camp Longmoor, old workmates in his Home was given preference in docking, Hampshire. Longmoor was the Guard uniform. We were at but by the time all the troops army’s railway training centre Manchester Victoria Station, en were off-loaded it was 9 p.m. and it had its own railway route to Liverpool Riverside via and the bombing had started running from Liss to Bordon. Newton-le-Willows. ¶ 10

again. We spent the first night ashore huddled in local gardens in the pouring rain and the second night in the grandstand Composed by Edward Flaherty of the local football ground. On Dear Sir, ‘Maureen’ who was nine years old I found some poems whilst the third day we route marched at the time. recently looking through the If any readers know of any 16 miles in full kit, setting up a papers of my grandfather, Joseph relatives of Maureen Flaherty, depot at a desolate placed called Horrocks. (born c.1905), then please email Oued Smar. We were the follow These were composed by or write to me so I can let them up troops to the North Africa Edward Flaherty, and I would like have the four poems. invasion. to return them to his family if From here I was posted to HQ possible. I think they were written Lynda Murphy in 1914 in Salford Royal Hospital, 3 Horning Crescent 141 Force, Ecole Normale, at the end of World War I. His Burnley Lancs Bougarea near Algiers. I was regiment was possibly 76th FD. BB10 2NT picked up by a jeep provided AMB and I think he was from Email: especially to transport me to this Wigan. He mentions his daughter [email protected] place, which was very heavily guarded. It transpired that it was the joint Army, Navy and Maureen Air Force HQ from which the My charming daughter Maureen, I love most sincere; invasion of Sicily was being I feel the world is at my feet when she is standing near, She was born one winter morn, when the snow lay on the ground, planned. I remained at Bougarea God’s gift to us, her parents, great joy we have now found. until June, when we all moved by train in box wagons from I’ll never forget those precious hours when teaching her to talk Algiers to Tunis. This was a Into my open arms one day, she unsteadily walked. four-day journey, including These first few steps her golden mile, I watched in admiration, stops for meals, which consisted Her chubby face was beaming at me, in adoration. of corned beef for us and baked Rosy cheeks, dark brown hair, and pale blue Irish eyes, beans for the Yanks. She is a vision of beauty, as an angel in disguise Eventually, in July 1943, we I take her on rambles, now, where flowers are growing wild. went across to Sicily in landing This is my heaven here on earth when I am with my child. ships, which carried our transport. We landed at I recall so clear one certain day, she climbed upon my knee, Syracuse, but as the fighting Her eyes upturned she whispered softly; Dad, do you love me? moved up the coast we moved to When she spoke those golden words, I kissed her tiny hand, And sent a prayer of thanks for this wondrous love so grand. Catania. By then we were called the 15th Army Group. The Sicily When I was ill with fever, she sat by to comfort me; campaign only lasted for six Her presence, there, beside me, seemed to set my body free! weeks but I was there for Of all the gifts I have ever owned, she is my greatest joy, another five months, being left A worldly love, inspired by God, I hope nothing will destroy, behind with an officer and a I pray she’ll always love me, that we never have to part, sapper to clear things up. I Should great harm e’re befall her, t’would surely break my heart. moved out of Sicily on New Edward Flaherty Years Day 1944 by army truck. We crossed the Messina Straits in an LST and after four days "… acquire your own piece of history …" joined our colleagues at Bari in Southern Italy. I remained in Heritage Estates UK Bari HQ No.2 District for 12 months. The perfect gift for any occasion My final move was to for anyone with an interest Transportation HQ in Rome, in Wigan which was based in the Italian Railway Headquarters. The www.heritage-estatesuk.com British Army had requisitioned the building, although American Tel: 00 44 1942 770202 soldiers were also occupying the Fax: 00 44 1942 770205 E-mail: [email protected] same building. I remained here Contact: Richard Weston for another 12 months, staying Heritage Estates UK, Caroline Street, Wigan, Lancashire, England, WN3 4EL until after the end of hostilities. 11

completed RG13/3552- the website. RG13/3556 inclusive. One final project, the first Gerry Rigby’s tireless stage of which has recently Family History contribution to genealogy been completed, is that also extends from the Wigan being independently area to St. Helens. He and undertaken by Gordon his cohorts, especially Harry Cooke. This has been to Roughley, have been index the burial registers for transcribing Roman Catholic St Matthew’s Church, Church registers for that Highfield. These registers area. can now be viewed in two Another local project ways, either in the Taylor currently being undertaken Gallery using the CD Rom, is one indexing notices of kindly donated to us by birth, death and marriage, Gordon, or by accessing especially Coroner’s the church’s website at inquests, appearing in the www.stmatthewhighfield.org. Wigan Observer. This is in uk/registers. Not only are addition to the project there alphabetical surname Recent Donations indexing Wigan Observer run listings but also listings by by the Friends. grave number and a and Projects There are also people graveyard plan. In addition Most readers of Past helping to make available to this, on the CD ROM Forward will be aware of the the Wigan Register Office version there is also a link to recent issue of the 1861 indexes online at an image of the actual census name index to Wigan www.lancashirebmd.org.uk. register entry. and district, and of the huge A gargantuan task. If you Gordon is considering efforts made by Friends of are interested in assisting adding baptisms at St. Wigan Heritage Service, with this one, please contact Matthew’s next. especially Mrs Barbara Davies, to make this a Upholland Family History success. A copy of this Society, are steadily indexing Websites should have been received by the other sections of the As I indicated above, Michael Fisher, one of our indexing now, by all who requested it. 1901 census. So far we Friends in Canada, has recently set up an excellent website for Some readers will also be have received indexes for Standish, Shevington, Billinge Chapel End, Rainford and aware of the 1841 census Upholland, Billinge, Upholland. He calls the site the Online Parish Clerk and as indexing project, again by Pemberton, Winstanley, well as a few good photos he has made general information Friends of Wigan Heritage Orrell, Standish, Shevington, about the above areas available. The bulk of this consists of Service. This is now Aspull and Haigh. More 1841 census data for the areas and directories. Where complete. recently they have tackled possible, he plans to add baptisms and marriages. Some Most of our readers, Wigan itself and have so far areas also have 1861 census data. ¶ however, will be unaware of the steady contribution of other unofficial Friends to this last project. These are primarily from the Lancsgen website and Canada. Apart from assisting on this project, many have set up their own projects and these have ultimately benefited First Steps in Family History 5th ed. by Eve McLaughlin. Countryside Books £7.95. both local researchers and in First published in 1989 and now in its 5th some cases world wide revision, this very readable and simple guide to researchers. tracing your family history is written with the One such project has complete beginner in mind. resulted in a donation of There is information concerning adoption, how name indexes to the 1901 to interview elderly relatives, how to track down census for Ashton and long lost cousins and how to interpret and use the Golborne, sent electronically information that you find. In particular there is an by Frank Mitchell in Canada. explanation of the major sources such as census Our dedicated Friends, Gerry and civil registration. Rigby and Alan Maloney There is advice for those who work and rely have not only condensed heavily on the post and for those who care for these files into printed relatives and thus may have little time for hobbies. booklets for our use, but All in all, a useful guide to keep close by. Available from the History Shop along with others in the 12

For instance, for Standish, you can find the 1841 census (also for Shevington), baptisms from Standish Hall Chapel CHANCE ENCOUNTER 1742-99 and the Catholic census for 1764. For the future, he would like to include memorial inscriptions for St. Wilfred’s Six or seven years ago my net, before commandeering and St. Marie’s. wife and I were browsing an empty fiche whilst the round the exhibitions at You can access the Online Parish Clerk and even join owner was elsewhere. the History Shop, and with Soon he was thumbing Michael Fisher by providing assistance with source material at time on our hands we wan- through parish records, http:/freepages.geneaology.rootsweb.com/lancsopc/index dered upstairs to the Taylor before re-appearing with a OPC%20Main.htm. Gallery. The far end of the film in his hands. A few room was a hive of activity, turns of the spool and, hey www.nationalarchivist.com people were sitting in front presto! There was the The National Archives is the title of the newly combined of screens, reading books, name of my grandfather, archives of the Historical Manuscript Commission and Public unfurling maps or looking Francis Morgan Taylor, on Record Office. in filing cabinets. I realised the screen in front of me. It this was where family his- The site will concentrate on providing online access to was all so smooth and well torians did their research. practiced, he made it look records in the National Archives itself. The first records are My brother Allan had easy. now available. These are:- already started work on Soon Tom was unlock- • Index to Divorce and Matrimonial Causes 1858-1903. our family tree but I had ing the mysteries of the • Index to Death Duty Registers 1796-1903. only taken a passing inter- General Registry Office, • Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea 1854-90. est and couldn’t under- census returns, the • Passport applications registers 1851-62 and 1874-1903. stand what all the fuss was International Genealogical And coming soon: Colonial Office Registry of Emigration about. Curiosity got the Index and Boyd’s Marriage Shipping 1847-1855. better of me and so I Index, as well as showing This is a pay per view site. Registration and a brief search booked a film reader for me how he recorded his of the records’ index is free but, as with the 1901 census site, the following week. information. He also credits must be purchased to view actual images of the With some trepidation, warned me of the problems records. The minimum purchase amount is £6 for 30 credits. and feeling like the new concerning Roman Catholic These last for 30 days. As with other pay per view sites there boy in class, I returned Church records, but with a are incentives to purchase greater numbers of units for with notebook and pencil wink and a smile he added, example 65 credits for £12 and 120 for £20. in hand to the Taylor “I know a couple of Gallery (with a surname friendly priests though”. like mine, an appropriate When it was time for www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk place to learn about family Tom to go it dawned on me The above is the official government source of history). The staff at that he had spent all his genealogical data for Scotland. The combined records of Wigan and Leigh are very research time helping me. birth, marriage and death from the General Register Office for helpful and patient (unlike Tom could smell a novice a Scotland (1855 onwards) and Old Parish Records (OPR) some of the libraries I have mile off and later on I (1553-1854) with the census records for Scotland 1881-1901, visited) but they can only would give a wry smile as make this an exceptional site and a must for Scottish spend so much time show- he helped some poor researchers. ing newcomers the ropes. beginner or visitor from Soon I was fumbling another town, just as he Access to databases is again £6 for 30 page credits which around on my own and had helped me on my first are valid for 48 hours. However, it is possible during that getting nowhere fast; the day. He was so respected at period of time to advance your research by several amount of sources avail- the History Shop that when generations since Scottish certificates give far greater details able seemed overwhelm- people asked the staff for than those for England and Wales. These can also be ing. advice they would often downloaded to your printer for no further cost. turn to Tom for confirma- Enter Tom Bennett tion. www.nationalarchives.ie. National Archives of Ireland I agree with Mary Ann www.proni.nics.gov.uk Public Record Office for N Ireland Luckily for me help was Ashcroft (issue 35 p17) www.groni.gov.uk General Register Office for N Ireland close at hand - the elderly that Tom was indeed a www.groireland.ie. General Register Office Ireland gentleman sitting next to kind, intelligent and gener- Unlike Scotland, the Irish websites supply pure information me was none other than ous man. He was also a but nevertheless assist those researching from outside of Mr. Tom Bennett. “ How brave man, as his wartime long have you been doing service record testifies Ulster or Eire, and especially when preparing for a visit to (issue 33 p3 by Alan these countries in order to access records. this?” he asked. “ About ten minutes”, I replied, Davies). I hope that a fit- The National Archives of Ireland site has as yet no images ting tribute or memorial of records to view online but it does have a wealth of indexes “and I don’t have a clue what I am doing! How can be arranged for him to databases such as those records belonging to the Famine long have you been doing because he is gone but not Relief Commission and National Education Records. The it?” I asked. “Oh, I’ve forgotten. [See p24 Ed.] indexes for the latter in particular are fairly detailed, listing done my family tree” he school records available under county and then by school said, “I’m doing some Fascinated name, with the dates available per school. research for a relative in The Northern Ireland sites and that for GRO Ireland have Australia.” Soon I realised that a similar set up. Lots of information on the records but no After asking me a few researching my family tree access online to these. questions he wandered wasn’t just about collecting It is possible, however, to order birth, marriage and death nonchalantly over to the certificates online for both areas of Ireland. St. Catherine’s House cabi- Continued on page 14 13

records microfilmed and early days of the Industrial and Equerry to Queen Family History stored in a safe and secure Revolution that’s what Victoria. place. people did in rural England, they worked on On the Council Beware! the land. In 1895 Isaac was Historically, Hale, like The Hale Childe elected as the first ever Liverpool, belongs to Labour councillor on Ince Lancashire. The formation On the other side of the Council. On 27 February 1895 Continued from page 13 of the Metropolitan church lies the massive Authorities in 1974 - and grave of one of Hale’s most he was present at the very the subsequent boundary interesting characters, the first meeting of the School names and dates or buying changes that followed - “Hale Childe”. It is sur- Attendance Committee, certificates from the brought Hale under the rounded by railings and on formed to hear the excuses Register Office. It was a control of Merseyside. the gravestone is written of parents on non-atten- chance to weave together a However, its registration “HERE LYETH THE BODIE dance of their children at story of my ancestors’ lives affairs are looked after by OF JOHN MIDDLETON THE school. During a meeting and to better understand Runcorn Register Office, CHILDE BORN 1578 of the Highways, Streets, the social history of the which lies on the other side DYEDE 1623 NINE FEET Tramways and Lighting times they lived in. I was of the River Mersey in THREE“. John was any- Committee on 11 March he fascinated by my new Cheshire. This is signifi- thing but a child, he was a seconded a motion to pay hobby and teamed up with cant, so new researchers giant of a man, 9’ 3” in the unemployed 3s. per my brother to continue the beware! Isaac’s obituary in height, with hands meas- yard for stone breaking quest for our ancestors’ the Wigan Observer stated uring 17” in length and 6” and 2s.6d (later amended story. wrongly that he came from in width. Sir Gilbert Ireland to 3s.) per day for street The central figure in Hale in Cheshire, so we took Middleton to the court cleaning. On 1 May Isaac our story is Isaac Fletcher assumed that he had been of King James 1 where he was appointed onto the Taylor (our great grandfa- born in the other Hale, easily beat the King’s committee that was instru- ther), because he is the one southwest of Manchester champion in a pre- mental in the construction who introduced our branch Airport. Of course there arranged fight. In the 18th of the tramway system of the family tree to Wigan had to be another Isaac, century, to silence the through Lower Ince and in the 1870’s, from his born in the same year and doubters and sceptics of onwards to Platt Bridge. birthplace of Hale near with a similar pedigree. the Hale Childe legend, Later he was foreman of Liverpool. For me, after Frustratingly, we spent John’s remains were Ince Public Health hours sitting in front of a time researching someone exhumed and taken to Department, until he retired film reader, there is noth- else's family tree, although nearby Hale Hall where his in 1925 at the age of 70. ing more rewarding than some excellent pub lunches body was measured before Isaac’s son Francis, (my to visit the birthplace of compensated for our error! being taken back to its grandfather), served in the your forebears, to see the At the time of Isaac’s final resting place at St. 1/5 Manchester Regiment houses they lived in and birth on 24 September Mary’s. (the Colliers Battalion) in walk the streets they 1855, his father William World War 1. He fought in walked. Hale is a lovely lit- fulfilled the busy role of Ince Gallipoli in 1915, ending tle village on the banks of village postmaster, grocer, the war as Company the Mersey, close to John shoemaker and Parish The census of March Quarter Master Sergeant Lennon Airport, boasting Clerk. Isaac’s mother, 1881 finds Isaac living in and recipient of the thatched cottages, a light- Mary, died when he was Ince and working as a Meritorious Service Medal. house and a Norman only 10 years old; his goods railway guard at After the war Francis church. father remarried only to die Springs Branch locomotive worked as a carter for Ince This church, however, of kidney failure 10 years depot. He is married to Council (hints of nepo- had suffered a devastating later, aged only 48. To his Sarah and they have two tism?). I have an old sepia arson attack in 1977, and second wife, Sarah, was daughters, Mary Elizabeth photograph of him (see the vicar warned us that, left the responsibility of aged two, and Sarah Ellen right) standing on Ince as the parish chest had running the shop and the who was only four months Town Hall steps with other suffered damage, there upbringing of their five old at the time. Isaac’s wife dignitaries, proudly wear- was a possibility that the remaining children. Isaac Sarah was born in the ing his medals as he repre- Taylor records had been had already left home to hamlet of Newland, in sented Ince ex-servicemen destroyed forever. A visit seek his fortune elsewhere Gloucestershire. Isaac and on Armistice Sunday, to Cheshire County Record and two of his siblings, Sarah’s marriage certificate November 1932. Office, however, dispelled Sarah and Arthur, had died tells us that Thomas our fears - luckily, despite in early childhood. Morgan, Sarah’s father, A military tradition some damage, most of the William is buried in the was a miner; presumably pages of the Church regis- graveyard at St. Mary‘s, he moved his family north My father Jack and I ter were still decipherable. close to the church walls as to seek employment in the were both regular soldiers Some missing information befits his status and near vast Wigan coalfields. and my eldest son Craig was found by visiting the to the grave of his parents By contrast, Isaac’s has carried on the tradition Lancashire County Record Thomas and Mary. younger brother, William, by being the fourth gener- Office at Preston to look at Typically the first cen- was living in London and ation Taylor to serve in the Bishops Transcripts. After sus of Hale Township, in employed as a footman for army. this terrible event the 1841, shows Thomas’s Lt. Col. (Hon) Henry W. J. When I enlisted into the Church hierarchy advised profession simply as agri- Byng, Coldstream Guards, army in 1967, the recruit- their parishes to have their cultural labourer, but in the Hon. Col. Middlesex Militia ¶ 14

NOW IN STOCK AT THE TAYLOR GALLERY

Donations PLUMB, Brian Arundel to Zabi:- a biographical dictionary of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales 1623-1987 CD ROM - ST MATTHEW’S CHURCH, HIGHFIELD - Burials 1923-1989

Transcripts LPRS Vol. 156 Prescot 1727-65

Fiche ST BARTHOLOMEW’S WESTHOUGHTON Memorial Inscriptions ST KATHERINE’S BLACKROD Memorial Inscriptions ST LAURENCE CHORLEY Memorial Inscriptions

CD ROMS Ince Ex-Servicemen's Armistice Day Parade, 1932. LANCASHIRE CENSUS for 1861, 1871, 1901 (Pictured outside Ince Town Hall). 1861 NAME INDEX 1891 NAME INDEX VERSION 3 ing office was located at bearers at his funeral and the old Territorial Drill Hall the flag was flown at half Genealogy Books in Powell Street, Wigan - mast at the Town Hall as a COLLINS, A Basic Facts About wills after 1858 the same building from mark of respect.” which my grandfather had Isaac left a fine legacy in The Family and Local History handbook marched off to war 52 Wigan. He would have MOORE, Susan T Family feuds: introduction to Chancery proceedings years earlier. After leaving been proud to know that PEACOCK, Caroline & Jonathan Good Web Guide: Genealogy the regular army I joined his grandson, Robert PHILLIMORE Atlas and index of Parish Registers.New edition. the T.A. and was based at Taylor (my uncle) also RAYMOND, Stuart A War Memorials on the web, Part 2, The Midlands, the Drill Hall for many became a Councillor, and in N. England etc. years until finally, in1986, 1965 was elected as SMITH, Kelvin & WATTS,M Records of Merchant Shipping & Seamen the old building was Chairman of Ince Urban TITFORD, J Writing up your family history demolished in the name of District Council. Amongst TONKS, David My ancestor was a coal miner progress. Isaac’s descendants are It was a wonderful old Lisa Stansfield, the famous red bricked Victorian singer, one of his many Military Matters building, constructed just great granddaughters, and 355.1342 FEUYER, W H The Distinguished Service Medal - 2 after Isaac arrived in a great-great grandson is vols:- 1914-20, 1939-46 (Naval Awards) Wigan from Hale. Inside I Gareth Hock, one of the ris- 355.1342 McINNES, Ian The Meritorious Service Medal: the always felt a strange ing young Rugby League Immediate Awards 1916-1928 atmosphere, a strong sense stars at Wigan Warriors. 355.16 HURST, Sidney C Silent Cities: guide to War of history, and I could My chance encounter Cemeteries and memorials to the missing almost hear the ghosts of 355.31 COOP, Rev J O Story of the 55th (West Lancs) Division the old soldiers, my grand- with Tom Bennett inspired me to embark on 355.31 DAVIES, Jane The York and Lancaster Regiment father included, on parade 356.1 DOWNHAM, J East Lancs Regiment 1855-1958 for the last time before a fascinating voyage of 940.467 NATIONAL ROLL of the Great War, Section XI marching off to war. They discovery back through were derided as being time in search of my fam- Manchester ‘Saturday Soldiers’ or ily name. Cheers Tom. 959.5104 BONNER, Robert Jungle Bashers ‘Weekend Warriors’, but Graham Taylor many of them paid the ulti- 20 Lynton Ave General Books mate price. They fought Wigan 305.4 TURNER, Mary The Women’s century: a celebration of and died on battlefields changing roles 1900-2000 that are now household STOP PRESS 338.2724 RILEY, P Pits and Looms names, such as Gallipoli, 338.2724 WINSTANLEY, Ian Colliery scrap book 3 Ypres and the Somme. The 1841 census indexing project has now finished. A 338.4767721 HOLCROFT, Fred The Lancashire cotton famine around Leigh Isaac’s legacy first disc is currently being inspected for possible 352.042 TATE, W E The Parish Chest problems and when this stage 362.1094276 KING, Stephen Fylde country practice: medicine and Isaac died in 1944 at society in Lancashire is complete, the next stage of the grand old age of 88, 385.0942753 Story of Merseyrail actually producing multiple just before the allied inva- 385.54 TOWNLEY, C H A and PEDEN, J A Industrial railways sion force struck across the copies will commence. of St Helens, Widnes and Warrington, Part 2 - St channel at Normandy. He It is anticipated that this Helens coalfield is buried in Ince Cemetery will cost the same as the 1861 388.322 PHILLIPS, Ron The Leyland buses of Wigan close to the railway track census index. Corporation on which he once worked. More details in the next His obituary in the Wigan 388.322 SANDFORD, Geoff St Helens trolleybuses edition of Past Forward. Observer reports that “... council workers acted as Continued on page 16 15

Family History

Continued from page 15

The Roper family of Standish with Langtree Seeking information about two sons of James and Elizabeth Roper who remained in the UK after their siblings John, Ruth and Joseph left for New Zealand in the early 1900’s. The descendants of Thomas William Roper, born 1876 and James Roper, born 1884 are 'J. M. STAMPER WIGAN sought by the grandson of 1910' John Roper (1880-1954). Sir, Where are you all? I wonder if any of your readers can help me. I have Can you help? If so two beautifully hand painted cows horns at home (see please contact Malcolm left); one of the horns is signed J.M. Stamper Wigan, Smith; 138B Pembroke 1910 on the incurve. Street, Hamilton 2001, I have been told they were given to my great aunt New Zealand tel: 07 8395708 or email: Alice Jane Burgess (b.1879 in 68 Albert Street, [email protected] Pemberton) by a ‘suitor’ whom I guess was a butcher by trade – there were a couple of connections to butchers in the family. Her eldest brother, Henry Jolley Burgess (b.1874 in Wigan) was a journeyman butcher, while Private Henry’s children, Gerald and Elizabeth, were both E. Hunter employed in McAvoys Butchers in the Market Hall. (One of the McAvoys was my form master at Thomas Linacre Dear Editor, – circles within circles.) I have had Past Forward I wonder if anybody knows who this J.M. Stamper passed on to me recently. At was? There are no ‘skeletons’ an auction recently here in Continued from page 15 Liverpool I purchased a – Alice went on to marry framed (easily detached) 388.46094273 GILLHAM, J C and WISEMAN, R J S Tramways of Arthur Murphy from Dublin. certificate presented to South Lancashire and North Wales I have also attached a Private E. Hunter R.A.M.C. 394.26941 WATERS, Colin Dictionary of Saints days, fasts, feasts family photo taken c.1897 7362256 in 1945, by the and festivals (see above); Henry Jolley people of Norway for helping 709.427 CHILD, Dennis Painters in the Northern Counties of Burgess is at the back, to liberate their country and England and Wales centre left, with Alice signed Olaf (King!). 726.8 LEES, H Exploring English churchyard memorials standing to his right. I have On the back of the frame 741.6 HOUFE, Simon Dictionary of 19th century British book done a fair bit of research on Private Hunter’s home illustrators and caricaturists the family and have address is given as 8 Bolton 779 POLS, Robert Family photographs 1860-1945 numerous bmd certificates Street, Scholes, Wigan, 796.3331 MOUNTFORD, Ces Kiwis, Wigan and the Wire: my life etc. should anyone else in the Lancs. I would be willing to and Rugby League pass on the certificate (as a 929.1 GRUNDY, J E History’s midwives family require them. gift) to any relative who 942.0823 HEY, David How our ancestors lived: a history of life a Thank you. would like it. hundred years ago John Burgess John Derbyshire 13 The Brook 9 Boxdale Road 942.736 ASHCROFT, Tony Atherton and Tyldesley Grantstown Park Liverpool L18 5EN 942.736 SMITH, M David About Standish 942.76 CHAPMAN, John John Chapman’s Lancashire Waterford Ireland 16

A Wigan Family Album BACK in November 2003 Mr. married Eleanor Malins in Dublin doctor. Scanlan got in touch with me from and moved to Belper, Derbyshire In 1920 Dr. McElligott was Hertfordshire, telling me he had in 1896, as general practitioner appointed outdoor medical staff an album of photographs, which and medical supervisor to the mid for Wigan, by the Ministry of had passed down through his Derbyshire Isolation Hospital. His Health, with an appropriate remu- family. They were taken in Wigan son Gerald was born in 1897. neration for his services. in 1905 of the photographer’s About three years later Dr. In 1925 he moved to Sheffield home, family, patients and some McElligott moved to 23 with the Ministry of Health, and in general views. The photographer Standishgate, Wigan, in general 1933 he is found living and work- was Dr. Maurice McElligott, who practice. A 1909 Wigan directory ing in Hertfordshire. He retired in practised in Wigan at the turn of shows him in partnership as 1948 to his homeland of County the 20th century. McElligott & Williams at that Kerry where he died. I thought they were so interest- address. At the outbreak of World Dr. McElligott was an enthusi- ing, I asked Mr. Scanlan if we War 1 the Earl of Crawford lent astic traveller; in 1912, for could share them with our readers ‘The Woodlands,’ a house he instance, he attended a medical in Past Forward. Mr. Scanlan was owned on Wigan Lane, as a mili- conference in St. Petersburg, able to tell us some of the story tary hospital for wounded sol- which must have been a long jour- and our own Local History diers to be run by the British Red ney in those times, and holidayed Officers in Wigan and Leigh were Cross. According to a report in the on the continent most years. Some able to put some more flesh on the of the first soldiers arriving in of his holiday pictures were also bones of the story. 1914, Dr.McElligott was one of in the album. More than 25 pic- Dr. McElligott was born in the medical supervisors in atten- tures are of local interest; some of County Kerry, Ireland in 1869. He dance, on top of his other medical these we are pleased to share with qualified as a medical practitioner supervisory duties to the London you here. in 1894, taking up his first post in & North Western Railway Len Hudson Coombe Hospital Dublin. Maurice Company. He was a very busy Senior Technician Clockwise, from left: Mrs McElligott in drawing room; Mrs McElligott and son Gerald in drawing room; Joe Foster in the surgery; Mrs McElligott and Gerald with Bobby; No. 23 Standishgate.

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Ephemera from the Archives

Historical Baptisms and church registers 1653 the duty of registration was transferred from the background clergy to an official called the From the beginning of Parish Register (the registrar New Testament Christianity of today). the Church has baptised Baptisms had to be paid babies. for, the charge being one Polycarp (69-155), a shilling initially. Thus many disciple of the Apostle John, children were not to be was recorded as being baptised in poorer districts. baptised as an infant. After the Anglican Similar expressions are Restoration of 1660 many of found in succeeding the unchristened babies were generations by Origen (185 - baptised as older children. 254) and Cyprian (215 - Other reasons for not 258) who reflect the being baptised can include consensus voiced at the the minister or clerk Council of Carthage in 254. forgetting to record the The 66 bishops said: “We Early Baptismal Register, St. Katherine's C.of E., Blackpool (1701-26). event; registers being ought not hinder any person incomplete or damaged for from baptism and the grace 30 shillings. In 950 the laws ascendancy many ancient periods; families falling out of God..... especially infants. of the Northumbrian priests baptism fonts were broken with the ministers; or people . . those newly born.” shortened this period to nine up and replaced with simple being members of other Preceding this council, nights basins. religious denominations. Origen wrote in his Many of you avidly Because of this, in 1694 Commentary on Romans 5: Show us your working on your family trees notification of birth to the 9: “For this also it was that will know already that the Anglican incumbent (the the church had from the archive! date in a church baptism vicar or rector) was made In the preliminary Apostles a tradition to give register entry is not compulsory under penalty of Articles of Visitation where baptism even to infants. For necessarily the birth date. a fine. Many clergy ignored churches were to be they to whom the divine Typically, before central this order, which was revoked inspected (often by bishops) mysteries were committed registration of births was in 1706. regarding the minutiae of knew that there is in all introduced in 1837, a child During the late 17th and persons a natural pollution their fabric, facilities and was baptised a few days or 18th century baptisms were of sin which must be done manner of services, drawn weeks after birth on a often performed at home away by water and the up by Cardinal Pole in Queen Sunday but this is not always and often unregistered. In Spirit.” Mary’s reign of 1553 –1558, the case. The ceremony general baptism registers In the Augustinian period it is evident that the Church could take place up to many have not been as well kept as (354 - 430) specific was expected to be years later, and sometimes the other vital record events. directions, with detailed maintaining a baptismal not at all! instructions, for the register. The relevant baptising of infants were instruction states (to ask); Rose’s Act of 1812 A tax levied between given by bishops to pastors “Whether do they keep the The registrar 1783 and 1794 was to be and deacons. Generally, the book or register of arrives another later deterrent. infant was baptised during christenings, buryinges or Between 1645 and 1660 Rose’s Act of 1812 led to the the first week of life, but in marriages, with the names many people did not have use of separate printed cases of illness this took of the godfathers and their children baptised baptismal books, with space place on the day of birth. godmothers?” because of the changing of for names, occupations and King Ine of Wessex in It is very rare to find a the rite under the parents home address. 695 introduced birth as well as the baptism Commonwealth. During this Illegitimacy was also ecclesiastical laws where a in registers until the period the date of birth was mentioned in the new child had to be baptised Commonwealth period ordered to be entered in the registers, and termed in a within 30 days or the father (1649 -1653). Sadly during christening register along had to pay the huge fine of this period of Puritan with the parents’ names. In ¶ 18

variety of curious ways such as; filia populi (son of the people), filius vulgi (daughter of an harlot), begotten in adultery, ye daughter of no certain man, a merry begot, a byeblow, lanebegot, and filia adulterina. Foundlings and surnames Abandoned children, or foundlings, had long been entered in baptism registers with the name of the parish or saint to whom the church First Baptismal Register after Rose's Act of 1812, Lowton St. Luke's. was dedicated, or even the road or lane in which they surnames. data to be analysed in a better word - the person had been found. All readers Baptismal registers still variety of interesting ways. completing the early entries will know people with the continue to be of use for the Hopefully these will find their seemingly anticipated the names of localities. I person- genealogist until 1874, as way into Past Forward in a arrival of text messaging 300 ally have known a Joe fines for non registration future issue. years later! He decided that Atherton, Phillip Hindley, were still levied until 37 years vowels were not required George Haigh, Bert after the arrival of Civil Baptismal trivia quite regularly. A place of Tyldesley, George Bolton, Registration in 1837. In 1998, 2000 people birth in the baptism register Fred Worsley and Albert were baptised at once in spelt Pnngtn becomes Walkden. Enter Dr Perkins Charlotte, North Carolina, Pennington, for example. A word of warning, Regular user of the USA - by fire hose. Among though; the presence of such Archives and long standing those assisting with the As’t bin t’ Luntory names does not necessarily member of the Lancashire service were church elders recent? mean their ancestry contains Parish Register Society, and several firefighters. “It’s One entry puzzled Ken such a sad event. Surnames editor of the Ashton-In- not the water,” C. B. Gibson and myself, down in the first occurred between the Makerfield St Thomas and of the United House of Prayer Blackrod baptism register as 11th and 15th centuries. Prescot Church volumes of for All People explained, “it’s Luntory. Even Google, the Previously people were transcriptions to name just the belief you have in it.” massively powerful internet referred to by their given two, Dr John Perkins FRCP search engine, only came up names and the locality in has decided to research one Ken Taylor with one entry, of somewhere which they resided such as particular aspect of in Finland where a global Hugh de Hyndeleghe (Hugh baptismal records. The soldiers on warming conference was of Hindley). This was not as former Leigh Infirmary Much loved old being held. We both agreed confusing as it might seem doctor is comparing the campaigner Ken, veteran of this did not seem probable. due to the small populations registered dates of birth with Leigh St Marys, Wigan All Initially I thought Luntory in the Borough’s various the dates of baptism. To do Saints and Hindley All Saints may be Llanthony in Wales, villages. this he is ploughing through transcriptions for the LPRS but when the word was The acquisition of all the volumes of the LPRS - has now finished two more. actually spoken with a subtle surnames during the past over 150! His transcription of the hint of Lancashire dialect 800 years has been affected John is comparing the Lowton St Lukes registers (some of southern extraction by many factors, including dates and noting how the covering the period 1733 to say I have more than a hint!) social class and social time interval changed over 1837 now awaits checking by it emerged as Langtree! structure, cultural tradition, the years. Apparently there is fellow member Michael Watts (near Standish). and naming practices in a noticeable gradual against the Bishop’s Ken intends to take a well neighbouring cultures. The lengthening of the period Transcripts at Lancashire earned break soon to poorer classes around Wigan until the arrival of a new Record Office and probably concentrate on family life. Borough over the centuries bishop, who would often then by the time this goes to press However, the lure of the have had little choice but to tighten up practices Blackrod St Catherines will register will, I am sure, draw accept the mistakes of regarding this source of be ready for checking also. him back sooner rather than officials, clerks, and priests revenue! The entering of Ken has found the later. who bestowed upon them John’s findings onto Blackrod registers have a Alan Davies new versions of their computer will enable the certain ‘charm’. for want of a Archives Officer 19

ST. JOHN’S BIBLE CLASS, PEMBERTON c.1913

Back row: R. Melling, J.E. Sell, J. Derbyshire, J. Lee, T. Sell, P. Fairhurst, W.R. Wright, E. Corless, J. Wilkinson, G. Fairhurst, H. Liptrot. T. Barton, P. Gee. 2nd row: J. Barton, W. Hesketh, C. Hesketh, J. Moorfield, J. Walsh, T. Liptrot, E. Wilding, J. Atherton. 3rd row: W. Green, J. Ashurst, T. Liptrot, R. Crompton, A. Cheetham, W. Rowbottom, W. Cuerden, J. Bradley, T. Gaskell, W. Glover. Front row: T. Swift, J. Liptrot, F. Liptrot, J. Sharples. A. Billington, V. Winstanley, E. Banks, T. Tither, R. Rylance, J. Tither, (Secretary). Centre: J. Liptrot, (Teacher 1893 to 1912) MEMORIES OF HAPPY DAYS IN WIGAN Dear Editor, Buckmaster’s wedding. The we had both been at Beech Hill I am now 82 years of age. I curate, Mr. Picket, prepared Infants School (Headmistress lived in Fir Grove, Beech Hill, me for confirmation and told Miss Roberts) and Senior Wigan until the age of 16 when me the facts of life, which I School (Headmaster Mr. I moved with my parents to already knew, being the eldest Glover). We have been together Plymouth when my father, Jack of seven children! ever since and recently Cole, transferred from the In 1940 I joined the R.A.F. celebrated our Diamond Wigan ‘Dole Office’ to a job and trained as a WOP/AG. Wedding Anniversary. On our with the Admiralty. During my wireless training at Gold Wedding we visited St. A boyhood friend was Jack Blackpool I visited Wigan many Michael’s Church where we Fisher who then lived in Maple times and went to a dance at were married during the war, Grove and later became Shift the Empress Hall with my and visited many old friends. Charge Engineer at Wigan and friends, Ken and Kathleen My wife was brought up in then Westwood Power Stations. Greenall, who later became Gidlow Houses (colliery Lane, was quite a character. Over the years we have kept in Mrs. Doug Higham and ran a cottages in the countryside He drove a fruit and vegetable touch, and recently his widow, fruit and vegetable stall in between Dunns Farm and cart around Beech Hill, and the Kathleen sent me issue no. 34 Wigan market for many years. Waring’s Farm), and had an Wigan Observer reported that of Past Forward. On reading At this dance I met my wife idyllic childhood. The 21 one day he was ill in bed and through all the very interesting Eunice Taylor and discovered houses were all occupied by his horse broke out of its stable contents I was amazed to relatives and close friends and and trotted about a mile up discover my name on p 40 in their doors were always open. Gidlow Lane to kick on his front ‘Blasts from the Past’ – I was The children played in the door! one of the pupils at Wigan fields and constructed their I enclose photographs of Grammar School listed as own ‘cocky pond’ in the ‘piggy two of my own oil paintings. having passed the School field’ containing frogs, newts One of George Hulse with his Certificate in July 1937. I and sticklebacks. We must horse and one of my wife when remember being caned once have loads of relations in the we first met. Perhaps you by the headmaster, Mr. area who do not know of our might like to include these in Whitehouse, and feel that a few existence, as Eunice’s cousins Past Forward. of today’s youth would benefit Bobby and Norman Taylor Hoping my reminiscences from the same treatment! (both now deceased) were very are of interest. During this time I sang alto prolific. Cecil E Cole in St. Andrew’s Church Choir My wife’s uncle, George Clevedon and was present at the Rev. Hulse, who lived in Gidlow North Somerset 20

HISTORY SHOP NEWS Family History Memorial Fund for Tom Bennett workshops at the IN the last issue of Past Forward we published a letter by Mary Ann Ashcroft from California suggesting History Shop that other readers may want to join THE Friends of Wigan Heritage Service her in contributing to a lasting memorial to Mr Tom Bennett who will be holding more family history died at the end of 2002. We have had workshops during the spring and early many offers of support for this idea summer, designed for beginners as a since that publication, from people he taster to get you started on the knew here in Wigan and from those fascinating topic of genealogy. All far away. He was indeed a good friend sessions will be individually delivered to the Heritage Service and we are by a member of the Friends of Wigan just as keen as Mary Ann to ensure Heritage Service, with many years some sort of commemoration to him. experience of researching their own The enthusiasm of Mary Ann, the family history. Please note the records response we have had since the last issue and our own desire to set at the History Shop are only suitable for something of this sort up has led to the research of the Wigan Metropolitan the Tom Bennett Memorial Fund would want to contribute, but it can Borough area. being established. Already standing at also be seen as a way of helping Workshops to be held every second over £250 we are aiming to raise as future generations research their Wednesday from 21 April to 30 June much as possible towards a Wigan roots, and you may feel it worthwhile. 2004 inclusive. combined film and fiche reader in the refurbishment of our study area next Please mark all donations clearly Sessions run between 1.30 pm and year. We think it would be a nice to the Tom Bennett memorial fund 4.00 pm and last about one hour. touch to put Tom’s name on such a and make any cheques out to WLCT. machine or even an area so that Thank you. Charge £1.50 per person. future researchers can be aided in Please note the money you donate Booking essential. their quest by this generous man. To may be put up as match funding in a that end the Heritage Service pledge Heritage Lottery Bid, thus doubling NB Other arrangements can be made to match the total raised in this way (or more) it again. So every pound for those who cannot attend to put a sizeable sum down towards you donate could be worth at least Wednesday afternoon. Please ring the refurbishment in his name. three to us and four to the 01942 828128 for details. If you knew Tom I’m sure you refurbishment scheme. HIRE OF Thank you Max and MEETING ROOM welcome David The History Shop has a Meeting Room, with a IT SEEMS once again that much has happened since the last capacity for 36. This is available for hire by local groups and societies at a very reasonable cost: issue. A few final, final issues with the 1861 CD have been SOCIETY RATE sorted out, (now available at £7 + pp from the History Shop); the 1841 Census index CD is nearly, but not quite, ready for £8.25 burning; another series of family history workshops has been PER MORNING/ AFTERNOON SESSION tremendously well attended at the History Shop; the indexing £12.35 of the Wigan newspapers has carried on apace at the History PER EVENING SESSION Shop, while the project to index the historic Dootson COMMERCIAL RATE collection of books at Leigh has also got into its stride. £20.00 More about each of these below; the main news for the PER MORNING/AFTERNOON/EVENING SESSION Friends, however, revolves around meetings and our If you are interested, contact Philip Butler chairperson. Firstly if you are local, interested in Wigan’s Tel (01942) 828128 Continued on page 24 21

This is the eighth composition by Gerald Rickards in the series that started in Issue No.29 with an Aspull drawing, planned for the cover of the book which the late Eva Turner had devoted so much time to and which hopefully will WIGAN some day be published. The drawings that followed in been received. However, Haigh 17. Thomas Linacre Care Centre. Originally Past Forward have, of course, all seems to be a strong possibility Wigan Grammar School it became been to a standard portrait or because I have done so much work Mesnes High School and now it has been there in the past, even though re designed and become an important vertical format. Paintings, with part of the Wrightington, Wigan and colour prints, have now been most of my previous drawings and Leigh NHS Trust. done based on all the paintings have featured places in 18. Building at the Wallgate end of Library compositions – Aspull, Orrell, or near the Country Park. I Street, with the corner door entrance to Standish, Leigh, the Town Hall, wonder if any of my past pupils or the bank. students remeber making sketches 19. Cook’s travel agents in Market Place, Ince and even the quiz design in with solicitor’s offices on the upper the last issue. And incidentally, around Haigh Hall. It was following one such excursion that floors. the results of the quiz will be 20. Marketgate; the passage way from the included in the next issue. I decided to do my first study of Market Place leading to the Galleries. The production of the Wigan the greenhouses and lily pond – 21. The Parish Church, with St. George’s flag drawing differs from all the and now I am approaching the on the tower. thirtieth painting in the series. previous work because it is based 22. Market stalls in the enclosed open area of the Galleries. on a painting already completed - KEY 23. Previously the Wigan Mining and a painting, in fact, from the late Technical College but now the main 1990’s, done along with three 1. The Wiend Centre, built at the highest entrance to the Town Hall. point on the hill. other Wigan compositions as well 24. History Shop, which was the former 2. St. Catherine’s Church, where the spire as a triptych in a similar style library designed by the Victorian outlined against a clear sky seems to lean architect, Sir Alfred Waterhouse. which was commissioned for the a little more every year. 25. Wallgate Railway Station, once known as Library Street offices of estate 3. Cenotaph designed by Sir Giles Gilbert the L & Y. Scott, the architect for the Anglican agents Regan and Hallworth. 26. The town’s main Post Office in Wallgate, The Wigan composition Cathedral at Liverpool, who was also involved in the design of telephone kiosks. next to the ‘Dog and Partridge’, which was re named ‘The Bee’s Knees’. contains many of the town’s taller 4. Former Methodist Church in Standishgate, buildings, but there are some that became a restaurant and was re 27. Heraldic crest of the Wigan and District notable omissions. Several of the named ‘Burridge’s’. Mining and Technical College. interesting churches and chapels 5. The eye catching roof outline of Central 28. Team cricket bag on the steps, as a Railway Station, in Station Road, which reminder of the usual meeting place for are missing and neither of the two College teams playing away fixtures. large Wigan and Leigh College has long since been demolished. 6. Trencherfield Mill, which is now an 29. Wigan Little Theatre, standing alongside buildings are represented. There important part of the Wigan Pier tourist one of the bridges across the River is also no evidence of the old area. Douglas. cinemas and no Makinson 7. The Orwell at Wigan Pier, which was once Arcade. The list could continue one of the canalside warehouses. and it becomes obvious that there 8. Eckersley’s Mill, as seen beyond Swan is more than enough material still Meadow Road, looking from Trencherfield Mill. available for further Wigan 9. Mill chimney, seen beyond the buildings in compositions. Swan Meadow Road. As to future plans for the 10. Queen’s Hall tower, with the main series, I should know from past entrance leading to a re-styled smaller experience that with so many interior. other commitments it is foolish to 11. Former Barclay’s Bank building, near the make forecasts and promises. I main post office, where ‘Tote’ replaced the original name above the entrance. have, however, whilst working on 12. Galleries clock tower, standing on a spot murals at the Hospice, been a where the open market used to be. frequent visitor to Hindley and 13. Pavilion at the top of the steps in Mesnes have received more than one offer Park, with the rock like shape on which of assistance from people who the Boer War statue used to stand. know the area well. A greater 14. Canalside office of North West Tourist challenge for the future is going Board, near to Bottom Lock on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. to be the areas around Tyldesley; 15. Magistrates Court building at the corner though offers of guidance from of King Street West and Rodney Street. people living in the district have 16. The bandstand in Mesnes Park.

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HISTORY SHOP NEWS Continued from page 21 heritage, keen to support the work of Friends Project Wigan Heritage Service and most of THE volume of work being undertaken local family history (from the existing all have some spare time to offer, by the Friends, particularly in the field of Borough area) and it’s aimed at getting then we need you to come along to family history, continues to impress, people started. the regular meetings of the Friends. and indeed amaze us. As in previous Family history is not the only topic These are held quarterly, usually at reports we would like to thank Mrs covered by the volunteer work projects. Barbara Davies for all her hard work We have two projects under way at pres- the History Shop in Wigan, but organising and compiling the census ent on local history, one at Wigan and occasionally in Leigh. At the indexes. As already reported, the 1841 one at Leigh. meetings, progress on the various disk is nearly ready for final reproduc- In Wigan we are currently indexing work projects is discussed and tion and will then be available alongside the local paper, the Wigan Observer, analysed, information is exchanged the 1861 disk from the History Shop. from around 1950 to 1990. We have a There are a number of tidying up number of volunteers working through and ideas of all kinds are welcomed. tasks on other census indexes; Mr and the newspapers at the moment, but if It is your chance to have your say and Mrs Davies are trying to put the 1851 anything they are going too fast! Our support the Heritage Service at the onto a usable database, Mr Newton has administration section, the over- same time. The next meeting is agreed to index previously uncovered stretched Heritage Assistants, are find- scheduled for Wednesday 5 May areas on the 1891 and Mr Rigby is ing it impossible to keep up. We developing the 1901 index. There is therefore need a volunteer to undertake 2004 at 12.30 in the History Shop. If always work on the family history side if copy typing of index cards here at the you would like to come along please that’s what interests you. History Shop. Any takers please phone contact us first at the History Shop on A very successful initiative has been Christine on 01942 828020. 01942 828128. the family history workshops, where In Leigh the project is somewhat dif- We would like to extend our newcomers to the subject just starting ferent. The Dootson Collection, out on their search can benefit from a bequeathed to Leigh Library in the last gratitude to Mr Max Finney, who for one-to-one session with an experienced century, contains all types of old, some- the past three years has been an researcher. We are about to begin our times rare but always interesting books. excellent Chairman of the Friends. He third series of these, this time with a Tony Ashcroft, our Heritage Officer at has decided that now is the time for fixed day and time. See the panel for the Turnpike Library in Leigh, is co-ordi- him to stand down, busy as he is with information. If you are interested in nating a project listing and cataloguing helping, remember you will need to be these books with the aim of making other commitments such as the Over an experienced researcher who is famil- them more accessible to researchers in 50’s Forum and work with the iar with the layout of the History Shop the future. If you think you might be Cultural Partnership. He hopes that and the records we hold. If you are inter- interested, and can spare some time to someone can now work with the ested in learning then anyone can come work in Leigh, please ring Tony on foundations we have laid with the along, but remember we only deal with 01942 404559. Friends and push various projects and ideas along. He wants to remain FRIENDS OF WIGAN HERITAGE SERVICE a Friend and at this stage fully intends to continue coming to the meetings Name ...... and support the group. Thank you for Address ...... everything Max. So at the Friends meeting of 12 ...... February 2004 he handed over the Interests ...... role to David Lythgoe. We would of course like to welcome David and ...... wish him well, although he is by no Please enclose £5 subscription for one year’s membership. Cheque/P.O. payable to means new to the Friends, having Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust. Please return to the History Shop, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU. been a constant presence since the Remember your subscription entitles you to a priority mailing of Past Forward three very first meeting. Come along and times a year, starting with the currrent issue unless you request otherwise. meet him and the rest of the group at N.B. If you do not wish to cut this coupon out, a cheque along with your details on plain the next meeting on 5 May 2004 paper is fine. (12.30 in the History Shop). 24

Ashton-in-Makerfield Probus Club every month at 10.30 a.m. New members Members of the Club are retired SOCIETY NEWS welcome. Further details from the business/professional people, who meet at Secretary, Bryan Shepherd (01257 424994) the Angel Hotel, Ashton-in-Makerfield on the 13 April first Wednesday of every month at 11.00 To all Secretaries Experiences being a Volunteer at Wigan a.m. New members are always welcome, Would Secretaries please note the Pier and can receive details from the Honorary copy deadline on p2, and ensure that Jean and Graham Wilcock Secretary, Alan Bradshaw (01942 726493) you send in all details of your (Preceded by AGM) 7 April meetings up to Easter 2004 for 11 May King Edward VII, his Life and Loves inclusion in the next issue. Thanks. The Cross Behind Bars James Fairhurst Canon Noel Proctor 5 May Leigh Literary Society 8 June AGM and lunch This is the Society’s 125th season. Haigh Hall and the People Who Lived There Meetings are held in the Derby Room at the Carol Banks 13 July Aspull & Haigh Historical Society Turnpike Centre, on alternate Monday Summer lunch Meetings are held in Our Lady’s R.C. evenings at 7.30 p.m. Annual subscriptions £11; visitors £1.50 per meeting. For further Church Hall, Haigh Road, Aspull on the Tyldesley & District Historical Society second Thursday in the month at 7.30 p.m. details contact Tony Ashcroft, Local History Officer, Leigh Library (01942 404559) Meetings are held on the third Thursday of Further details from the Secretary, Barbara every month from September to May at the Rhodes (01942 222769) 9 April Cornwall (also AGM) Tyldesley Pensioners club on Milk Street at Trevor Lucas 7.30 p.m. We do not charge an entrance fee Atherton Heritage Society although voluntary contributions are always Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of Leigh Probus Club welcome. Refreshments available. Contact the month at 7.30 p.m. at St. Richards Members of the Club, which is non- the Secretary Tony Rydings (01942 514271) Jubilee Hall, Atherton. Admission £1 sectarian, are generally retired or [email protected]. Visit our (members), £1.50 (non-members). Further professional/businessmen. The Club meets website at www.tyldesleyhistoricalsociety.co.uk. details from Mrs. M. Hodge Tel: (01942 at the Leigh Masonic Hall on alternate 884893) Thursday afternoons between October and Wigan Archaeological Society 20 April April. New members are welcome – anyone The Society meets at the BP Centre (Scout Badges and Token of Bolton wishing to join should contact H. Wilkinson HQ) in Greenhough Street on the first Cliff Stockton (01942 671943). Wednesday of the month at 7.30 p.m. 11 May Entrance is only £1. Helen Mitchell – Suffragette Shevington Memories Group Eileen Murphy This small, informal group meets each Wigan Civic Trust 8 June Friday at 2.30 p.m. in Shevington Methodist The Trust stimulates public interest in the Steam Engines Church (New Lounge), to share memories Wigan area; promotes high standards of David Lewis about old times. Anyone is welcome – just planning and architecture; and aims to turn up! Contact Maurice Hilton (01942 secure the preservation, conservation, Billinge Local History Society 223107) for further details. development and improvement of the For further details contact Jack Boardman, historic parts of town and country. The Trust 38 Garswood Road, Billinge, Wigan, WN5 Skelmersdale & Upholland Family meets. at Drumcroon Education Arts Centre, 7TH, (01744 892613), or visit our web site History Society Parsons Walk, Wigan, on the second Monday at www.billinge-history.com. Meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of each of the month at 7.30 p.m. For further details month, except December, July and August, contact the Secretary, A.J. Grimshaw, 6 Golborne & Lowton Local History Society at 7.30 p.m., in the Hall Green Community Bridgeman Terrace, Wigan (01942 245777). New members always welcome. Founded in 1984 the society now has an Centre, Upholland. Beginners and more average monthly attendance of over 20. experienced family historians always Wigan Family & Local History Society Meetings are held at Golborne Library on welcome. For further details contact the Secretary, Simon Martin (01942 702594). Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the second Tuesday of the month at 7.00 27 April every month (except in July and August) in p.m. Non-members are welcome. Further Bounds of Upholland the Springfield Hotel, Springfield Road, details from Ron Marsh, P.R. Officer (01942 Dr. Audrey Coney Wigan, at 7.30 p.m. for 8.00 p.m. The 726027). 25 May meetings alternate between members’ Workshop – Census Returns evenings and external speakers on history Hindley History Society 22 June related topics. Annual Membership fees are We meet in the Museum at Hindley Library, Irish Repositories £6 for individuals, £7 for families and £10 Market Street at 7.00 p.m. For further James Firth for overseas membership. A meeting fee is details contact the Secretary Joan Topping July (TBA) charged at £1 per member and £1.50 per (01942 257361) or the Treasurer Norma Trip to Quaker Meeting House, St. Helens non-member. For further information Brannagan (01942 258668). contact John Wogan, 678 Warrington Road, Standish Probus Club Goode Green, Wigan WN3 6XN. Email Leigh & District Family History Society The Club was only established in 2001 but [email protected]. You can Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of already has 70 members. Members are also visit our website at every month at 7.30 p.m. in the Derby retired business and professional people. www.ffhs.org.uk/members/wigan.htm. Room of Leigh Library. For further details Meetings, which are open to both men and 20 April contact the Secretary, Mrs. O. Hughes women, are held at ‘The Owls’, Rectory The Story of Wigan Railways (01942 741594). Lane, Standish on the second Tuesday of Philip Heyes 25

Memories of Old Wigan THE History of Park Lane Chapel is now out of print,* but a copy lent to me by Mr. Harry Latham of Ashton-in- Makerfleld contained the following: “In 1889 Mrs. Margaret Shaw at a meeting in the chapel in Wigan Road) Ashton-in- Makerfield, gave a description of the local- ity as he knew it 66 years before”. [i.e. in 1823]. Park Lane, she said, “was then a small and pretty hamlet with its white cottages and gar- dens scattered about where you might hear the sound of the anvil Park Lane Unitarian Chapel, Bryn, Wigan. from an adjoining smithy or the busy shut- supplied most of what sixty or seventy yards better than a pack horse tle from a weaving shop. was needed in food, woven during the week. road, in some places so The light shone clearly such as milk, butter, Each carried back an narrow that two vehicles from the cottage win- potatoes and bacon. The equally heavy burden could not pass each dows at night, unshaded price of butter was from called a ‘scarp’ which other. At Wigan, three by blind or curtain. ninepence to tenpence a was placed on the loom miles away, the people Passers-by were not per- pound [4p]. There was on Monday. Then there were engaged in the haps curious in those no way of getting to was a repetition of the manufacture of blan- days. There was only Wigan except by walk- weaving labour, hands kets, nails and one shop in the neigh- ing, there were no light and feet moving as one, machines. There were bourhood kept by Betty carts, omnibus, no rail- the same monotonous also bleachworks, brass Neville or Betty ‘Never’ way... women walked to round of toil week after and pewter works and as she was called and Wigan on Saturday with week, from early morn iron foundries. Cock- she only sold provisions large rolls of calico on until late at night... fighting, pugilism, ... I fancy the farmers their heads called ‘cuts’, The food was very bowls, May Day obser- as large as a hearth rug plain, potatoes, butter- vances and waits at * but see opposite for some rolled up and containing milk and a small piece of Christmas were the com- good news! Ed. bacon for dinner; butter- mon pastimes. The fol- milk porridge for break- lowing article from the fast and a ‘jannock’ local press shows Wigan [oatmeal bread] was at Christmas in 1899. provided as a treat and enjoyed as if it were Christmas in Wigan plum cake ... To be sure, 1899 there was feasting when the cottager killed his In 1899 Christmas pig but that was only was on a Monday but once a year.” there was a subdued Benjamin Lowe, who observance of Christmas died at an advanced age because of the Boer War. in 1857, said that in his However, on Christmas youth the highway Eve, a great deal of the between Wigan and population were out in The interior of Park Lane Unitarian Chapel. Warrington was little ¶ 26

Bickershaw Parish Church Centenary

5 July 1905 saw the new Church at Bickershaw open its doors at the consecration ceremony by the Bishop of Liverpool. Prior to this, the village was part of the parish of Abram and services had been held in the Colliery School, with weddings, funerals and baptisms taking place at Abram Parish Church. The formation of a new parish and church fulfilled the wishes of the people in the village, and rapidly became an integrated part of their lives, providing a spiritual as well as social side. Indeed few villagers were not touched by it. Next year, the parish will be celebrating its centenary, and is hoping to mount an exhibition of the church through those years, by way of St. James and Elizabeth Church, Bickershaw photographs, documents and memorabilia which plot its history. Already a good amount of material If anyone has anything they think may be of has been loaned or given, but there are obviously interest please contact Jackie on 01942 708484 or other people, who might have left Bickershaw email on [email protected]. For updates on many years ago, who may have photographs or our progress visit the church website on items which might add to the collection. www.bickershawchurch.com. the streets, even though Mr. Magraw, the chief was given by officials The Act which raised the the rain and the slush clerk and Mr. Heston, and friends. The Mayor ages of boys working made the evening miser- the assistant superin- gave a short, appropriate underground from 11 able. This didn’t deter tendent. speech, saying he had years to 12 years came the band of singers At the Court Theatre been through the rooms into operation on 1 which sallied forth [Royal] the pantomime and thought that most of January 1900. But it was under the sleeping was ‘Cinderella’, played the inmates were far still possible for a child townspeople’s windows by Miss Nellie Merton; more happy inside than to work 54 hours a week until Christmas Day Prince Elegant was outside. At the conclu- in the coal mine. The came in, singing the played by Miss Alice sion a vote of thanks on mines inspector of usual carols. The staff at James and the wicked behalf of the inmates Liverpool found that the the Post Office were baron by Fred Frenham. was passed on a motion old miners disagreed busier than ever, with an Christmas Day at the by one of the inhabi- with raising the age. estimated 14% increase workhouse was always tants. At the close the They spoke with a cer- in the mail, and extra looked forward to with inmates sang ‘The tain pride of the fact that help had to be brought eager expectation. The Soldiers of the Queen’. they started work under- in for a Sunday delivery. Mayor and Mayoress, There was good news ground at the age of From 2. o’clock until Mr. & Mrs. J.T. Gee, and for the children who seven. 10.00 on that day there members of the were miners in Wigan. © James Fairhurst was a constant stream of Guardians of the Poor people sending cards were in attendance. and parcels, and when Dinner, which consisted Park Lane Unitarian Chapel the night staff came on of potatoes, roast beef The History of Park Lane Chapel (1697-1897) by there was still an and plum pudding, was George Fox, has been reprinted, £19.50 per copy, A4 immense amount to be served hot at noon, and size. delivered. But delivery during the day oranges Also: was made in good time and other fruits were In the near future Park Lane Unitarian Chapel will be and the work was satis- handed round while open to visitors for a limited time during the week, in factorily accomplished. smokers were given an addition to Sundays. Great praise was due to ounce of tobacco. In the Enquiries to: 01695 623676 or 01942 518629. Mr. Foot, the postmaster, evening entertainment 27

Brass bands and kind hearts ONE day last summer Dear Mr. Gillies, with headscarves cover- our car was stopped by Congratulations on Past Forward issue 35 – as always, full ing their hair-rollers. Anyway, we little ones a policeman. No, we of interest. I especially enjoyed “Saturday Morning”, the very watched, fascinated as hadn’t committed an amusing article about the little lad queuing for a rabbit, and offence – we simply the rollers came out and Mary Sayers’ article on the Abram Vicar. Mary wrote to me the back-combing began, had to wait whilst the about my Bonfire article, and we discovered we were at school with special combs with Walking-Day together, and Peter and I visited Mary last week in her lovely little bobbles on the teeth Procession passed by. I home in Buxton. I have also met a lady from Preston who which created the ‘bee- was amazed that we wrote to me about “The Dream”, so that’s two new friends, hive’ look. were on our way and all through Past Forward. Then came the hair- within 10 minutes – I enclose another article which I hope you might consider lacquer, which in those years ago we’d have suitable for publication. days was bought as a liq- been stuck there for an uid and poured into a hour, and I was sad- spray-bottle, and the us threepenny-bits or his wife came from smell was enough to dened to witness how sixpences to put into it. I London, bringing with strip paint! We gaped in the traditional walk- loved the threepenny-bit them costumes for what awe as ‘pan-stick’ make- ing-days have dwin- – wasn’t it a nice coin?- seems to be a rather nice up was applied, followed dled. and after the walk it tradition in Wigan pubs by ‘Miner’s’ mascara, I can remember when would buy a cornet with on Boxing-night – every- which came in a solid Sunday-School atten- raspberry on. one celebrates wearing block in a little box; the dance rose dramatically The Walking-Day was fancy-dress. Well, Jamie girls used to spit on it in the spring due to little held on both a Saturday was to be King Arthur with gusto before apply- girls longing to walk and a Sunday in June, and Beccy his ing it with a little brush. under the banners. followed by the ‘ser- “Guinevere”. When their Cheeks were given a dab Sometimes I walked with mons’ the following car pulled up outside, of ‘Bourjois’ rouge and Ince Parish Church as I Sunday. On the Saturday Beccy looked very odd fingernails were pained attended Ince C.of E. morning my man and I with her hood up and with ‘L’onglex’ nail pol- Primary School and would walk down Ince strange white things ish; then, leaving us sometimes with Rose Green Lance to collect my sticking out of it, and it runny-eyed and cough- Bridge Methodists, posy; the lady who made turned out that her mum ing in the wake of their where I was christened. it had a white lamp over had put her hair into old- hairspray, off they went As soon as the light her door saying ‘Lilian – fashioned curling-rags, to change into sticky-out nights arrived the Florist’, and the scent of and by the time she dresses supported by net Sunday-school teacher fresh flowers in her emerged from our bath- underskirts, ‘Bear- would ask our mothers home on Walking-Day room as Guinevere, she Brand’ nylons, stiletto to send in a note stating morning is something had the loveliest curls. heels and ‘pop-it’ beads how much material was that will stay with me from Woolworths. needed for our dresses – forever. Then back home 'Amami Night' Remember ‘pop-its’? – usually about 2 and a to get ready – oh, the they were plastic beads, half yards – and a job-lot excitement! A good wash Anyway, back to the each of which ‘popped’ of flocked nylon would at the sink to top up my past. Once we little girls into the next one, so you be purchased from Hart’s bath from the previous were in our finery it was could make your neck- of Wigan. Our dresses night, (in a tin-bath – we time for the older girls to lace as long or as short were made b local ladies had no such luxury as a get into theirs; they used as you liked. who were skilled with a bathroom), and my hair to hold the guide-ropes And now it was time needle; mine was made was combed and tied on the banners whilst we to leave for the assem- by a lady in Board Street with a ribbon. Some girls held the ribbons, and bly-point in the school- and it had a big hem had a pony-tail – do you how we loved to watch yard. How exciting it was which could be let down remember the round them getting ready” They to meet up with our as I grew. plastic pony-tail clips had set their hair the friends, and we messed with interlocking teeth? night before with about on the school- 'Dorothy Bag' (long before ‘bobbles’ ‘Amami’ setting-lotion – field, chattering and and ‘scrunchies’) – and the advert for it went holding buttercups under We always carried a some girls had ringlets ‘Friday Night’s Amami chins “to see if you liked ‘Dorothy-bag’ – this was made by tying their hair Night’. Which my mam, butter” (chance would be a little drawstring bag tightly in rags overnight. (who always got her a fine thing – it was made from a piece of left . . . words wrong), pro- ‘Summer County’ mar- over material, and during Forgive me for going nounced “Am-am-ey garine for most of us!) the procession, relatives off the tale, but I must night”, and it was a com- Meanwhile church ladies and neighbours would tell you this. Last mon sight then to see run into the road to give Boxing-Day my son and women out shopping ¶ 28

bustled about with lists, off!” muttered my dad – organising the various but we listened politely Sunday-School classes because afterwards came under the banners. the ‘Field-Treat’ – games and races on the school 'Actin' t'Mick' field, with tea and buns, or pop and crisps, and At last all was ready prizes. and, just before we set off, the Brass Band First tasted coffee always played ‘The Church’s One I can remember I first Foundation’, which tasted coffee at Rose never failed to fill me Bridge Methodists’ with a strange, inexplica- Field-Treat. One year I ble sadness. Then off we A 1950's Walking Day. won a little autograph- marched, under a blue book; what a nuisance I Lancashire sky, with the was to the neighbours local Bobby out in front, “Done a moonleet”. My of giggles! Toddlers sat with it! – “Will yer sign followed by the Vicar and Aunty Mary could gossip on the kerb waving red, me book, Mrs. Shaw?” I leading churchmen, and for England: “Ee, ‘e did- white and blue ‘shakers’, must have driven them then came the beautiful, n’t! Well, ah’ll go to t’foot and shopkeepers proudly mad! I had that little richly-coloured banners of eawr stairs!” she flew Union-Jacks, held in book for years, and and the Brass Bands. spoke in an exaggerated place by the upstairs never once did it contain Next came the Boys’ manner as she was used sash-window. Apart the autograph of anyone Brigade with the Captain to “mee-mawing”, (mak- from one old lady who rich or famous, but I twirling the mace and ing herself understood sadly took great delight wouldn’t have swapped expertly throwing it into above the clatter of in slamming her front it for one that did, the air and catching it. looms in the cotton-mill), door as the opposing because mine contained Then came the ‘Life- and she tended to put on denomination’s proces- the names of the people Boys’ – little lads in short a posh voice as the sion passed by, we C. of who mattered – the pants and cricket-belts, Vicar’s contingent passed E’s and Methodists hap- neighbours who were playing imaginary trom- by, but she always got pily waved to our pals in unfailingly there for you bones to the strains of her ‘H’s’ in the wrong the Roman Catholic in times of happiness the Brass Band in front, place, and ended up say- Walking-Day; they and sorrow, the Bookie’s much to the amusement ing, “Oh, ‘ello Vicar his- waved to us and, if pos- wife, and the corner- of the crowd on the pave- n’t it ‘ot?”, then back to sible, we all ‘snaked into’ shop lady who let my ment: “Ey, look at this lot “Ee’ ‘e didn’t! ger- each other’s field-treat mam have things ‘on actin’ t’Mick!” (of course raway!” Suddenly she afterwards. Like Bonfire tick’ when money was they were ten times would spot some high-up Night and Easter Sunday, scarce. Even our coal- worse once they realised church lady’s little lad Walking-Day had its own man signed it with a they had an audience, ‘leading out’, carrying a unique atmosphere. An sooty flourish, as well as and obligingly crossed beribboned crook, and air of expectation filled the smiling lollipop-man, their eyes and adopted a would comment archly, the streets – ice-cream and the road-sweeper, comical walk to accom- “Ey-up, ah thowt yon vans vied for the best who always had a few pany the ‘trombone- mon ud a’t t’be a shep- ‘speck’, and Aunty Mary toffees in his pocket for playing’!) The Choir herd!” brought us up to date the children. came next, then the with the latest gossip as The simple, warm- Brownies, Guides and Beer in hand we enjoyed a special hearted, ordinary people Scouts, followed by the Walking-Day tea of who shaped our young Mothers’ Union, each Perspiring bandsmen boiled ham, lettuce and lives and who shared lady proudly wearing her looked on enviously as tomatoes, followed by with us the special times best hat and a matching men strolled out of the jelly-and-custard. – the Christmases, the skirt and jacket, which in pub, beer in hand, to By the second Carnivals, the Weddings, those days people called watch ‘t’scholars’, and Sunday, Lilian’s beauti- the Walking-Days, the a ‘costume’ or a ‘two- overalled shop-assis- ful posy, which had been laughter and the tears. piece’. tants stood on the Co-op kept in water all week, Those were the things Along the procession- step, enjoying the sun- was beginning to wilt. that memories are made route, chairs had been shine and happily wav- This was the Sunday of ….. how full of set out on the pavement ing to the children who when we had the humour they were! How and neighbours sat gos- were, on other days, the ‘Sermons’ – an outdoor generous with what little siping long before the bane of their lives, dash- service with hymns and they had. And oh, how banners appeared. ing into ‘T’Cworp’ shout- prayers, and we always our troubled world could Reputations were shred- ing “’Ave yer any Wild seemed to have a guest do with them now. ded as they discussed Woodbines, missis? – speaker who didn’t know Irene Roberts who was “Livin’ o’er well, tame ‘em!” before when to stop – “Owd Abram t’brush”, or who had dashing out again in fits mon” tha corn’t porr ‘im Nr. Wigan 29

This unusual article, submitted by Eric Winstanley of Ashton-in-Makerfield, has been taken from his dad’s scrapbook. It tells the story of two skaters, John and Thomas Hill, father and son, in the 1880’s and 1925. “Eau’r Nell’s Jack” Skating in the Old Days

“ARE THE old-fashioned winters a betting was 6 to 5 on Gaffeney, who for £25 a-side, was arranged to be thing of the past?” A satisfactory was beaten. Gaffeney not being skated at three o’clock the same day answer to the much-repeated query satisfied with his defeat, another on Carr Mill Dam, Billinge; the crowd should be found in the recent wintry race over the same distance (both was from 15000 to 20000, and conditions which we have starting from scratch) was run; Hill betting 6 to 4 on “Fish”. After two experienced. Subject to correction, it started favourite, and won easily. false starts they got off the mark, must be at least nine or ten years Henry Liptrot (alias “Goody”) in making an even start, but the since Eccleston Mere was so solidly a 400 yards race, for £10 a-side, was renowned “Fish” found that he had frozen over as it was last week. Yet defeated by Hill, who started come to meet a faster man than the invigorating hours spent on the favourite. A flyer named Balmer, himself, and at the end of the race ice during the first few days of from Platt Bridge, next tried to was 20 yards behind Hill. December will be remembered by the defeat Hill in a 400 yards race, for “Fish” Smart, about this time kiddies, long after the wet and £10 a-side. Hill, again favourite, began to telegraph to Mr. John muggy days have been forgotten, won, after a gallant struggle, by Marsh, of St. Helens, wanting to and in the years to come they will about two yards. Thomas Gee, son of skate for a mile and a half or tell their children of the “good old- a well-known Lancashire champion, upwards, for £50 a-side. Marsh sent fashioned winter of 1925”. now met Hill in a 300 yards match, word to Hill that he had received Even in the comparatively short for £10 a-side; Hill again started these telegrams. Hill and a few spell of skating which we have favourite (betting, 6 to 4) and won backers then proceeded to enjoyed, there has been a quick quite easily. This was the closing Cambridge in the hope of finding revival of interest in ice-skating. match for the season 1878-9. “Fish” Smart, and of racing him Skating matches were quickly fixed Hill’s first match in the season again. Not finding him at Cambridge, up, and a St. Helens skater figured 1879-80 was with David Baines they proceeded to Welney, his home, in a race at Sefton Meadows. It is (alias Das Duff) of Haydock. The but “Fish” was absent. interesting to recall that he is a son course was, as usual, 400 yards, and From Welney they went to of a Lancashire champion skater of for £10 a-side, and skated on Sefton Manea, where one, George Green, a nearly 50 years ago, John Hill, a Meadows, near Liverpool. Betting at publican, took them in his trap to miner of Billinge. start was 6 to 4 on Duff, but the Little Downham for the purpose of non-favourite won easily. The finding “Fish”, but could not there The Father . . . Haydock and Parr people, not being see him. Being challenged by the John Hill became prominent as a satisfied with “Duff’s” defeat, “Irish Mail” to skate 100 yards for skater in the winter of 1878-9, when brought another great flyer, Martin £10 a-side, a match was arranged. he was 17 years of age. His first 10 Mannion, nicknamed for his speed The “Mail” was, however, upset races were with young men about the “Irish Mail”, against Hill. The about 20 yards after starting. his own age, for sums varying from match was over 400 yards, for £10 This was Hill’s last match, being 2s. 6d. to £1, and all of these he won a-side. Betting was 5 to 4 on Hill, the 24th he had skated and won, easily. He then began to challenge who won easily. On the same day a until his defeat on Thursday 13 more important men, got on a match Sefton Meadow’s champion named January 1881, when the long-talked with one Brookfield, of Windle, a Tunstall (alias Whalebone) was of match with “Fish” Smart, for £50 distance of 300 yards, for £2 a-side, beaten in a race of 300 yards, for £5 a-side, at Welney, over a quarter of a which he won by about a yard. a-side, by Hill, who won with mile. Both got off to a good start, but Brookfield was not satisfied with the ridiculous ease. Smart at once went to the front, and defeat, so tried again the day after, Christmas Day brought Edward at the half-distance, was leading by over the same distance, and for the Hurst, one of the West Leigh a yard. About 50 yards from home same amount, but Hill again was notables, to skate Hill a quarter of a Hill made an effort to get on even victorious. His next opponent was mile, for £25 a-side. Hurst was very terms with his rival who, however, Thomas Taylor, of Billinge, who confident, but like the rest of Hill’s got away, and won by six yards. started favourite, but never showed opponents, he had to suffer defeat. There were compensations, of in front during the whole of the race. On 28 December the village was course, and if during the present Hill next defeated Thomas taken by surprise, and filled with winter it is noticeable that the elder Derbyshire, of Billinge, in a 400 great excitement, by hearing that people are the better skaters, it is yards race, for £2 a-side, Derbyshire “Fish” Smart, brought to Lancashire probably due to the practice they got starting favourite. James Gaffeney at great expense by a well-known in the winters of the 1880’s. Those tried conclusions with him next in a sportsman and publican of Haydock, were the days when John Hill 400 yards race (Hill receiving three had come to defeat the village (“Eau’r Nell’s Jack”) sprang into yards start) for £2 a-side; the champion. A quarter of a mile race, fame. ¶ 30

Barm Cakes in the Pantry by Neil Cain NOSTALGIA isn’t what it used to be, or so some even before squeezing my lower end of Belle Green wag is supposed to have said. Why is it that with mother and me aboard, Lane, which I know some and off we would go – readers still recall. His the confidence of youth most of us deride our destination Wigan. A slightly stooping figure elders when they reminisce about days gone by, Regent petrol station would appear at the gate and he would usher us into '30’Fs a strange change begins to take place? would proclaim ‘last petrol before motorway’. wonderland. An enormous Despite the claims of global warming we become What the National station grandfather clock gently convinced that our early summer memories exist two miles up the road tolled the passing quarter only in days where the sun blazed down, flags thought of this we never hours; a blazing fire in the hearth, alongside an oven cracked, and seaside donkeys wore straw hats. knew, nor cared; in those with a big knob on the door days we didn’t have half- Suddenly policemen become gangly youths instead and a little cubby hole baked pedants from of giants with hands like car hubcaps. Then comes where he kept his kindling the day when you realise it’s been years since getting Brussels poking into dry, dominated one side of things like that! Mile after on a bus brought on an adrenalin rush, and the room. A big pot in the mile of M1 motorway everything falls into place – nostalgia has you in its form of Winston Churchill’s rattled away beneath the head, complete with cigar vice-like grip and you will never escape. Grown men tyres of the Hillman Minx and naval cap, stared down will rush lemming-like across busy roads to see a until the Midlands; then in the corner, but I longed Vincent motorcycle, or a Norton. A whiff of smoke came a succession of to get out to the back from a preserved steam engine leaves one dewy-eyed small towns, or signs to kitchen. Wonderful smells and your soul belongs to the god of the Past. It’s them – Newcastle under lingered there, and in a wonderful. Lyme, Eccleshall, Stone small cupboard there was a and Congleton, until a block of Harvo cake, which Without the benefit of a 1960’s in a flash. Every magic moment that, even we never saw down south. time machine I can be August dad would load at a tender age, I knew The real crock of gold lay in back in Wigan in the the car to the maximum, meant something special. the pantry, however; Eccles It simply said A49. The cakes, barm cakes, Chorley air smelled different, a cakes, vanilla slices – even . . . and the Son wonderful smokey smell, now I can smell that pantry. houses were a rich red Outside grandad’s stood Carr Mill Dam was the scene of an interesting skating three funny little cars that match on Sunday afternoon, when a crowd, estimated at colour and their bricks belonged to his next door between four to five thousand persons assembled. The shone, side streets were neighbour’s sons. I know contestants were Thomas Hill (Billinge) and William made of big stone blocks now they were Morgan Greenall (Haydock). Large crowds of supporters came not tarmac. We were there three wheelers, but to me from Billinge, for their representative is the youngest and to confirm it a sign by son of a former champion, Mr. John (Jack) Hill, widely they were things that the side of the road told belonged to the stories of known to the sporting fraternity as “Eau’r Nell’s Jack”, us so…..’Wigan’. who won numerous matches 25 to 30 years ago. Noddy. Sometimes in the The match was for £10 a-side, and plenty of money evening the Insurance Man changed hands, both men being in request at evens. The Wonderful smells would call. He rarely distance was 300 yards, starting from the boat-house, seemed to transact business, but my dad and and finishing at the station end of the dam. Grandfather Cain lived grandad would join in A good start was effected, and there was plenty of in Holt Street in Ince heated debate about the excitement as both men laid down to their work, viewed which, in those days, merits of Wigan Rugby from behind the winning post, young Hill (he is about 22 hadn’t been made up, so League Club. The years of age), who was on the left, was soon in front, the car would rock and roll Insurance Man had decided and maintaining the lead throughout he raced home an its way down the street as that someone by the name easy winner by about four yards. dad veered to avoid huge of Dave Bolton stood in the Mr. Hill, senior, who was present, must have been a pot holes, sometimes wrong place at the scrum proud man, for the son bids fair to become a champion, unsuccessfully, until we and this was a sin beyond being a well set-up youth. He was warmly congratulated pulled up outside no. 38. forgiveness as far as he by his many friends on the victory he had gained Grandad toiled for over 30 was concerned. No amount without much effort. A word about the vanquished, years in the heat of the of argument would sway “Billy” Greenall; he took his defeat like the good famous Top Place him from his view, and a sportsman he is, and remarked to a party of friends that ironworks, before glass of Myer rum they had backed him 20 years too late. Greenall is about managing to buy a small 15 years the senior of Hill. bakery business at the Continued on page 32 31

warbonnet that belonged Market Place on the such as Leigh. Smartly to a tribe that roamed the opposite side to the uniformed conductors Barm Cakes plains of ‘Hong Kong’. Just arcades, was not the tatty would hop aboard and as my eyes lit on a bag of thoroughfare it later graffiti was pleasantly in the jacks, dad would assure became. I think there was absent, both from the me that back at grandad’s a jewellers selling good buses and the station Pantry he had a game of ‘put and German clocks, and waiting stands. take’ which was better, or perhaps a haberdashers, ––––– a thing called a ‘Tommy amongst other shops. Continued from page 31 Talker’. After our ramble around Top Lock the town, we would return Steer a course to the Market Square – Many evenings after tea proffered by grandad did surely the most convenient we would wander up the nothing to dampen his Dad would cleverly steer urge to bring his message a course through the to the people of Wigan, streets so that he that Mr. Bolton was ‘accidentally’ came to a hoodwinking folk into gents’ outfitters at the top thinking he was a good of Library Street player by some satanic (Collins?). Then we would power. Once he had left, go down Wallgate to life resumed its tranquil air another. Somehow dad and granddad turned the managed to steer what I table top over and know now was a rather produced a big box of devious route back to the dominoes. I loved the look Market Square via Central and feel of the dominoes, Park. From the age of happy to just hold them about four I realised that and none too caring of the this place held a certain fact that we were playing spell over him. Later in life ‘fives and threes’. I discovered he once stood gazing through the locked gates on a day when all Exciting sport throughout the Country was frozen off, Sometimes dad and I willing a match to would get off the hook and miraculously occur. go into Wigan without Somehow this visit to anyone else in tow. This Central Park seemed to was as exciting as it could satisfy dad, more so if he possible get because dad recognised a Wigan knew where there were Director that he could toilets buried buttonhole about likely underground, right in the Welsh Rugby Union heart of town too! I players he had spotted couldn’t understand why when their teams played in the Market wasn’t in London. St. Catherine’s Church, Wigan. Market Place. I put it down Our return route to the fact that things were invariably involved one, or different in Wigan and that more, arcades. The ‘Legs parking place a town ever Leeds and Liverpool to Top was what was so special of Man’ or ‘Makinsons’ had. Various companies Lock. As I doubt we ever about it! The market itself were favourite with me as used the bus station on the did this on a bad day, my was one of the Wonders of we ended up near two ice- square and I loved to see memories are naturally of the World. Two huge bulls’ cream carts outside the their richly painted golden light colouring the heads stared down at me Market Hall. One belonged liveries. Why do bus colour land, with the spire of St. from one stall, their dark to Cassinellis, the other to schemes today look as Catherine’ church rising eyes hypnotising me until I Lewis’s. Most people, of a though a child of three into the setting sun to the was dragged back to certain age will recall the devised them and used west. The wind blew reality by the memory that man with the weighing only primary paint? Back through the long grass in a on another stall you could scales in the ‘Legs of Man’ then you had the lovely manner so peaceful that it buy things a small boy arcade, and I seem to Wigan Corporation fleet, seemed to mock the area’s couldn’t live remember a newsagent as together with that of industrial past. The slag without…..tatty plastic well. Maybe the memory is Ribble serving points tips were still there back guns that fired plastic playing tricks with me, but north; or Lancashire then, from both the Rose sticks with suckers on the back then it seemed that United which seemed to Bridge pits and Cheshire end, or an Indian Station Road, leading off serve towns east of Wigan ¶ 32

Hole/Roundhouse col- ieries, as well as the ones associated with the Ironworks higher up the canal. The Westwood Power Station was still going then, so it was possi- ble to see a coal barge negotiating the locks. Jumping a by-wash was a necessary rite of passage, and even though you knew you could do it there was always that last second doubt as you reached the take off point. As I mentioned earlier, granddad worked at Top Place, on the furnaces closest to the canal bank. What little remained in the way of brickwork became a playground for me. Little bits of chimney footings ‘Top Lock’, Leeds and Liverpool Canal. still stuck up then and solidified slag lay in huge blocks, often precariously lined with terraced homes of our holiday with grazing my knees in the balanced on the edge of the and shops. Every corner grandad in visiting. Dad process. Dad would finally canal. Dad would tell me seemed to have a pub, with had an Uncle Jimmy at Old arrive to hoist me those how his uncle got trapped the ‘Cases Arms’ being on Pepper Lane in Standish – last few feet, but by then under an engine when it Holt Street corner, opposite everyone had an Uncle the train was just a distant overturned on a tip, then a little shop that seemed to Jimmy then. Even now, 40 hazy blur. he would recite the strange sell everything from an plus years on I would Well, they tell us that names carried by the little area the size of a imagine, I can remember children today have locomotives – Achilles, handkerchief. Rows of how Jimmy and wife nothing to do, poor things. Balneil, Lindsay, Juno etc. glass sweet jars rose to the Martha gave me a rubber Will their memories of When we reached Top Lock ceiling and bottles of pop in spade all colours of the Disneyland or Spain the water stretched away a bewildering variety rainbow. Dad’s Auntie compare with Top Lock or into the distance. Having tempted this small boy. Oh Maggie (every one had one Haigh Hall? Will Leisure followed its course all the that granddad would pick of those too), lived at New Centres or purpose built up that lovely dark way up the flight of locks, Springs in Withington Lane five-a-side football pitches one….dandelion and this point seemed like the with her daughter, also come close to kicking a ball burdock, a treat for the equivalent of a national Maggie, and son-in-law on Rose Bridge schoolfield tastebuds unknown back boundary, a marvellous Jim. The great treat here after hometime? For their home. Grandad in his place where time seemed to was to be allowed to run up sakes I hope so, but working days at the bakery change to a slower pace their path which ended on somehow I doubt it. A dear had carried the daily and a more rural the canal bank. How I friend reminded me quite takings home in an old atmosphere prevailed. longed for our house to recently of the poem bag, the same route each Maybe if we got back in have boats sailing by, or a Granchester by Rupert night. He was never time, and before the railway running behind it Brooke, and particularly mugged in all the years he obligatory dominoes like Ince Cemetery had. that poet’s hopeful longing did it! Now he travelled began, I might get to heave Tending grandma’s grave that there would still be that route to visit the grandad’s coal to and fro in was another holiday ritual honey for tea. For me, Ashurst family that now the shed, or see the frog in and in that oasis of peace, when I shut my eyes and ran the bakery. I well recall his greenhouse. with rabbits running about find it’s once again a going one day and seeing Radio-alarm clocks were and birds singing, there sunny day in Wigan years the hive of industry it was. unknown back then, so my would suddenly come a ago, I am wondering A huge treat was being daily wake up call came roar and thunder as a similar to the poet…..are allowed to turn the potato from a canal boat whistle, steam train shot by Springs there barm cakes in the washer on. I was Jamie hens kept by Mr Blackledge Branch. Oblivious to my pantry? Olive and Gary Rhodes next door, or if I’d slept in, newly purchased holiday rolled into one that day! from Rappaports factory shoes I would scramble Note: Since writing this whistle across Manchester madly, trying to get a Ince Cemetery wall has Road. This road is now a Uncle Jimmy foothold on the big blocks collapsed. To Wigan pale shadow of its former of stone that formed the Council I say, “nothing to self, when each side was Naturally we spent some wall of the cemetery, and do with me!”. 33

Garswood – The old village I THINK readers of which one transferred first thing he did was to and gents hairdressing. Past Forward would from St. Andrews to the erect a 10 ft. fence all Emily, the eldest of the agree that a popular big school in Rectory round the land. I vividly children, stayed in the contributor over the Road was the same and remember one occasion cottage to look after years has been J. Owd Stan still when some of the lads Frank, Maureen and Harold Smith, who has administered the same climbed over the fence to Teddy. The children written many very form of punishment, retrieve our ball but were attended local schools. I interesting articles on although he may have caught trespassing by the still keep in touch with Garswood, its village mellowed over the years. owner, who took off his the family Maureen told life and some of its leather belt and used it to me of catching the bus in characters. Rabbits and Hares thrash one of the boys; Ashton and booking to I refer especially to no explanation was Lone Eend. For the his articles in issues 32 The ‘new road’ was acceptable to him as to uninitiated this is Sims and 33. I consider the dirt footpath which why we were there. Lane End, a place she had myself to be an ‘old connected Garswood with Although I would be never heard of. The Garswooder’, having Downall Green and along about 12 at the time I felt children regarded these been born there and which the children would very annoyed that we years as the happiest lived until the age of walk to the Rectory were being deprived of ones of their childhood. 25 firstly in Station School from the age of the use of the Croft, and Before the family Road and then in seven. It also had its surely it could not be returned to Liverpool Victoria Road with my share of wild life. Rabbits right for the village to they commissioned parents, brother Leslie and hares were a have lost such an Arthur Turner (see Past and sister Joyce. In fact common sight, as were important aspect of Forward no.18) to do a we lived just three the antics of the water village life. pen/ink drawing of the doors away from rats at the sewage works. cottage. This still has Harold, but because he If the development which Idyllic landscape pride of place in Emily’s would seem to be took place 40 years or so home in Solihull. about 12 years older ago was to happen today The Tilesheds is aptly Next to St. Andrew’s than myself, I don’t there would be a hue and described by Harold as an school in the Oaks is the remember him. Also as cry to save the idyllic landscape of parish hall. Not only was he ‘lived away’ environment. sloping field with a it our Sunday School but according to his My first realisation of cottage by the pool. The our changing room. As mother, he perhaps the extent to which cottage has been youths this was the hub moved to find greener Garswood had changed demolished and the pool of our village life, it pastures. I doubt was when I had need to filled in. It was probably enabled us to have a whether he would visit a house in Hamilton thought that since Tom football team. The team have found any Road and I had to ask Taberner had passed on was ably looked after by greener than those where the road was. there would be no fish in Billy Ralphson. We were around Garswood. I Garswood used to the pond, and since the taught to respect our knew his mother well comprise four roads, swans no longer visited elders on all occasions; and she always Station Road, Victoria Garswood it had out- they had to be addressed seemed to take an Road, School Lane, and served its purpose. as Mr. or Mrs. There interest in my career. the Oaks (Garswood During the war years, appeared to be only one At the age of 25 I Road). In the middle of however, the cottage was exception, in that we ‘emigrated’ to Orrell. these roads was the Croft. rented by Mr. & Mrs. were permitted to refer to Our age difference It was never referred to as Moughan and their four the man who commanded meant that our years the village green but this children even though it the respect of the football spent living in Garswood was the place where all had neither gas nor team and village as had resulted in different unorganised games took electricity. The family ‘Billy’. personnel being in place. A favourite Sunday home was in Liverpool charge, although other afternoon game was and had been damaged Comradeship facets of village life were ‘piggy’. during the bombing. Mr. the same. Mrs. It was a sad day for & Mrs. Moughan The team played in Hampson’s deputy was the village when a local travelled daily from the under 16 Sunday Mrs. Elliott and Rev. W.W. coal merchant acquired Garswood station into School league and our Williams had changed to the Croft for his coal Liverpool to continue the Rev. W.H. Hall. The age at bagging business. The family business of ladies ¶ 34

OUR LEGACY THE over 50’s Forum, Wigan remembered. Thus this would be A COMMUNITY Borough, working in conjunction the beginning of a visual and with Age Concern Wigan, and the HISTORY OF WIGAN oral history of the whole of the Social Services Department, is TOWNSHIPS Wigan Borough. about to commence working on The project is about recording the above project, and will be bring the articles to a designated experiences of life in the Wigan seeking the help of all residents. point, where two copies would be Borough. It could include The project, which has the made, one for the donor, with the traditional stories of local life, approval of the Council and other one being retained by the including the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s; Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Trust. Details required from the they don’t necessarily have to be will open with a publicity cam- Donor would be: Victorian or Edwardian. Also paign encouraging members of included could be input from the the public to root out any old • What was the item about? black or ethnic minority, asylum photographs, posters, postcards, • Why did it take place? seekers residents stories and menus, recipes, memorabilia, or • When was the occasion? their history, and records of other items of local interest, • Where did it take place? people who have previously lived depicting any of the events, per- • Who were the people involved? in Wigan, but have moved away sonalities, tragedies, anniver- (migrated) to other areas or saries, memorable and not so and any other information that countries. memorable occasions, in fact could be of interest. These details Age concern has already anything of the slightest interest and the copy of the item would carried out a pilot scheme, and in that has taken place over the be fed into a computer. In order to attract people’s interest years, in the various townships. addition, it is intended that a to the project, it is intended to By the various townships, this tape recorder will be made have a small exhibition of the means that the project covers the available, so that any residents photographs that they have entire Borough – not just Wigan, that are housebound, could be received, at various sites in each but also, for example, Leigh, visited in order that they could of the townships. Ashton, Standish, Ince, Atherton describe past events or Max Finney etc. Residents would be asked to experiences that they Over 50’s Forum ground was Garswood run. to a spring where an escape its fatalities and Rec. All our players The football team was isolated cottage would damage to properties attended the Sunday very successful. Over two draw its water. We would during the war. Two local School not by compulsion years we lost one game, cup our hands and then young men were killed but rather a feeling of winning one game away sup any water we had whilst investigating an comradeship. Our from home 36 : 0! We managed to retain. unexploded bomb which Superintendent was Mr. cycled to every away had dropped in a field John Pendlebury who, match and our playing Odious smell next to Garswood Rec. when the attendance was strength was 12 players. and a land mine exploded low, would tour the At the end of two years Today there are no in Lord Gerrard’s Park village rounding up any we had to be disbanded signs that J & R Stones damaging windows in lads he could see. He was due to lack of players. colliery ever existed. The Victoria Road. a very imposing person, Other vivid memories odious smell of The new residents of about 6’ 5”, always of a happy childhood are smouldering coal dirt Garswood refer to Station carried a cane type of during the long school which used to percolate Road, Victoria Road, walking stick. When he holidays when a group of through the village and School Lane and the was searching out the us would ‘go up the the glowing coals that Oaks as The Old Village, absentees the word Turpin’ with bottles of illuminated the ‘stuff but whether the village “Johnny’s coming” water as our source of rook’ have long since life is still as rapturous I preceded him faster than refreshment and climb gone. Smock Alley has cannot comment. he could walk, hence it trees in Monks wood. changed its name to became another game to When the water bottles Smock Lane. Frank Cunliffe let him see you and then were empty we would go Garswood did not Orrell Nr. Wigan 35

Ashton-in-Makerfield Male Voice Choir

ONE SUNDAY evening sometime in by Alfred Hughes 1954 Blackpool No Prize October 1944, a number of men (written in the 1960’s) 1954 Liverpool No Prize were chatting together outside the (Golborne) Chapel after the service, when the 1955 Lytham 1st question was raised by one of them, I may add, well rewarded for our 1957 Leyland 1st about the formation of a male voice efforts, in helping to add a little 1958-59 Freckleton 1st 1st choir. As a result a meeting was festival cheer to those less fortunate 1959-60 Newton 1st 1st called for all those interested, at than ourselves. which it was decided to form a male We entered for more musical We also competed at Carmel voice choir, to be called the ‘Ashton festivals, and were successful at a Eisteddfod about 1945-1946, when Male Voice Choir’. few of them. In 1953, however, we Haydock won. A committee was elected, and I had one costly experience, which Of the original choir, when newly believe the officials were as follows:- some of the old members will well formed, the following are still Chairman Mr. William Greenall remember. Our membership at that members: Mr. Handel Jones, Senr., Secretary Mr. Robert Pomfret, time was around 45, and we were Conductor 14 years, Mr. Alfred Treasurer Mr. Fred Greenall, singing well. We had entered for the Hughes Treasurer 13 years, Mr. Conductor Mr. Tudor Trevor Jones Choir Festival at Rhyl; there were W.M. Green, our present Chairman and Accompanist Mr. Raymond Gill. two set pieces, one being ‘Sound an has been on the Committee for a Rehearsals were held in the Alarm’ and the other a very nice good number of years, Mr. Dennis Stubshaw Cross Independent quiet piece (I think it was ‘Quiet Tunstall, Vice Chairman, Mr. David Methodist schoolroom, and the first Sleep’). Prior to this we had gained Wood, Mr. Joseph Wood, Mr. Derek concert was given in the nearby the 2nd prize at Llandudno for Woods, Mr. Albert Pritchard and Mr. Independent Methodist chapel. Our singing ‘Sound an Alarm’ (‘Swing Arthur Garlic. Also Mr. John first engagement was at Spring View Low, Sweet Chariot’). We practised, Clayton, up to his leaving for Methodist Church, where we of course, on both pieces, but more Australia, and the late Mr. Enos rendered a ‘Service of Song’. As time so on the soft one, as we had already Banks up to his recent passing. went on our membership increased competed on ‘Sound an Alarm’. We had grand service rendered in number, and we gradually became The day of the Festival arrived to us by Mr. Robert Pomfret, who more known around the district; as and we listened to the other choirs was for eight years our Secretary, a result, we received more singing before it was our turn to go and I pay tribute in appreciation of engagements. on the platform. Imagine our his services to the choir. Messrs. We entered our first competitive surprise, and shock too, when we Eric and Ronnie Tunstall were Festival at Wigan in October 1945. heard one of the other choirs singing members up to their moving to Sir Hugh Roberton was the another setting, different to ours, of Eccles. As I have already adjudicator of his own composition, ‘Sound an Alarm’. We made mentioned, we have had a the test piece ‘Over Here’, and we enquiries and, very much to our membership of 45 but now it takes were the only choir to appear on the disgust, surprise and ‘alarm’, found us all our time to muster 30. Mr. platform. Nevertheless, Sir Hugh out that we were about to sing the Fred Partington, formerly of considered our effort as being wrong setting. O yes, they allowed Hindley, who is now away in worthy of the prize. us to sing it, but it did not count in College studying for the ministry, In 1947, we moved to the the competition; we were was a member, and I think we can Ashton-in-Makerfield Lecture Hall adjudicated on both pieces, but only claim some merit for having for our rehearsals; soon afterwards, counted on one. We gained 97 and assisted in encouraging him to the Mr. Tudor Jones resigned the 95 for our effort but, nevertheless, quality he achieved as a soloist, as Conductorship, and was succeeded we had sound the wrong ‘Alarm’ for well as our own Harry Pennington, by Mr. Handel Jones. We continued which we gained more publicity than who is still with us. to give engagements in various if we had won. It was reported in all Before I close, I’m sure you will churches throughout Wigan and the newspapers, along with our agree that it would be greatly amiss district and also further afield, as far photographs, which we had taken of me if I forgot to pay tribute to our as Eccles and Burtonwood. We also outside the Rhyl Pavilion after the accompanist, Miss Barbara Roberts, gave concerts in aid of various festival, but oh, what a lesson! for her faithfully and grand service. charities as well as entertaining The following is the list of I say in all sincerity, and without patients in various hospitals, Festivals at which we have any flattery, that she has been a including Winwick, Salford and competed: great asset, along with Mr. Jones, to Wrightington. At Christmas for a whatever success we have achieved number of years we have visited the 1945 Wigan Awarded Prize in recent years. Thank you Miss local hospitals, where we have 1951 Llandudno 2nd Prize Roberts. always been well received and also, 1953 Rhyl See above © Glenys McLellan 36

As promised in the obituary to Donald Anderson in the last issue of Past Forward, here is a full list of Donald's published works: Published works by Donald Anderson: The Standish Collieries, Wigan, Blundells Collieries, Progress of the Lancashire 1633-1963. D. Anderson, Lane Business, Parts 1,2 & 3. Historic Society and A.A.France. Published by Donald Lancashire and Cheshire 1965 to 1968. Anderson 1984. The first serious study in the Lancashire A truly monumental work of mining historical Coalfield by the unique combination of a local research and the definitive work on this area’s Apprenticeship historian and mining engineer to document the coal industry. The enormous wealth of history of a colliery concern. knowledge brought together and steered by Orrell Coalfield, Lancashire 1740-1850. Donald resulted in a work the like of which had memories, Moorland Publishing 1975. never been seen before, and probably might A true classic in mining history. The definitive never be seen again. ‘Top Pit’, Dalton work on this once very important coalfield. Life and Times at Haigh Hall (Eight Donald’s all encompassing research approach Hundred Years of History). Donald Dear Alastair, in this work was to be much copied by future Anderson. Published by Smiths of Wigan The article on Donald mining historians. 1991. Anderston in the last issue Mines and Miners of South Lancashire Another first bringing to the fore Donald’s brought back memories of my 1870-1950. D.Anderson and J. Lane. fascination with ancient estates, especially local apprenticeship at the ‘Top Pit’ at Published by Donald Anderson 1978. ones. The Haigh estate’s 700 year mining Dalton 1960 to 1965. The first ever photographic record history had always held a special interest for There were three partners publication on the Lancashire Coalfield, now Donald. The definitive work so far on the Haigh running the coal mines, Donald long out of print and highly sought after. area. Anderson who ran Quaker House Donald’s detailed captions make this study an Wigan Coal and Iron. D. Anderson and Colliery, Bill Gorton who ran important reference source. A.A. France. Published by Smiths of Wigan Dalton ‘Top Pit’ and John Coal - A Pictorial History of the British 1994. Goodier who managed the Coal Industry. D. Anderson. As befits the once greatest coal concern the accounts and wages etc; John Published by David and Charles 1982. world has ever known, another monumental was based in the office on Lees Meant for a general audience, Donald’s work by Donald and Tony. The published work, Lane Dalton which was the site of extensive wider knowledge of the British Coal although very extensive, was intended to be the original Dalton mine. A lot of Industry came to the fore in this highly readable nearly twice as large! The final word on Wigan fireclay from the ‘Top Pit’ was account. Coal and Iron. milled and bagged at the Lees Lane site. At 18 years of age I was was always wet, which played officially made electrician in Superb Tradesman and havoc with the electrical charge of the mine, probably the equipment and kept us busy. youngest ever! I still have the Gentleman The pit worked a three shift certificate with mine and Bill Sir, there is a wonderful stand of system. Day turn was 8.00-4.00 Gorton’s signatures on it. I read your obituary of poplars on the left hand side of and was when the filling was I have many happy memories Donald Anderson (issue 35) Lees Lane as you go towards done. Joe Fairhurst was deputy of those times, including one of with great interest. In April 1955 Parbold. These had been (or Bill Ashcroft, as they worked the ghost coal drilling machine I was interviewed by Donald’s planted to hide the ‘Bottom Pit’, weeks about) and usually four which vanished from Ince Moss electrician Tom Taberner, who and this was my first sight as I gangs of men in the stalls. They coalboard workshops at Ince, had worked in a Haydock went to work on my first day. consisted of two fillers and a materialized at Dalton ‘Top Pit’ colliery and came from Ashton- The ‘Bottom Pit’ was a dry pit drawer. Of the 20 or so men only to vanish and rematerialize in-Makerfield. He was a superb and easy to work, the hardest who worked there most came in the grass at Ince Moss tradesman and a thorough job was catching the pony that from Upholland or Roby Mill; Cemetery. Some months later it gentleman, who also played the hauled the tubs out of the mine. indeed the Murray family from again vanished from the organ at a church in Ashton. I It was put out to grass every Roby Mill were some five or six cemetery only to rematerialize at was taken on in April 1955 and weekend, and come Monday strong in the late ‘50’s. Dalton ‘Top Pit’! Happy days. had a wonderful time serving morning everybody joined in the Transport was on Ronnie I could relate a few stories of my apprenticeship under Tom. chase to harness it up. I helped Bank’s wagons from Roby Mill those days working for the Dalton Donald had two partners, Bill put in the haulage engine and or from Hall Green, Upholland. Coal and Fireclay Company, Gorton, who looked after the the pony was retired. Little Norman Farrimond drove including taking my girlfriend, ‘Bottom Pit’ on Lees Lane, The ‘Top Pit’ worked the the Upholland wagon, as he now my wife, down the mine one Dalton and John Goodier, who middle mountain seam, which parked up every night just below weekend; she had on Her did the books at the office on was about two feet of coal on the Stanley pub on Ormskirk Majesty’s Inspector of Mines that site, and looked after the top of three feet of fireclay. With Road where he live. It was no Wellington boots over her own stores. John was as tight as the the support bars lowering the joke going up Mill Lane in shoes and was continuously proverbial! Donald himself effective height, you walked in a winter, but most of the colliers looking for any rats or mice in the looked after the ‘Top Pit’, which permanent stoop, which was preferred the easy going life at mine. was in the fields below Ashurst very tiring. But the worst thing Dalton to the N.C.B. The hours Keep up the good work on Beacon, and also Quaker House was the water, which was were more sociable, and best of Past Forward – it’s a great which was close to Simms Lane everywhere – dripping from the all you could smoke down the magazine. End, North Ashton. roof, under you feet (we had to pit as it was a ‘flame free mine’. Frank Goodwill Many people will wonder why wear Wellingtons), everything Continued on page 38 37

father was walking from Bryn IN THE SAME CLASS AT Station on his way home to Osborne Road, after working in GRAMMAR SCHOOL Liverpool, I think. No doubt they on to other extended members Dear Denis, had known each other from of the Gorner family. I have I have just read the article in their youth, and both old soldiers, Fred was shot up on received an e-mail from Andy the new issue of Past Forward re Yates in the USA and a long ‘The Memoirs of John Vincent the first day of the Somme July letter from Ron Gorner, who Gorner’ which I found most 1916. Dear Sir, was also at Ashton Grammar interesting as I am an Old I left Ashton in 1955 and In the last issue of Past School, but about five years Ashtonian, and I immediately have only returned there a few Forward there was an article older. Ron mentioned several recognised the connection with times; I am more depressed at entitled ‘The Memoirs of John names who I also remember, the Gorners. each visit with the state of the Vincent Gorner’ (p 28) which one in particular being Frank I started at The Grammar place, it is nothing like the had been submitted by his son Finch, who was his close friend School, Ashton-in-Makerfield in Ash’n I remember and certainly Denis Gorner. I immediately at school and was my house September 1939 and soon not as interesting as the utopia recognised the Gorner family captain when I started there in afterwards we had a new boy your father so ably described. referred to in the article, and 1939. join us, he came from London, After school I was in the wrote to Denis in America, who Denis and I have now one Vincent Gorner, who I am Royal Air Force, followed by a replied by e-mail to my snail exchanged several e-mails, and sure is your brother. As far as I degree in engineering, and then mail. he suggested that I send you a can remember “Vinny” was worked at Leyland Motors, My memory was correct, copy of my letter to him, as he with us until 1944, and then he Manchester Corporation and Denis’s older brother Vincent feels that other people may be returned to London. I would be finally to Sunderland where I and I were in the same class at interested in the interested to hear how Vinny was General Manager and the Grammar School, Ashton-in- correspondence. Hence I progressed. Engineer of the Corporation Makerfield. Denis gave me enclose a copy and please feel My father, Frederick T. Transport department. Vincent’s address in London, so free to publish if you so wish. Wright, had the grocers shop Alan H. Wright I wrote to Vincent and received “Nathan Wright & Son” in a very appreciative reply. Alan H. Wright Wigan Road nearly opposite the So after 59 years a contact Gosforth grammar school, and knew has been re-established, thanks Newcastle-upon-Tyne your father quite well. I Worked at to Past Forward. Email: remember them chatting on Denis also passed my letter [email protected] Wigan Road when I think your Maypole Colliery Dear Sir, Thank you, most sincerely, Continued from page 37 for the pumps to cope with, and out and about making do and for printing my query relating to I remember so well the rose back up the drift. mending. In the workshop Roy No. 1 shaft at the Maypole telephone system we had It was after one such Walmsley was the blacksmith Colliery, and for publishing the between the ‘Top Pit’ and the horrendous night shift that Joe who sharpened the Siskol photograph I sent to you. ‘Bottom Pit’. This consisted of and Jack Fairhurst and myself cutter picks every day, and Dick I have had three letters from ex-army telephones, with wind went into the Prince William at Aspey was his striker. Roy came readers who worked at the up handles on that rang the bell 8 a.m. for a “warmer”. It really from Goose Green and Dick Maypole Colliery. They do at the other end. The cable was was home from home and I had from opposite Pemberton confirm that there was a strung up between trees in the my first taste of whisky that station. I can still hear the roar second shaft, plus an fields between the two mines morning. It tasted terrible, and of the forge fire and the clang, underground winder. and I spent many hours just goes to show what a clang of metal upon metal. Re the photograph, I did repairing that cable, shinning difference 50 years makes! We Things I remember so well. receive a letter from the Mr. up trees with a hammer and were all regulars in the Prince, Going home ‘in the black – Bennison, I referred to. He now some staples. A wonderful job and in fact Donald built the much to my mum’s annoyance lives in Nice, France. His sister in summer! Afternoon shift was retiring landlady’s bungalow – as we had no baths. John sent Past Forward to him. He the cutting shift; this comprised some years later practically Goodier querying if I really did was the principal surveyor, for two brothers from Parbold, Joe opposite the pub. Was he need two rolls of insulating the Victoria, and Albert and Gordon Unsworth, a deputy thinking of branching out I tape. Riding out of the pit Collieries. He left the coal who did some shot firing, and wonder? He didn’t as it happens behind the tubs on the drag – industry in 1960, and made a was from 2.00-10.00. Quaker House mined the slightly dangerous and highly career in show-business, Night turn consisted of a King seam. This was a good illegal, but it saved walking. working mostly in London. He night watchman, Jack height of solid coal and bone Going to Mrs. Ratcliffe’s for did put a show on at the Wigan Fairhurst, whose sole purpose dry. It was at Quaker House that sandwiches for our tea if we Little Theatre in the 1970’s. He in life was to keep an eye on the the Holland family worked. worked late – why did they still writes plays. pumps and water. When it Ernie, the father, was a good 6’ always taste so good? Going to He did not realise that he rained hard, it took about a 4” and big with it, and all the scrap yards to buy up ex N.C.B. knew my wife well – she lived week for the rain to seep four sons were of similar build. electrical gear to refurbish not far from the Bath Springs. through the soil/rock and then When they all walked out of the because money was tight. But He said his jaw just dropped into the pit. I spent many pit it was a sight to behold. It most of all, I remember what a when he read the few lines she soaking and tiring hours moving was also at Quaker House that I wonderful time I had as I had written to him. pumps and equipment back to met Donald’s father. Jim had started off into my working life. Thank you once again. stop them from being flooded, been a joiner originally, and Arthur Penny Albert E. Short as the water became too much even though retired, was still Billinge Nr. Wigan Blackpool 38

THE MEMORIES OF A MASTER BUTCHER

who used to go round hawking who, with Jack senior, worked friend used to say, “watch what with their horse and van. for Ben Turners Butchers Ltd. you say in this shop or else he I also think that with the I started my first job with will use it in the pulpit next decline of these shops, we Mr. Binks, a manger for J.H. week!” I must say that there have lost a lot of characters Dewhurst on Ince Bar. I was a lot of truth in this – some who worked in them. Marshes remember leaving school on of my best sermons came out of used to have a shop on Ince the Friday and expecting to everyday things and still do. Dear Sir, Bar and their own slaughter start work on the Monday, only Who can forget Green’s in First let me say thank you house in Anderton Street, to be told “what’s up with the old Market Hall, with old for the article about my Aunty Higher Ince. Every Monday tomorrow (Saturday)”. Dick Green giving out his Doris Wood (Past Forward no. after the cattle had been I never though at that stage orders? McAvoy’s, Coward’s. 35, p38). I may be wrong but, bought at the Ship in Wigan in my life that one day I would Berry’s, King in Market Street, ironic as it may seem, the Castle Market, they would have my own shop in Ashton-in- Ben Turner’s Ltd in Woodcock photograph on the back page drive them on Manchester Makerfield – for more than 20 Street, Dewhurst’s in Market (bottom left) is of the Road from Wigan into years, until I retired; and even Place and Makinson Arcade, Standishgate Methodist Anderton Street; all the after that I did another 10 years Sawbridge’s, Marsden’s, Mark Church, demolished a few animals walked it back in those helping another butcher. But I William’s, Hurst’s, Smailes, years ago; this was the church days. I remember being think I finished at the right time Highton’s, Billy Seddon and his where my Aunt Doris went all frightened by the cattle with – when supermarkets started dogs in Darlington Street, her life and where her funeral their huge horns – they were to open and it became a one- Webster’s, T. Melling, service was held. mostly Highland breeds, as stop-shop way of life. It was Crabtree’s, Billy Crook, John I recently read an article only Scotch beef was sold in sadly the end of an era. The Horrocks, Lowe’s. Starkie’s, about the delights of finding a Marsh’s shop. Mr. & Marsh man I started with did 50 years Hindley, Johnny Cowburn, the traditional butcher’ shop. Being Marsh and their son Jack ran in the one shop, took ill in the West Brothers and Bobby a retired master butcher, this the business. I worked with shop on the Saturday and died Burns. The list is endless, but set me thinking of how, when I Jack for a while. His father, on the Sunday –a good way to they all made a living in there started in the trade, there was a also Jack, always had the go. It wasn’t a job, it was a way own way. Sadly, most have butcher’s shop on every main nickname of Moggie Marsh; he of life. long gone. road and even in side streets; was quite a character, I also Later on in life I became a A.E. Smith and there were even butchers worked with Jimmy Whittle part time student minister; a Winstanley Wigan PARISH VIDEO BOB DOBSON STANDISH Publisher and Book Dealer presents The History of Coalmining LANCASHIRE in the Borough of Wigan YORKSHIRE & CHESHIRE Titles include Nothing Too Serious? I buy, sell and search for second-hand (The last working year and closure books relating to these counties: I search of Bickershaw Colliery) for books: I issue lists. I buy quantities of other books. Blue Scars, Black Diamonds (A History of Mines and Miners LIST OF MY NEW PUBLICATIONS in the Wigan area) (in two parts) ON REQUEST

Also available BOB DOBSON The Standish Chronicles “Acorns” Part 1, Part 2 3 STAINING RISE (A General History of Standish) STAINING BLACKPOOL FY3 0BU For more details: 01257 422108 Tel: (01253) 895678

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on time. Why have we lost some of these things? HAPPY DAYS – BUT TOUGH At the old Empress Hall, I learned a lot of my dancing at Dear Sir, one ride up to the very top. It the ‘tea dances’ on Saturday After reading J.V. Gorner’s was frightening but a great afternoons. There was never memories in issue 34 of Past thrill! It was the first time I saw Forward I am enclosing this the sea – unbelievable, and all any rowdiness or commotion. photograph of what I have this free. In the evening, King Street been told is Bryn Central in the We also had a Christmas teemed with the cinema-goers hope that someone will know if Concert in Garswood Hall The Way We Were – there were the County it is correct. Institute. We sat on the floor in Playhouse, Court Cinema and My father Peter Shaw is the the beautiful ballroom and – And Hope We Hippodrome. In those times 4th back row and the 7th back were given a big bag of sweets. Shall Be 10.45 p.m. seemed normal as row is Evans, commonly I though I had been given the people got various buses – known as “Mowie”. Sovereign toffee works as I had MAY I offer my thanks to Past I can relate to most of what not seen or held so many all at Forward for the information and no one seemed to be afraid of coming out for the Mr. Gorner says, as I lived at once, except in Owd Kane given concerning old friends Bryn Cross – 6 Downall Green Ridgeway’s shop at Bryn Cross of mine in former issues (Mr. evening. Road (not there now). I also where we spent a lot of time G. Yates issue 35 p38 and Of course I had to leave the went on the Smethurst trip to playing guessing games. Rev. R. Taylor issue 33 p9). As area during the War for my Blackpool; it was the highlight Happy days but tough. a result of this by your service in the R.A.F. but of the year – a ride on the train, Ida Fairhurst kindness I have been able to before I did this, I remember free entrance in the town and Billinge Nr. Wigan contact both of these being in the Market Place on gentlemen and we now Sunday 3 September 1939, correspond with each other. just after 11.00 a.m. Geoff was a friend of mine at After the War, many the old ‘Wigan Tech’, whilst improvements were made in Roger and I worked together the town. In more recent days, in Wigan, where he lived in the when The Queen and Prince Poolstock area. Thoughts of Philip opened Wigan Pier, we long ago caused me to write certainly took away the smiles about past events in Wigan. of those who thought of Wigan We would never buy our Pier as a music hall joke. It Christmas cards in August – certainly put the smiles on our the real preparations started faces – and put them in their with Advent. I remember as a place. little boy my parents taking Again I thank the Editor of me to Wigan Market Place Past Forward and his staff for where the crowds were like a helping me to contact old friends. And in conclusion may Manchester United Football I remind all readers of Past Match, as they all awaited the Forward as to what a citizen is coming of Father Christmas. required to do. He was brought from Wigan As we think of Infirmary to Lowe’s Store, our town, let us where he went up a ladder to all be physically the chimney top and and spiritually disappeared into the store, minded and where he remained for visits say, “It all from children like myself right depends on me up until Christmas Eve. – and I depend In my youth, I would travel on God”. As we from Platt Bridge to Wigan think of Wigan Station each day, and on my ‘Ancient and return, whilst waiting for my Loyal’ from local train, The ‘Coronation past ages, may Scot’ thundered through the its meaning station promptly at 5 o’clock, stand in our on its way to London. It was minds as we never delayed. In those days look forward to there never seemed to be the days which This photograph was submitted by Mrs. Ward of Leigh (nee Foster, of Wigan). disputes with Wigan Bus are to come. She asks if it is Standishgate Methodist School 1940 (Sir Ian McKellan’s old Corporation or the Railways. I W.L. Grundy school), or, perhaps, Butts C.E. School, Leigh, 1950’s-60’s? myself always seemed to be Hindley 40

St. Thomas's Infants School, Caroline Street, Wigan c.1948 Dear Sir, I have enclosed three prints taken in 1948? At St. Thomas’s Infants School, Caroline Street, Wigan. I taught there for eight happy years. When Were 'excessive I came to live at my present address, my neighbour was Mrs. Holme (Miss Burton) who hours' to taught me at the High School. When she moved, my next neighbour was someone I taught, Audrey blame? Atherton, now Loughnane. Dear Editor, We have looked at these prints and have Re article on Rev. Twemlow remembered some names. It would be good to in issue 35, his September have more. I was Miss Davies, the headmistress was Miss Anderton. The other members of staff 1910 observations that long, were Miss Ellison and Mrs. Sheargold. The ones shift hours worked by engine- we remember are Tony Grimes, Eric Lamb, Peter winders in the coal minces Molyneux, Harry Bretherton, Clifford Parry(?), could have disastrous Alan Hibbs, Joyce Bailey, Robert Dawber, Tom consequences, brought home Cutler, Anita Holland, Edward Austin, Tommy tome the circumstances of my Blinkhorn, James Fairhurst, Joyce Green, great-great-grandfather’s death Raymond Atkinson and Audrey Atherton. Where 50 years earlier. are they now? In 1859, at about five in the Thanking you in anticipation. morning, James Barker, aged Joyce Dennis LRPS 62, descended the pit shaft at Wigan Cheshire Holes Colliery, Ince, with eight other workers. They were in two groups of four. James was the last man out, at the bottom level. He was in the process of climbing over the safety bar – the usual exit – of the cage when it was raised up with the correct all-clear signal being given. He was severely crushed between the bar and the roof of the pit. After being carried home, he died the following morning. Perhaps the engineman on duty that morning had worked the excessive hours as quoted by the Rev. Twemlow. Made me view my great-great- L to R: Miss Anderton, Mrs. Sheargold, grandfather’s death in a Miss Ellison and Miss Davies (behind). different light. The Inquest Report stated that “the deceased, James Tommy Liptrot, her father, was singers and musicians. My Barker, came to his death in I remember very good to my father and Uncle used to play in the consequences of the winding-up leased him a plot of land to put Orchestra at the Hippodrome by the engineman of the cage by Irene up a workshop. He was many years ago. which deceased descended Dear Mr. Gillies, returning a favour to my dad. I look forward to the next before the proper signal had I have just received my copy Tommy was badly burned when Past Forward – it’s always a been given, as described by the of Past Forward and was thrilled repairing a car which caught fire great day when it arrives. Keep to read about Irene Riley. I and dad dressed his wounds. up the good work and thanks rules.” There was no mention of remember Irene when I lived in There was also an article for all the interesting items. how many hours the engineman Downall green Road and all the about Dame Doris Wood. I Kind regards. had been on duty! No people she mentioned, except, remember her well as my Joyce Riddick (Pendlebury compensation for great-great- of course, the nurses at Wigan Uncle, Arthur Nicholson, used nee Nicholson) grandmother either! Infirmary. Irene’s name was to accompany her on the piano Email: joyce. M. Aldred Liptrot and her father had a sometimes. She visited my [email protected] Southport garage in Soughers Lane. Uncle’s home along with other www.joyceand george.co.uk 41

RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE Dear Alastair, commenced, rhythmically 15 minutes, locked away in the After many a long look at the controlled by yours truly, 15 belfry, never once was I aware picture on bottom left of the minutes of monotonous of a clock ticking. Surely the back page of Past Forward no. clanging in the service of photographer could not have 34, I gave up the ghost in sheer calling the worshippers to superimposed a clock face just perplexity, having decided that prayer. to fool long term absentees like it could not have been Holy Come the hour, the clanging myself. If not, it would be Trinity Church, North Ashton, would cease, the operator interesting to learn just when It was Holy more colloquially, Downall clomping his way down the the clock was installed. Green or even more locally, wooden staircase, with It may interest the reader to Trinity Church Denya Green, though depicting measured stride, make his way learn that for the sterling Dear Sir, an uncanny resemblance. along the north aisle of the service provided throughout With reference to the back Then along came a letter church, disappearing from the that period, I was paid £4 page photograph (bottom left) from Mrs. Edith Ducker of congregation’s view via the annually, paid in eight in issue no. 34, this is Holy Keighley, Yorkshire, daughter of door leading to the vestry. increments of 10s. (50p) in Trinity Church, Downall Green. Mr. Leonard Waterhouse Assembled therein would be new (sometimes) 10s. notes – It was taken by Mr. Harry Lowe, mentioned more than once in the choir, all cassocked and a rare spectacle and a quite Organist and Choirmaster (later my Childhood Revisited, and surpliced, ready to make their ephemeral one in my case, as Headmaster of Rectory C.E. then a letter in no. 35 from way, followed by Rector W.R.H. within little more than an hour School) from the vantage point Irene Riley, not to mention Past Hall, to their various places in it would be deposited in on top of Jimmy Moore’s bay Forward’s publication of the the choir stalls, to a voluntary, I mother’s purse, never to be window. correct solution, all proving that should add, played by the seen (by me) again! The occasion was on the I was right in the first place. diminutive Miss (Hetty) J. Harold Smith completion of the newly added Ironically, it is well within the Crompton on the aging church Sutton Coldfield tower (1938-39), when a new realms of possibility that no organ, wind supplied by the West Midlands photograph was required for one, dead or alive, could be pumping of yours truly in his the front of the parish more familiar with the inner dual role of bell ringer and P.S. Sometimes following magazine. structure of the belfry, as organ blower (though I could Thursday night practice, two or Rev. W.R. Hall was the rector illustrated. Twice, and never understand why the word three of us choirboys would at the time and H. Stanley sometimes thrice on the “blower” was chosen). engage Miss Crompton in Foster was headmaster of the Sabbath during my teenage in The rest of the church conversation and sometimes school. the 1930’s, exactly 15 minutes service was spent in solitary escort her through the quiet Bill Mitten before the appointed time of confinement in a dark recess of path through The Dell to the (Ex Pupil & Chorister) service, I would have climbed the vestry, immediately behind large house she shared with Ashton-in-Makerfield the open wooden staircase the organ’s screen, the only her sister. She had one running from the front area at comfort provided being an inclusion in her repertoire of the rear of the church, up to a armless form on which to sit, voluntaries which I particularly PLEA FROM THE spot behind the rows of forms plus a backrest provided by a liked; it was by an almost in the balcony. There hung a solid wooden screen. unknown composer, Easthope EDITOR length of wire crudely That was the pattern of every Martin, and was entitled fashioned into a hoop. One Sunday throughout many of my ‘Evensong’. Can any reader I greatly value all downward pull and there teenage years. But, in all those cast any further information? contributions to Past Forward, and if you don’t have access to a computer, don’t let that put it on the watch chain which put you off sending me CALLED TO THE COLOURS had been presented to him by your article - preferably Dear Sir, the Boer War broke out; he was the British Legion in honour of typed, but again, if you his winning the D.C.M. can only manage It is with interest that I read called to the colours, and was the articles written by Fred very soon sent overseas. After the Boer War Richard handwritten, that’s He was wounded and won Brighouse married Ellen Alty, fine. Holcroft relating to the conditions and circumstances the D.C.M. for bravery at the but having a restless nature, Best by far are battle of ‘Spion Cop’. The he did not settle in one place electronic contributions, under which our troops had to fight in the Boer War. One of official citation referred to “Pte for long – the couple had 11 ie by Email these brave men came from Brighouse’s great coolness and children, nine of which were ([email protected]), or Skelmersdale (a small village resource under heavy fire; born in different towns, or on CD ROM or floppy then). when severely wounded in his villages. My grandfather disc together with hard Private Richard Brighouse, side he insisted on removing continued with his farm and copy printouts. And it who served with the South his own accoutrements and market garden work until the would help the Lancs. Regiment, was my attempted to dress his own 1914-18 War broke out, when production team and grandfather. He was born 2 wound while remainder kept he enlisted; he was demobbed myself even more if August 1868 at Aughton, near up rifle fire”. He was presented however, after it was found articles were double Ormskirk. He left school aged with his medal at Buckingham that he had given his wrong line spaced with one nine years and was sent to do Palace by Edward VII in 1901. age. inch (25mm) margins odd jobs on farms. In his early The bullet which wounded In the last years of his life, and a word count teens, when he left home to him came out through his he was Standard Bearer for included. Many thanks. join the Army (‘Prince of Wales buttock over four years later. Skelmersdale British Legion. Ed. Volunteers’) He was out of the The doctor who attended him H. Brighouse army but on ‘Reserve’ when gave it to him as a souvenir; he Orrell Wigan 42

Intriguing incident Can any reader help? Dear Mr. Gillies, Edmund Waddelove has sent in this photograph. He Thank you for another would like to know if anyone can supply a few names. excellent issue of Past Forward. Can any of your readers He has been told his mother is on the photograph so provide information on an the date is c. 1900 and is possibly St. Joseph’s R.C. intriguing incident which School, Leigh. happened in the early 1950’s? In my book “Lancashire United” (Transport Publishing Company, The reason for Glossop, 1974), there are pictures (pp. 73 & 74) of a the gathering? Lancashire United Transport bus Dear Sir, submerged to the top deck and This photograph (below being recovered from what right) was found by Ernest appears to be one of the local Woodcock amongst some ‘flashes’, sunken areas where old family photographs. Ernest and mine workings have subsided I both lived in Dawson Avenue, and become filled with water. Beech Hill as children, and later Another picture has recently he became my brother-in-law. come to light showing the vehicle We have located the place as from the front with pit head gear the garden of no 17 Dawson in the background. The Avenue where Ann Diblin used destination blind shows ‘Nook to live and the date of the Pits’. The location was originally photograph as c 1946/7. I am said to be Pennington Flash. standing on the right at the end The LUT timetable for 1963 of the first row and Ernest is shows a workpeople’s service sitting next to me with his between Atherton (Punch hands on his knees. The Bowl), Tyldesley (Johnson photograph seems to be a Street), Nook Colliery and mixture of children who lived in Astley Colliery, which suggest the street at the time, and ‘Nook Pits’ is between Tyldesley others who like me attended the and Astley. I should like to know Wesleyan School in Wigan. the location of the incident, the date and any other details I would particularly like to which readers might remember. identify the people and the The bus was LUT No. 40, TF occasion. We are intrigued by 7378, a 1932 Leyland TD1 the tall young woman who looks Titan with Leyland body rebuilt much older than anyone else, with a more modern front. It but seems too young to be the was subsequently rebodied with mother of one of the children. It a second-hand body and would be good to be able to continued to serve until 1956 identify everyone and the when it was sold to AMCC, a reason for the gathering. London dealer. Any information I really enjoy Past Forward. will be much appreciated. Audrey Sherrington Rev Eric Ogden (nee Hughes) 40 Burnedge Lane Colwyn Bay Grasscroft Oldham North Wales Lancs OL4 4EA

Published by Wigan Heritage Service, Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust, YOUR STORIES PLEASE Market Suite, The Galleries, Wigan WN1 1PX British Waterways needs your help! They are The views expressed in this issue are not necessarily supported by preparing an Interpretation Plan for Wigan Pier Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust. Nothing printed may be construed as and would like to know about any stories, policy or an official announcement unless so stated. characters or fables relating to the canal, nearby Neither Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust, nor the Editor, accept liability buildings and the towpath. Can you help with any for any matter in this publication. interesting tales that you think should be told about Contributions are welcome but no responsibility can be taken for loss Wigan Pier? or damage to contributors’ material. Please send any information to Sarah Douglas, at Pearcroft, Pearcroft Road, Stonehouse, Glocs GL10 2JY or tel: 01453 822013 or email: [email protected] Many thanks. © Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust, March 2004.

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- - at the oved ound ea. If s photo Red Lion igan, ar elusive. One The building , while the bot W y own Hall (01942 estaurant (top left) The photographs in the last issue pr rather suggestion for r was the Haigh. being demolished may well be in Station Road, the turn of 20th centur tom right photograph was possibly taken in theGolborne ar you can identify any of this issue’ graphs, please contact Len Hudson in Leigh T 404432). e? Wher Who?

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