ISSUE No. 30 SPRING 2002 The Newsletter of Wigan Heritage Service FREE From the Editor It’s hard to believe - issue no. 30 A FINAL FAREWELL already! How time flies. I can honestly say that, when Past It was sad to hear the news of the Forward was conceived a decade death of Roy Wareing, a very ago, I never envisaged a fraction of the success which it has achieved, dear friend both to the Heritage not just locally but nationally and Service and to Wigan Pier. even internationally. To the best of Fittingly, the church was packed my knowledge, there is nothing else like it - so a very big thank you to you, for Roy’s funeral service, and it the readers, for your feedback and was good to see a display of the encouragement, and to all the canal art for which Roy was contributors - without you, this success story would not have been particularly noted. It was not a possible. mournful occasion – Roy would It can be invidious to mention have hated that, for he was never names, but such contributors as Ernie Taberner, Harold Smith, Harold one to grumble, and always lived Knowles, James Fairhurst and Neil life to the full. Cain do spring immediately to mind, We bade our first farewell to Roy Wareing as people who have been ‘on-board’ almost from day one. Two other ‘old Roy five years ago, when he had was a natural progression – his friends’ - Harry Entwistle (alias Don to take early retirement due to ill- dedication and enthusiasm were B Norton) and Kenneth Lucas - have health. Roy was devastated to infectious. sadly died within the last few weeks. Harry lived in Ince, of which he was a have to go, because he loved his But sad though he was to have great champion, in the local press work as a heritage technician, to leave, Roy remained cheerful and in Past Forward, in which I was based at Wigan Pier, where he and positive to the very end, pleased to feature many of his letters and articles. Kenneth was a Hindley had worked since 1989. His continuing the love of archery man, and never tired of singing the association with Wigan Pier, which he and his wife Pat shared town’s praises and stirring so many however, went back much together even when he was memories of days gone by - he did a great deal to revive the name of Lily further. His speciality was canal confined to a wheelchair. He was Brayton, and latterly provoked great art, which he demonstrated at the a truly lovely man, whose discussion in Past Forward about Heritage Centre at the Pier from friendliness and love for life we t’Hut. Ken’s final letter to me appears on Page 35. We will miss them both. its opening in the mid 1980’s. Roy will always remember. Our But things move on. The plans for loved the Pier, and his sympathy goes out to Pat and all producing Past Forward on audio- appointment to the staff there his devoted family. cassette tape are progressing, and during 2002, the first tapes should appear, in conjunction with the magazine. Since I first mentioned HIRE OF the project, I have been very pleased Readers of Past Forward will to receive a lot of positive feedback, be interested in a new Wigan MEETING ROOM particularly from or on behalf of web site - www.LQQK.co.uk The History Shop has a Meeting partially sighted readers. One lady, - which I came across Room, with a capacity for 36. This is for example, has been telling me available for hire by local groups and how she reads out every word to her recently. It includes lots of old blind husband, and at the age of 80, photographs of the borough, societies at a very reasonable cost: this can become quite a strain. a quiz, memories, facts about SOCIETY RATE Ashton-in-Makerfield, and Gars- Wigan - and much, much £8.00 wood in particular, figures very PER MORNING/ AFTERNOON prominently in this latest issue, more. Well worth a look. Ed. SESSION which once again contains not only articles from the old faithfuls but also £12.00 from a number of first-time PER EVENING SESSION contributors as well. There is also a COMMERCIAL RATE new feature of readers’ mystery COPY DEADLINE photographs, as well as the Heritage £19.50 Please note that the PER MORNING/AFTERNOON/ Service’s own, and the second in copy deadline for issue Gerald Rickards’ excellent series of EVENING SESSION no 31 of Past Forward is If you are interested, contact line drawings of local townships. I Philip Butler am sure you will find it a good read. 1 June. Tel (01942) 828128 All comments and correspondence should be addressed to: Cover: St. Andrew’s Mission, Garswood, Walking Day and ‘Field Treat’, 2 Editor, ‘Past Forward’, June 1951. At the end of a ‘Procession of Witness’, a ‘Field Treat’, or outdoor Wigan Heritage Service, Market Suite, party, was once a popular ‘treat’ at the end of the walk. (More Garswood The Galleries, Wigan WN1 1PX pictures on p22). 2 A hidden gem in the Archives SINCE coming to work at the classes had to determinedly Archives last June I have search for good sources of encountered many extremely education. Girls’ residential important and interesting schools were few and far documents and publications. between. Many girls were Occasionally something taught in the home by stops you in your tracks as mother or occasionally by being particularly special. private tutors, and more When working with early often than not schooled in archives I have always felt a the fields of reading, writing, strange link with the author sewing and the management of the documents. My first of household matters. experience of this was way Some women, though, back in 1974 on a visit to, of were more determined to all places, Wigan Archives at acquire knowledge, so much Leigh Town Hall. In those so that they were held in a days the archives were certain degree of awe by situated in the depths of the those around them. These basement, haunted now as Women’s background information on women were definitely the then by Len Hudson, the the subject of early English minority as Jonathan Swift demon of the photographic Movement 350 women’s literature. (1667-1745) sadly stated, darkroom. years old? In Womans Worth we get probably 50 years after It’s hard to describe the an insight into a well Womans Worth was Many readers might thrill I experienced when educated 17th century produced, “that not one think of the women’s allowed to handle the woman systematically laying gentleman’s daughter in a movement emerging in Bradshaigh Orders (1635- down her strongly held thousand should be brought noticeable form towards the 1698), a notebook bound by views. Women writers had to read her own natural end of the 19th century. As a mediaeval missal by the early 17th century one tongue, or be judge of the early as 1529 a text which concerning mining common aspect in their easiest books that are was to become the standard operations at Haigh. As I work, that of promoting an written in it.” for many generations and looked at the scratched alternative culture alongside Many men of the time much translated was De marks of the miners, similar the dominant male culture. stated that women were best Nobilitate et Praecellentia to mason’s marks found in Women had to negotiate kept in subjection and that Foeminei Sexus (On the inventively the restraints, the lack of decent churches, I felt a direct link Nobility and Pre-eminence of formal, social and moral educational provision was no with those early Wigan Women), by Henricus imposed upon them. Such bad thing. Other literary miners who had descended Cornelius Agrippa, strategies, as seen in male figures of the time felt the shafts in the Haigh circulated in England Womans Worth, could take that the lack of an woods. throughout the 16th and the form of a challenge to the educational option was 27 years later, after spells 17th centuries. Apart from authority of male readings of leading women of the higher working and studying in this earlier work only Henry the scriptures. If this private classes to their gambling coalmines, then as curator of Care’s Female Pre-eminence work had been widely habits and general frivolous the Lancashire Mining of 1670 was to be available to published at the time, who attitudes. Museum, Salford for 15 the like minded student in knows how events might years, I find myself the 17th century. As our have been brought forward experiencing the same work is earlier than Care’s by at least a few generations. Time to take sensation in the same there is every chance it is an building. While searching important and unique study. pen to paper the Archives strongroom for An E-mail to acknow- Education Our author, sadly a requested item I was ledged expert Professor Kari unknown, obviously must diverted to the rare books McBride at Arizona lacking, of low have been fuming with the section. One small volume University Department of priority and attitudes of those men had ‘Womans Worth’ Women’s Studies brought an around her. Perhaps her lack written on its dust cover. The enthusiastic response: quality of opportunity to debate volume measures 9cm x 5cm, “What a find! I wish I could In the 17th century lower their prejudices head-on 182 pages, 93 of text.