Produced byWigan Heritage Service Issue No. 58 August - November 2011

YOUR HERITAGE

£1Seeds of Change inWigan

HERItaGESERVICE

Contents3 Heritage Service

4/5 Grandad's Pal

6 Archives News

7 William Henry Lax

8/9 Who lived in my house

10/11 The Tragic Story of Arthur Ward

12 Collections Corner

13 Exhibition: What a Picture

14-15 Sundays at 32 Kendal St

16-17 Why keep records?

18-19 Walk the canal in Leigh

20 Summer with theHeritage Service

21 Local and Family History News

22/23 A Very Exciting Day

24/25 Memories of a Wigan Lad

26 Book Review: Discovering Coccium

27 Exhibition Review: Seeds of Change

28/29 The Formby Project

30 Society News

31 My Best Organ-ised Bride

32-33 Your Letters

34/35 Probing Pictures

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FRONT COVER Giant dragonflies could once befound in Wigan. To find out morevisit the ‘Seeds of Change’exhibition. You can read a reviewof the exhibition on page 27.

© The Natural History Museum, London

It’s summer once again, although with all the rain, youcould be forgiven for not noticing. In this issue we invite (see page three) all would be local history writers to enterour fantastic competition. Not only are there great prizes, but the winners will bepublished in Past FORWARD.

Our new ‘Arts and Heritage Events and Exhibitions Guide July-December’ is now available. It’s packed with interesting and fun things to do at all arts andheritage venues in the borough. A few of our summer family activities arehighlighted on page 20 and nearly all of them free. Grandparents bring alongyour grandchildren. If you want more information about any event or activity,please telephone 01942 828128.

You’ll notice that ‘Probing Pictures’ where we ask readers to help identifyphotographs in our collection has grown somewhat in this edition. We know thatyou appreciate these historic images and we very much need your help to solvethe mystery that surrounds them. Please get in touch if you have information.

Also in this issue the Friends of Wigan Arts and Heritage Service (see page 20) areappealing for new members. This is an excellent organisation and we greatly valuethe support they give to the Service. Typically, members run events and activities,undertake research and suggest ideas for projects. If you are enthusiastic aboutour local heritage, why not join? There are some great benefits too!

Finally, please do have a lovely summer.

Letter from the

Editorial Team

Information forContributorsIf you would like to submit an articlefor Past FORWARD, please note that:

• Publication is at discretion ofEditorial Team

• The Editorial Team may edit your submission

• Submissions will remain on fileuntil published

• Submissions may be held on file forpublication in a future edition

• Published and rejected submissionswill be disposed of, unless yourequest for them to be returned

• Articles must be received by thecopy date if inclusion in the nextissue is desired

Submission Guidelines• Electronic submissions are

preferred, although handwrittenones will be accepted

• We prefer articles to have amaximum length of 1,000 words

• Include photographs or imageswhere possible – these can bereturned if requested

• Include your name and address – wewill not pass on your details to anyone unless you have given uspermission to do so

We aim to acknowledge receipt of all submissions.

CONTACT DETAILS: pastforward@wlct.org or The Editor at Past FORWARD,Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU.

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WRITE 1000 WORDS

WIN £100!Do you have a passion for local history? Is there a local history topic that you wouldlove to see featured in Past FORWARD?Then why not take part in Wigan BoroughEnvironment and Heritage Network’s LocalHistory Writing Competition?

PrizesFirst Prize - £100 Second Prize - £75 Third Prize - £50

Criteria• Articles must be a maximum of 1000 words.• Articles must focus on a local history topic within

the geographical boundaries of Wigan Borough.• By entering the competition you agree to

your work being published in Past Forward. The winning article will be published in Past

FORWARD Issue 59. Other submissions may also be published in Issue 59 or held on file forpublication in a future edition. If selected forpublication the Past FORWARD Editorial Teammay edit your submission.

How to enter• Articles must be received by e-mail or post by

Friday 14 October 2011.• Electronic submissions are preferred although

handwritten ones will be accepted.• You must state clearly that your article is an entry

into the Local History Writing Competition.• You must include your name, address, telephone

number and e-mail address (if applicable). We willnot pass your details on to anyone.

• It will not be possible for articles to be returned.• You are welcome to include photographs or

images however they cannot be returned.

Submit topastforward@wlct.org OR Local History WritingCompetition, Past Forward, Museum of Wigan Life,Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU

Past Forward SubscriptionSubscription is £5 for threeissues. Payment by cheque(payable to Wigan Leisure &Culture Trust), postal order orcredit/debit card (telephone01942 828128).

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� Please tick here if you would like to receive informationregarding Wigan Leisure & Culture activities and events.We do not pass your details to other organisations.

Return to: The Museum of Wigan Life, Past ForwardSubscription, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1NU

Copy Deadline for Issue 59Contributors please note the deadline forthe receipt of material for publication is

Friday 28 October 2011.

ARTS AND HERITAGE SERVICE

NEW RECRUITWe welcome new member ofstaff Ruth Darling, who joins us as a part time Exhibitionand Display Officer, working alongside Lisa Keys(currently on maternity leave).Ruth says “After studying archaeology at Glasgow andSheffield Universities, a career in heritage seemed theobvious choice. I’ve always loved exploring the past. I started my career cataloguing archaeology inWakefield and moved on to running the temporaryexhibition programme at Norton Priory Museum. I’m looking forward to putting this experience to gooduse bringing the borough’s history to life through ourcollections and archives.If you have great ideas for exhibitions, Ruth would bevery pleased to hear from you.

Past FORWARDSubscription Form

HERItaGESERVICE

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Grandad’s Pal By TonyBerry

Cruising through Lamberhead Green by

tramline “pony express”

In his younger days, Weezerwas employed as a labourerdown the pit. The fact that hewasn’t a fully-fledged minercould be explained by anaccident that he experienced asa lad. Whilst in the grip of afever, probably due topneumonia, he fell out of bedand broke his leg. The fracturedbone was apparently badly setby the doctor with the resultthat for the rest of his life hewalked with a limp. He wasmarried in 1891 but his wifedied five years later, leaving himwith a daughter, Jane. His latteryears were spent with Jane andher husband and family.

In the 1920’s, Weezer wasemployed as the driver of apony and trap by HerbertMarsh, an agricultural

contractor of Hall Green,Upholland. It was then that hecame into close contact withmy father, William Henry Berry,who from 1927, was the driverof one of Mr. Marsh’s tractionengines, hauling a threshing-machine and straw-baler tofarms within a large radius ofHall Green. Weezer providedthe transport for some of thelocal workers who accompaniedthe machines to distant farms,and Grandad was sometimesone of these workers.

Some of the journeys thatWeezer undertook were notwithout incident. On oneoccasion, at the end of a day’swork at Bill Bennett’s farm inSmethurst Lane, LamberheadGreen, Weezer wasaccompanied by my father on

During the latter part of hislife my grandfather, RobertBerry, formed a friendshipwith James Speakman. Theywere living two doors apartin Mill Lane, Upholland, inthe 1940’s and both died inthat decade in theirseventies. James was quitea character and was knownto all and sundry as Weezer;the actual origin andspelling of the nicknamebeing lost in the mists oftime. About 1850, theirgrandfathers were farmersin the Carr Lane area ofHolland Moor, anagricultural region that theauthorities thought fit to eradicate completelywhen they sanctioned the building ofSkelmersdale New Town.

the trip back to Upholland. Asthey pulled away from the farmthe pony began to play up andWeezer had difficulty incontrolling it. When they turnedleft on reaching Ormskirk Road,the wheels of the trap droppedinto the tramlines and itbecame, in effect, part of theWigan tramway system! Withone masterstroke, Weezersolved his problems by givingthe pony its head and theyspeeded along the tramlinesthrough Lamberhead Green and Orrell to the terminus atAbbey Lakes. No doubt Weezer was able to regaincontrol over the pony whenthey encountered the stiff climb up Upholland Brow.

On another occasion there wasan occurrence when the ponyand trap were again on the wayhome, this time from a farm inBillinge. The regulars of theCrawford Inn in CrawfordVillage were suddenly surprisedwhen Auntie Nellie, whosometimes also accompaniedmy father as a helper, dashed inand exclaimed, “Come quick;our Billie and Weezer have goneinto t’ditch wi’ t’pony andtrap!” The willing rescuersdiscovered that Weezer wastrapped by the metal rail thatwas fitted across the front ofthe trap. “I’m dee-ing!” hedeclared. However, the vehiclewas soon set back onto theroad and was able to completethe remaining mile or two backto Bert Marsh’s yard at HallGreen. Apparently the threepassengers and the ponyweren’t badly harmed, but thenpeople were definitely physically

tougher in those days. No doubtWeezer would have takenadvantage of the nearness ofthe pub to down a quick pint torevive his spirits!

In the days before the NHS wasestablished many people wererather deficient in the number ofteeth they had, and Weezer wasno exception. He used to tell thetale of a farmhouse meal heonce had during the workingday. The feast consisted of apiece of beef and the usualtrimmings. Apparently the beefwas so tough that Weezer hadgreat difficulty in chewing it. Infact, instead of it being graduallyconsumed he swore that it grewbigger in his mouth! The dentalbattle with the offending meat sooccupied him that he had verylittle opportunity to tackle thevegetables on his plate. After themeal he followed his pleasantlyfull companions outside, stillstruggling. “I chucked t’piece ofbeef to t’farmyard dog” recalledWeezer “and it nearly choked onit. It had tears in its eyes as big assaucers!” After several tellings,the tears became “as big as thatbarn door theer” when herealised the entertainment valueof his tale. In direct contrast tothe above experience, Weezerwas pleased to compliment thefarmer on the tenderness of themeat in another farmhouse meal.After the meal the farmerconfided that the meat had comefrom a colt which had been putdown after breaking a leg!

There was a certain farmer wholiterally held on to his money aslong as possible when the timecame for the farm helpers to be

paid. According to Weezer,when he was parting with hiscash he sighed so deeply that itseemed to come from thebottom of his boots!Grandad and Weezer seemed to share a certainempathy. One day, they werestanding in the street with myfather when a man walked by.“Wasn’t that Whatsisname from Wheredoyoucallit?”enquired Grandad. “Aye, that’shim.” confirmed Weezer. “Ithowt it were” said Granddad“only I weren’t quite sure.”leaving my father no wiser as tothe identity of the man or hisplace of residence. If Weezerbecame enthralled whenlistening to one of Grandad’smany tales, he would use theexpression “Good lawkshussdays, Robert!”

Like many of his generationWeezer couldn’t read and write.Grandad once made out astamped, addressed envelopefor him, probably in his bestcopper-plate writing, giving himthe title 'Mr James WeezerSpeakman Esquire'. This was,and still is, the kind of joke thatone good friend would playupon another.

I don’t actually recall meetingWeezer myself. Since I was onlyfour years old when he died in1943, aged 77 years. Mybrother Bill, who is five yearsolder, remembers him as a manof perhaps average height andbuild who wore a cloth cap at arakish angle, as would befit oneof the old-time characters.

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Your ArchivesWe are very pleased to announce that the WiganArchives Service has achieved a 3* award in The NationalArchives assessment scheme (from a possible 4*). We arevery proud of this award and would like to thank all ofthe staff, volunteers and researchers who have helped usraise standards and improve the service to this level.

Archive volunteershave recentlycompleted a full list ofthe records of theHaigh Hall estate. Thecollection includesover 4000 items, andprimarily concerns theadministration andmanagement of thehouse and estateduring the nineteenthand early twentiethcenturies. Amongst

the wage books, farm accounts and plans, manyinteresting or unusual documents are listed, includingLord Crawford’s Masonic certificates, the HaighWorkmen’s Christmas beef lists and a letter from thePotato Marketing Board on a new marketing scheme.

The new list is fully searchable and can be found on theArchive Collections pages of the Archives website.

Downstairs at the Town Hall in the Archive strongrooms,we are well underway with important decorating workin some of our storage areas. Please bear with us if thereare small delays in the retrieval of some collectionsduring this period, and look out for the Town Hall Toursduring the Heritage Open Days if you would like a lookbehind the scenes when we’re finished.

Recent AcquisitionsNew listings continue as usual thanks to the work ofArchive staff and volunteers. Collections accepted orlisted in the last few months include:

• Church of the Nazarene, Atherton (Wigan and Leigh),Register of Marriages, 1996 (Acc. 2011/13)

• Gerard of Ashton-in-Makerfield Estate, Mining andLegal Records, 19th century (Acc. 2011/15)

• Leigh and District Nursing Association, Minutes 1962-2002 (Acc. 2011/19)

• John Taylor Photographic Collection, images ofbuildings, sporting teams, societies and families,aerial images and street scenes of Leigh and district,1900-2000 (Acc. 2011/18)

• John Hosker Collection, Pretoria Pit Disaster (Acc. 2011/21)

• Orrell and Lamberhead Green Methodist Circuit,Meeting minutes, Manses Trust, 1958-1976 (Acc. 2011/28)

• Photographs of Leigh Holiday Camps; St Joseph's Church and School (Acc. 2011/60)

Details of the collections listed above are available fromthe Archives Service, as is further information on otherrecent acquisitions.

Collections Corner: Court RecordsIn archives across the country, courtrecords are some of the best andmost fully preserved types ofrecords. Courts have always neededto gather evidence, documentdecisions and maintain a record oftheir judgments. Forcontemporaries, the creation of thewritten record reinforced the verdictand supported the legitimacy of thecourt as presiding bodies. Forhistorians, the surviving records canbe used to support research in a variety of areas.

Wigan has a particularly rich historical record of crimeand punishment. Before the 1835 MunicipalCorporations Act, Wigan was effectively governed by themanorial court leet (records from 1626) anadministrative and judicial function deriving from theprivileges held from the crown. Wigan’s size, importanceand autonomy as a borough allowed the operation offurther courts with local jurisdiction including the courtof common pleas records (from 1616) and the court ofquarter sessions (from 1733).

These courts dealt with judicial cases of assault, trespass, slander, nuisance, trade disputes, debt andpetty larceny, as well administrative matters as diverse as alehousekeeper licensing, trade petitions, accounts offairs and the recording of the admission of burgesses.These are records of great importance for familyhistorians tracing ancestors as well as those interested inimagining Wallgate on market day 300 years ago. Theaccumulated details of daily life allow us to form adetailed picture of a society and give an insight into thedaily lives of people of all walks of life. We see commonlabourers as “aliens” seeking the right to remain in thetown, members of the growing pewterers’ guildnegotiating trade rights; we perhaps sympathise withthe rector of Wigan’s attempts to curtail drunkenbehaviour in the town, and wonder what became of ayoung couple, Thomas Worthington and ElizabethAshurst, found guilty in early 1656 by the presiding John Anderton, of “Comitting the sin of Fornicaciontogether”. One can only wonder.

aRCHIVEs NEWS

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Wigan Court Leet,1656, ThomasWorthingtonand ElizabethAshurst

The Earl of Crawford at workin his study at Haigh Hall.

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William Henry Lax was better known in laterlife as 'Lax of Poplar'. He was born in theChorlton district of Manchester in 1868 toSamuel Henry and Jane (nee Tatley). In 1871the family were living at Wigan Road,Hindley. His father, who was a naturalizedBritish subject from Hamburg, was listed asan unemployed iron-moulder. Ten years lateron the 1881 census his occupation wasgiven as an assurance agent. Also by thenhis first wife had died (in 1877) and he had remarried to Mary Ann Lowe (in 1878).His son William was employed as anapprentice printer.

In the late 1860s Samuel and Jane attended amission in Wigan conducted by a PeterMackenzie. They both were converted, and Jane promised that their unborn child (whoturned out to be William) would be dedicated to God. Unfortunately Jane did notlive to see him preach or become a Methodistminister and missionary.

Prior to joining the Methodist ministry, Williamwas an apprentice printer in Hindley. He alsohad a stutter which he managed to overcomeafter attending a meeting in a small Salvationhall. He then managed to preach his firstsermon in a local Primitive Methodist chapel. By 1892 he entered Didsbury College, and fiveyears later the well known preacher Hugh PriceHughes asked him to be his colleague inLondon. On 2 August 1899 he married MinnieBoswell. Hugh Price Hughes and Charles EnsorWalters acted as officiating ministers.

When he went to the mission in West Londonhe was a junior minister on the staff buteventually became senior London missioner.

He ministered for 25 years at Poplar and inrecognition of his work he was elected Mayorof Poplar in 1918. Although never a councillor,he had been co-opted on to the council as anAlderman twelve years earlier. Poplar, a localgovernment district of London was foundedin 1855 and became a metropolitan boroughin 1900. However by 1965 it was abolishedand became part of the London Borough ofTower Hamlets.

During his time at Poplar, William had theprivilege of meeting George V on three separateoccasions. One was when the then Duke of Yorkopened the Poplar Mission Hall (the KingGeorge Social Centre). He also talked with theKing when he met the monarch at BuckinghamPalace. Besides royalty, William met the musichall artist Dan Leno who is reputed to havechallenged him to appear with him at DruryLane as 'Leno and Lax'.

He also appeared in a film for the ReligiousFilms Society. This society was the brainchild of J Arthur Rank a staunch Methodist himself. Rank collaborated with William on a film called ‘Mastership’ which cost £2700 andopened in 1934. If any reader watched the early Sunday evening programme 'Songs ofPraise' a little while ago featuring J Arthur Rank,then they will have seen the snippet featuringWilliam himself.

Should any reader have additional information about this Hindley lad who became a famous missioner I would be pleasedto hear from them.

Editor’s note: The book 'Lax of Poplar byhimself' published by the Epworth Press in 1927can be consulted in the Museum of Wigan Life.

William Henry LaxThe Dan Leno of Methodism

(1868-1937)By Tony Ashcroft

Until recently, I had notconsidered who had lived inmy first house before Ibought it in 1970. I knewtheir surname and what theylooked like, courtesy ofphotographs found in thehouse. I knew the man diedin tragic circumstances andwas told he may be related insome way to Annie Kenney,the working class northernsuffragette. There it lay forover forty years.

Then a friend discovered an inquestreport and an obituary of Reginald(Reg) Kenney in the Leigh Journal.The report named my father-in-lawas principal witness. Using theobituary as my starting point Ibegan my research.

Family BackgroundUtilising census and Googlesearches I established that RegKenney was born in Saddleworth in1873. He was the oldest of 12children born to Ann Wood andHoratio Nelson Kenney. One siblingwas the said Annie Kenney,suffragette. The 1891 censusrecords he was born in Saddleworthand was a “piecer of cotton“.During the 1901 census he was stillin Saddleworth, now a commercialtraveller (books). He worked for aManchester publisher until hisretirement. He married LizzieProctor in 1902. The 1911 censusshows them living in Lytham wheretheir five children were born. Lizziedied in 1923. He married MargaretE Williams at Kingsleigh MethodistChurch, Leigh in 1940 aged 67. The

Registers of Electors held in LeighLibrary show he moved into hisbride’s home, where he remaineduntil his death in April 1957.Margaret died in 1970.

PoliticsAccording to the notes to The Kenney Papers held at theUniversity of East Anglia, archivedcorrespondence shows he had aformative influence on his siblings’politics and interest in socialwelfare. Four of his siblings Annie,Jane, Jessie and Caroline were activein political reform. His politics lay onthe left. Ramsay Macdonald, PhillipSnowden and Victor Grayson, werepersonal friends.

In 1935 he stood (unsuccessfully)as an Independent Social Credit

Who lived in my houseBy Yvonne Eckersley

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Pennington Hall, Leigh c.1949.

Parliamentary candidate for theBradford North constituency. WhatI find intriguing, given his politicalbackground, is not so much thathe stood against a Labourcandidate but he stood againstone of the few, newlyenfranchised, female candidates in that election. One cannot helpbut wonder what his feministsisters thought.

Literary SocietiesGuided by the obituary, I read theLeigh Literary Society recordshoused at Wigan Archives,discovering he was an activemember and its President in 1944-5. His main sphere of interestlay in the Literature and ArtsSection of the Society. Hispresentations for the Societyreflected his deep love of northernliterary culture.

In 1911 he joined the LancashireAuthor's Association (LAA). ThisAssociation was formed in 1909and included men like Allen Clarke(also known as Teddy Ashton andBen Adhem) writer and proprietorof Teddy Ashton‘s Northern Weeklyand many other prominentLancashire writers.

As the name suggests the LAA’sfocus was Lancashire, with strongemphasis on the experiences andcharacter of its workers, writers,literature, poetry, prose, anddialect. His obituary in theirmagazine, The Record, suggests hehad a gregarious personality. Heoften gave “entertainmentevenings” where his performancesof Lancashire writers’ (EdwinWaugh, Ben Brierley, Sam Laycockand Aamon Wrigley) dialect-speaking characters evoked “tearsand laughter “. This keen interestin Lancashire’s culture wascontinued here in Leigh whereattendance at his presentation of‘A Lancashire Night in Song andStory’ was excellent.

Outdoor InterestsLike many of his contemporaries inthe LAA, he enjoyed the outdoorlife. As well as enjoying

companionship with like minds, hisforays into the countryside led himto write the guides to Lancashire,the Lake District and North Walesmentioned in his obituary. I foundmany of his friends wereinterconnected. For instance TomHughes of Wigan’s PembertonCycling Club (and later of WiganWheelers) with Allen Clarke andRobert Blatchford of the SocialDemocratic Federation and theClarion Cycling Club. Also, whilstliving on the Fylde coast (Clarke‘s“Windmill Land”) there wereshared friends in the BlackpoolRambling Club. Whilst on rambles,The Record reports he would recitepoetry or prose “just as thepassing mood caughthim….reaching his listeners withsuch startling force and intensity of feeling”.

Pennington HallUndeniably, without Reg Kenney’ssuccessful campaign in 1949 tosave Pennington Hall fromdemolition, a generation of Leighpeople would have none of thefond memories of Pennington Hallor its Museum they now enjoy.

Beginning on the 11 January 1949,Leigh Borough Minute Books andthe Leigh Journal record theproposal to demolish the hall,people’s protests against this andits temporary salvation. Councilminutes record how PenningtonHall was in such a poor state ofrepair the council instructed thetown surveyor to inspect it andgive his recommendations. Herecommended demolition and anew purpose-built hall erected inits place, with its entrance inPennington Avenue. Consequently,councillors resolved to demolishthe hall.

Reg Kenney’s campaign beganwith the publication in The Journalof a discursive tour of the hall’sinterior, describing the grandeur ofits features and included anaccount of its history. He stressedits importance as a centre forLeigh’s cultural heritage and asone of the town’s oldest buildings.

He called for Leigh people toinform the council of theirobjection to the proposeddemolition, giving clear guidelineson how they could do this. Hebegan a postcard campaign.People were urged to send apostcard to the council statingtheir objections. The fate of thehall touched a nerve, postcardswere sent and letters in support ofkeeping the hall were published inthe press. The hall was granted areprieve, some work was done toprevent further decay and the hallwas saved until its final demolitionin 1963.

Unfortunately this article has toend on a tragic note. Whenquestioned at the inquest into Mr Kenney’s death, Mr NormanEckersley told how he had foundhis friend with his head on aburning fire in the front room ofthe house. The inquest found thiswas the cause of his death.

Sources:Wigan ArchivesLeigh Library - Local HistorySectionAccrington Library - LAA ArchiveUniversity of East Anglia - The Kenney Papers

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Reginald Kenney at his home in

St Helens Road, Leigh

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Although most of the documents in theArchives are `originals`, a smallproportion are copies of materialbrought in by people who wish toretain their originals but are happy forits content to be on the public record.The story that follows is based on justsuch a collection of letters andnewspaper cuttings that were copiedsome years ago.

The time was Christmas 1899 and life was sweetfor 35 year old, ex soldier Arthur Ward, thelandlord of the Waterloo Inn in Lyon Street, offWallgate, Wigan. He was happily married toAnnie and had a two year old daughter, May, the apple of his eye and two much loved teenagestep daughters who looked on him as theirfather. He was a popular `man about town`, a keen supporter of Wigan Cricket club andprobably, though it is not possible to confirm it,a volunteer in the Lancashire Hussars. TheHussars were the local unit of the CountyYeomanry, the nineteenth century equivalent ofthe present day territorial army.

Meanwhile, 6000 miles away in South Africa theBoer War was at its height and the British armyhad just suffered a series of three crushingdefeats in what became known as “black week”.British thinking and tactics had changed littlesince the Crimean War, 45 years previously, andwere no match for the well armed, highlymobile Boers who were fighting on their ownground, the wide open spaces of the Africanveldt. Back in London, following these disasters,there was some fast thinking and one of theconclusions was that what was needed wasmounted infantry. On 13 December 1899 theWar Office decided to call for volunteers from

the County Yeomanry and on Christmas Eve aRoyal Warrant was issued setting up the ImperialYeomanry. This called for men aged between 20and 35 who were good riders and marksmenand who were to provide their own horses,clothing and saddles and accoutrements. Theywere to dress in “Norfolk jackets of woollenmaterial and of neutral colour, breeches andgaiters, lace boots and felt hats”. Arthurvolunteered immediately and became SergeantWard, number 8991 in the 32nd LancashireHussars, 2nd Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry.He was whisked away to a camp at Southportleaving Annie to run the Waterloo Inn, aprospect which she obviously did not relish sincein his first letter home he wrote "I hope my dearwife that you will look at me going away thesame as I do. I think that it is my duty to mycountry & to our Queen". He goes on to describein loving terms how much he is missing her andthe children but rather spoils the otherwiseaffectionate letter by closing "You must bear updarling, all will be right soon, you might sendme a few shillings by return post and send me ashirt and two pairs of socks".

On the 1 February 1900 the Lancashire Hussarssailed from Southampton on the troopship LakeEerie bound for Cape Town where they arrived onthe 25 February. Arthur`s next two lettersdescribed a very pleasant voyage with goodweather, excellent food and concerts or sportingcontests most evenings. The only downside to thevoyage was that a large number of horses diedalthough Arthur boasted that he only lost one ofthe thirty under his charge. He goes on to recounthow, on departure from England, they wereshowered with gifts from well-wishers including abox from Oldfield’s Brewery (the owners of theWaterloo Inn) containing three bottles of brandy,three of port, three sherry, three champagne, abox of cigars, 2lb of tobacco, a pipe and a cigarholder. A delighted Arthur commented "If this isgoing to war let it go on for ever"!

The Tragic Story of

Arthur Wardby Bill Melling

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Along with the Imperial Yeomanry, reinforcementshad been pouring into South Africa from all parts ofthe Empire and at last the British were getting theupper hand. This led to a change of tactics by theBoers who now avoided direct confrontation andinstead resorted to guerrilla warfare. They usedgroups of highly mobile troops, known ascommandos, who mounted surprise attacks onBritish outposts and lines of communication andthen disappeared into the 150,000 square miles ofwilderness that constituted the South African Veldt.

For the next three months, Arthur and the 30 men of his section, were part of a flying column whosejob it was to hunt down and destroy these Boercommandos. They rode many hundreds of miles,often with little food or shelter, and got veryfrustrated at their lack of success in getting to gripswith the enemy, apart from a few minor skirmisheswith small groups of stragglers. Nevertheless, Arthurfound his return to soldiering very exciting and thiscomes over very clearly in the 12 letters he wrote tofamily and friends during this period. In one of hisletters to Annie he wrote "I would not have missedthe sights I have seen for £1000, I can’t tell you whatit is like to hear the cannon roar and see troopsmoving like clockwork and bugles sounding, drumsbeating and men galloping up and down the valleys.It is worth half a man’s life to see and hear it".Despite his enthusiasm for the job in hand he missedhis family very much and told Annie "It is an oldsaying and a true one that you only need to partfrom anyone to find out if you care for them. Theonly thing I am short of is to see your dear face andthe children again".

On the 25 May he wrote to "My Dear Wife &Daughters" telling them that they had finally caughtup with the enemy and expected to engage them inthe near future. He closed his letter "I hope my dearthat I shall be spared to join you all again for I amlonging to see your dear faces but if I am taken it isGod’s will and my time must have come but I shallbe all right. I must close for it is getting late and mycandle will soon be out so my Darlings my best andfondest love to you all, kisses for my pet and all,Your affectionate husband and father, Arthur "

A week later, late in the afternoon of Friday 1 June1900, Annie received a telegram "Regret to report8991 Sergeant AD Ward 32nd company ImperialYeomanry killed at Kheis 28th May". Poor Annie’sgrief must have been compounded by the fact that ittook at least five weeks for a letter to come fromSouth Africa so that most of Arthur’s letters wouldhave arrived in the weeks following the fataltelegram. Matters would not have been helped by aletter in the local paper, from a fellow LancashireHussar, describing the battle in which her husband

was killed. The Hussars had chased a group of Boersback to their laager (a defensive encampment) whichwas being shelled by the British artillery. In theirenthusiasm they galloped too far and as well ascoming under heavy fire from the Boers they werebeing shelled by their own guns "It was horrible tothink about, but only too true. On one side Boersfiring and above them our own guns. Men werefalling all round killed and wounded. One Sergeantfrom Wigan named Ward was shot through thestomach and came out at the back, he died".

In a letter of condolence to Annie his commandingofficer wrote "We one and all mourn the loss and saddeath of so gallant a friend. I buried him myself andalthough there is only a rough cross over his grave atpresent I have made arrangements that a properstone be placed there as soon as peace is declared”.

Now widowed for the second time in her life Anniecontinued to manage the Waterloo Inn and she wasstill the landlady during the First World War. As wellas Arthur’s own letters the collection also containscopies of letters between May, his daughter, andher soldier sweetheart in France, but that as theysay is another story.

Statue commemorating Wigan men who fell in theBoer War, Mesnes Park, Wigan

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COLLECTIONS CORNER

HMS Janus Ship’s BadgeHMS Janus was a destroyer ship adopted by the people ofWigan during The Second World War. In November 1939the War Office had set up the War Savings Campaign. War Savings were not only limited to the purchase ofcertificates and bonds, but also usedlocal collections to raise money foraeroplanes, tanks and any items whichwere urgently needed for the war effort.National Savings campaigns like 'Salutethe Soldier,' 'Spitfire Week', 'Wings Week'and 'Warship Week' were set up, withlocal areas organising their own relatedfundraising events.

In November 1941 Wigan held its own‘Warship Week’, the aim being to raise£700,000 to adopt HMS Janus. The openingceremony of Warship Week took place from astage erected near the Market Hall on WiganMarket Square and was witnessed by a large crowd oftownspeople. The stage was adorned with nationalemblems. Among those present were the Earl ofCrawford, the patron of Warship Week and the Mayor.The Earl of Crawford said “savings throughout the countrywere splendid but they were not enough... It was our dutyto see that everything that could be saved should besaved.” Captain Elgood attended to represent the Officersand Crew of HMS Janus. He is reported as saying “peoplewho invested money in Warship Weeks were investing inthe best security in the world, and Wigan, in commonwith other Lancashire towns, had done wonderfully inthat direction.” During Warship Week itself £561,767 wasraised. The ship was adopted by the town and its exploitsregularly reported in the local papers.

In August 1942 a ceremony was held at which this replicaof HMS Janus’ ship’s badge, was presented to the Mayorof Wigan. The replica badge is made from wood and inthe centre is a gold gilt emblem. The emblem consists ofthree crossed keys surrounded by a rope-like border. Theword ‘JANUS’ is above the keys and above this is a crown-shape made out of the sails and bows of several ships.The ceremony was held in the Council Chamber at WiganTown Hall. Officers of HMS Janus attended the ceremonyas well as local individuals who had been, and continuedto be, involved in the savings effort. Captain Elgoodpresented the ship’s badge to the Mayor on behalf of theOfficers and Crew of HMS Janus. In return the Mayorpresented a metal plaque to Captain Elgood to be placedon the ship.

HMS Janus played an important role in World War II,participating in the Battle of Calabria in July 1940 and theBattle of Cape Matapan in March 1941. She was alsoinvolved in convoy duties and operations in Norwegianwaters, Alexandria, Malta, Piraeus and Crete. In January1944 she was hit by torpedo during an air attack off

Anzio and sank with heavy loss of life. There were94 survivors but tragically 158 of ship’s companylost their lives. A memorial service was held at

Wigan Parish Church.

In 1942, when the Mayor was presented with the ship’sbadge, he said that “it would be given an honoured placein the town and amongst their treasures.” He went on tosay that it would be appreciated fully, not only by thepresent generation of Wiganers, but also by futuregenerations, who would value its historical associations.Accordingly the HMS Janus Plaque is on display at theMuseum of Wigan Life.

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Something NewThe Museum of Wigan Life regularly receivesdonations of objects from local people. Toshowcase some of these new acquisitions there isa small display in the local and family historystudy area at the museum, which is refreshedthroughout the year.

If you’d like to find out more about the objectsrecently donated to the museum collection thencome along to our Something New talk onTuesday 6 September at 2.30pm. The talk will beheld at the Museum of Wigan Life, the talk isfree and there is no need to book. For moreinformation, call Jenny Broadbent, CollectionsOfficer on 01942 827594.

If you have an object you would like to donate to the museum collection then please contact Yvonne Webb, Collections Manager on 01942 828123.

Items recently accepted into the museum:• C11.002 – Mizpah brooch in box, given to

Ann Corrigan by Thomas Birkett• C11.003 - Mug, Royal Albert Edward Infirmary

centenary Cup, 1873-1973• C11.004 - MBE certificate presented to

Miss Elizabeth Hodson 10 June 1948• C11.005 - spade, Bulldog Tools, initialled ‘BH’• C11.006 - Mug, Old English Night, Leigh

Borough Council, 13 April 1972

What a Picture! 16 SEPTEMBER 2011UNTIL JANUARY 2012Love photography? Want to improve your skills? Then come along to our new exhibition byWigan Photographic Society. The exhibitionwill feature the work of very talented Societymembers. Each author will also present asmall piece about themselves and whatphotography means to them.

To accompany the exhibition, the Society haveorganised a series of free drop-in ‘cameraclinics’ to help you improve your skills, or justto have a good time. These include‘Photoshop – basic editing’ (15 October),‘Choosing the right camera for Christmas’ (19 November), ‘Taking Better pictures of yourfamily’ (26 November). There is also a halfterm event for children aged 4-11 ‘What apicture – say cheese!’ who will able to dressup in Victorian costume, have their picture

taken then mount it and take ithome (25 & 27 October £2.50).There is something going onvirtually every Saturday throughoutthe exhibition. You can find fulldetails in our new Events andExhibition Guide (July-December)or telephone 01942 828128.

The exhibition will also feature ouronline historic photographicarchive ’Wigan Images’http://wiganimages.wlct.org/. The site currently has 5,000 imagesfrom around the borough, andthere are plans to add more.

They say that a picture is wortha thousand words, so come andfind out for yourself!

NEW EXHIBITION AT THEMUSEUM OF WIGAN LIFE

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I am old now, and haven’t lived in Wiganor thereabouts for sixty years. But I wasborn in Wigan at 230 Gidlow Lane in1925. We moved as a family to live withmy grandparents in 1929 at 32 KendalStreet. 32 Kendal Street was thecaretaker’s house next to theIndependent Methodist Chapel andSunday School which occupied part ofone side of the street. My grandparentswere religious, making it inevitable thattheir influence spread over me andSundays became more disciplined andorganised than my daily school days.Grandad was a retired shot firer(specialist miner) and Grandma an ex cotton mill worker, who started work at 12. Dad was a postman andMum an ex shorthand typist.

The house of smooth Victorian brick was dark inthe lightest places with an aspidistra-laden parlourcomplete with damp, uncut moquette furniture.Next to the parlour was the dining come livingroom with its enormous, hissing, black-leadedfireplace serviced by grandmother every Fridaymorning. The kitchen come bathroom was off thedining room. We all washed and bathed in therewith its large rectangular Belfast sink and Ascotgas water heater for the times when the hissingblack monster in the living room was unlit. In thefar corner of the kitchen was a large cupboardwhich housed a full size bath. This amazinglyfolded up into the cupboard to stand on its end.No, you didn’t bathe vertically; it pulled down untilit stood on the floor on its four feet. I don’tremember using it. My bath was in a galvanisedtub in front of the living room fire.

So, how was my Sunday? There was at 10.30amon Sunday morning a children’s service in the

church usually conducted by the preacher of theday. All preachers on the Independent MethodistCircuits were lay preachers; some were local but afew came from outside the area. My grandfatherwas also Sunday School Superintendent and assuch, he entertained lay preachers to lunch andtea when required. On these Sundays a fire was litin the front room causing the wilting aspidistra toperk up and the dampness to escape from theuncut moquette.

The chapel was a square building with a frontentrance into a wide, shallow vestibule whichhoused the hymn books and other bits and bobs.Entrance to the body of the church was by a doorat each end of the vestibule. Once inside therewere blocks of pews down each side and a largecentral block. Facing the central block was thepulpit behind which was a splendid pipe organ.The choir was seated on each side of the pulpitand next to the organ. In the early days the air forthe organ was supplied by a large bellowsactivated by a couple of lads from thecongregation but by the 1930s this was replacedby, I think, a compressor. At the far end of thechurch and on each side were two small roomswhere brides and grooms signed the necessarypapers and sometimes small classes were held. Itwas a pleasant place. The pews were a pleasantreddish brown colour and it was light and airy

The morning services were eminently forgettableand sometimes chaotic depending upon whetheror not the preacher had any idea how to dealwith children. I should think the service lasted forabout 45 minutes and then for me it was backnext door for lunch. On Sundays we were notallowed to play with toys and also sweets and icecream were strictly forbidden. Reading a book orthe ‘Sunday Companion’ was the onlyentertainment permitted.

The afternoon was religion again, that is SundaySchool. The church hall where it was held was next

SUNDAYS By Les Thornley

AT 32 KENDAL STREET

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to the church and separated from it by an openpassage. Its layout was much the same as thechapel except it was more spartan. The front had araised platform and there were the rooms and akitchen at the back. Segregation was absolute. Theboys sat at the back on the right hand side, thegirls in the centre, the small children at the front. I sat with the older boys like Ronnie Grice and BertSouthworth, and one or two others whose namesI forget. They were about five years older than I was. Bert was killed in France in the SecondWorld War and Ronnie was a Japanese POW. I don’t know what happened to him. Two of thegirls were Kathleen Watersgill, a tall, slim attractiveyoung lady and another one called Shaw. Theseyoung ladies were much admired by the lads andthe subject of much discussion and imaginativespeculation. The format was simple. We sang acouple of hymns, listened to announcements fromthe secretary (my Dad) and then we retired to oneof the back rooms for a lecture usually by one ofthe senior members of the church.

The Sunday School room was the equivalent of thechurch hall. Drama productions were held there onthe stage at the front. My Mum took a leadingrole in ‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks’. There werewhist drives, beetle drives, Lancashire hot potsuppers (my favourite) and various children’sperformances. Dancing was strictly not allowedand, being Methodist, no alcoholic drink waspermitted. But nonetheless, it was an active, wellsupported church community.

After Sunday School we sometimes had a shortwalk before the evening service which started at6pm. If the preacher was from out of town he hadtea with us, having previously spent some time inour front room sauna to prepare his sermon.

The evening service saw my third religious injectionof the day. But for me it was quite interesting andeven enjoyable. For a start, I was allowed to standin the vestibule and give out the hymn books aswell as being allowed to sit in ‘our’ pew alongwith my Dad and Mum when she was not singingin the choir.

One of the highlights in the early 1930s was tosee a farmer from Beech Hill (I think his namewas Gill or Darren) arrive at the church in horseand trap leaving his horse tethered to a gas lamp

for the duration of the service. Anotherinteresting occurrence which happened usually inthe midst of the sermon, from one ObadiahRigby who sat on the left hand side, woulddeclare to the rest of the congregation in a veryloud voice, “Praise the Lord”. Once a monthcommunion was held which involved a smallcube of bread and a thimble full of blackcurrantwine. I was allowed to help in the preparation ofthe bread; Grandma would cut slices from a loafthen I would cut the slices into small cubes whichwere placed on a silver platter. After thecommunion service was over I collected up thesmall glasses and, if there were any untouchedglasses left over, I drank them! I ate all the breadcubes too! Grandparents did not approve.

So I ended my Sunday; in many ways stricter andlonger than a school day. But I never resented it;for me it was a way of life which I accepted and ahappy one. In the spring of 1935 we left mygrandparent’s house and the church going to liveout of town and so losing touch with the church.But the strong non-conformist teaching andprinciples have always stayed with me.

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Most of the historical records in the archives were notkept to provide present day readers with accounts ofsocial history but for immediate practical reasons. Parishadministration from the seventeenth century to the firsthalf of the nineteenth century, particularly in respect ofthe provision of poor relief, could not have beenpossible without the production and secure storage ofwritten documents. The 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law Actrequired an Overseer of the Poor to levy a rate toprovide help to those in the township community whowere unable to support themselves. The more fortunateratepayers, perhaps reluctantly, accepted responsibilityfor the provision of relief to poorer members of theirown community but quite naturally objected ifoutsiders came in and requested help. After 1666 theSettlement Laws required people to have ‘settlementrights’ in a township to be eligible for support. In mostcases proof was necessary that their male ancestors hadlived in that township. Additional qualifications includedserving an apprenticeship, possessing land valued over£10 per year or providing evidence of continuousemployment for a period of more than one year in atownship. Following marriage a woman received thesettlement rights of her husband.

Township records, such as those for Pennington onwhich this account is based, were written andsafeguarded to provide the evidence of settlement in atownship. From the late seventeenth until the mideighteenth centuries, Settlement Certificates wereprovided for people who wished to move to othertownships as guarantees that the township from whichthey came would receive them back in the event oftheir falling into poverty. Pennington overseers savedboth originals brought by people wishing to come intoPennington, and hand-written copies of others given toPennington people moving elsewhere. An example ofthe former, the heading of which is shown above, wasmade out in 1737 by the overseer of the township of“Tildsley with Shakerley” for the family of John Hindleywho “were desirous ffor their more Convenient and

Better way of Living to Reside and Dwell ffor Some Timein the Said township of Pinnington.” Most of thecertificates were issued for men, accompanied by theirwives and children, and only occasionally for singlewomen. In 1695 Jane Gorce of “Haddock” wished to beallowed “to live with her mother in Pinnington” as herhusband had “gone to be a soldier.” Without theprotection they offered obtaining help could bedifficult. In 1700 Henry Moss had brought his familyfrom Flixton carrying a certificate stating they wished“to Inhabit and dwell within yr said Towne of Leigh.”When, 29 years later, they must have been in need ofrelief and wished to return, the Flixton overseer wrote ”Tho’ I had once a Copy of the Certificate relating to thefamily….I have it not now and have forgot how it was”.He then appears to promise a new one if Penningtonagreed to allow the family to stay.

By the latter eighteenth century population mobility hadincreased to such an extent that, perhaps it wasimpractical to insist on newcomers providing thiselaborate formal legal proof and in 1795 Parliamentdecided that they were no longer required until reliefwas requested. Also, in many cases where settlementwas not in doubt, the overseer of the claimant’s legalsettlement township agreed to pay a small regularallowance allowing the recipient to remain rather thaninsisting on physical removal.

Removal orders and hence liability for relief provision couldbe challenged. If settlement was uncertain or disputed theJustices held examinations, hearings at which theyconsidered evidence given by those seeking relief and theoverseers of the townships involved. The Penningtonrecords include examples of both removal orders andexaminations. The latter make fascinating reading,summarising the life history of people and familiestogether with the circumstances which they becamepaupers. Brief extracts illustrate how the Penningtonoverseers were called upon to justify relief entitlement onthe basis of the settlement criteria listed earlier.

By Bob Evans

Why

Keep Records

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Male descent was the main qualification with marriedwomen receiving their husbands’ settlement rights. Thisis why, in 1772, Mary Hunter requested help to returnto her original family home in Leicestershire. She hadmarried Thomas, her second husband, when he was asoldier in Dublin before returning to Pennington whichwas his settlement. While she visited friends inLeicestershire, her husband ”she verily believes joinedhis regiment now lying in Ireland…..and she is destituteof any means of providing for herself”.

Claimants sometimes referred to more than onegeneration of male parents. And settlement entitlementwas made even stronger if supported with documentaryevidence of property ownership. Such appears to be thecase in 1856 when Pennington sought to justify aremoval order for James Kitchen. Detailed evidence wasgiven that both his father and grandfather owned andpaid rates for property valued over £10 in Balderstonenear Blackburn. The final sentence reads ”we shall availourselves of all or some of the above mentionedgrounds of removal and particulars of settlement insupport of the said removal”.

Reference was made to existing documentation when in1842 Runcorn sent an order for the return of SamuelBasnett. Pennington’s responsibility for Samuel wasproved by the enclosure of a copy of a removal order,dated 13 June 1811, for Samuel’s mother, MarthaBasnett a widow, and her four children, one of whommust have been Samuel. Also included was a letter fromWilliam Rigby, the 1811 Runcorn overseer, confirmingthat he had taken the family to Pennington and thenbrought them back after Pennington agreed to providean allowance This was proof that Pennington hadaccepted responsibility for Martha’s childrenpresumably on the basis of Martha’ husband’ssettlement being in Pennington.

Apprenticeship Indentures could provide proof. In1811 James Garton was in need of relief inPennington. His father, Joseph, gave evidence thatGreat Bolton should take responsibility as his son hadbeen bound apprentice there as a clogger. In 1843when Samuel Parry was asking for relief in Penningtonthe overseer, Samuel Irlam, argued that Frodsham

should be responsible as he understood that Samuel’sfather had completed an apprenticeship there.Unfortunately the Pennington overseer had to admit“Since I examined the said Indenture I have accidentlylost the same.”

In 1794 the Wigan overseer used evidence from theexamination of Thomas Sisson, married with sixchildren, to argue that though he originally came fromWestmorland Thomas had been engaged for periods ofemployment greater than twelve months in Penningtonand therefore that township was liable for the cost ofhis relief. As Thomas was “in deep Consumption and isnow rendered unable to follow his employment” hethreatened unless Pennington agreed to recompenseWigan “I shall be under the necessity of refusing reliefto such families as we resident with you”

In 1849 overseer’s records should have been sufficient toprovide justification for Manchester ordering theremoval of the two illegitimate daughters of EllenBattersby, deceased. They would have been able toconfirm that Mary, the elder daughter, was Pennington’sresponsibility “by being born illegitimate in theworkhouse in Pennington,…Ellen Battersby being aninmate of the Workhouse.” Additionally, Pennington hadacknowledged responsibility for the family by ”givingEllen regular relief while residing in Manchester.”

We must be grateful first to the many parish officersoriginally responsible for these records then to thesucceeding local government councillors whorecognized the importance of their preservationbefore they were placed into the care of our localarchives. In the near future it may be that the humanstories they so often tell can become much moreaccessible by the professional digitisation of at leastsome of the documents.

Sources and acknowledgements The account is based on the Pennington records from Tr Pe/C/4/1 and C/5/1-3contained in Box labelled. C2-C4 Thanks are due to the archivist and staff of theWigan Archives Department in Leigh Town Hall formaking the records available

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Walk the canal in Leigh

Summer is the perfect time toexplore your local area. Why not trythis local history walk along theLeigh branch of the Leeds to

Liverpool canal. The walk beginsnear Leigh Bridge and runs rightthrough to Pennington Flash.

The Bridgewater Canal

This spot marks the point where theBridgewater Canal meets the Leeds andLiverpool Canal. Opened in 1820, the Leighbranch connected both canals for the first timeallowing both cargo and passengers to travelby boat from Liverpool to Manchester or viceversa. As part of the agreement for buildingthe Leigh branch, the Leeds and LiverpoolCanal Company had to provide £5000 forwharfs and basins at Liverpool for the Duke ofBridgewater’s use.

The crane on the bank is shown holdingwooden boards, these are called stop planksand they are designed to shut off the canal inthe event of a leak or repair work.

Leigh Bridge

Originally built in 1819, locals at the timecomplained that the new Leigh Bridge was toosteep, but the House of Commons ruled infavour of the canal company. Widened later,the old bridge is still visible underneath thenew one.

Quayside

The Mansley Rope & Twine Company onceoccupied this site. Since 1825, the companymade tow-ropes for boats on the canal. The rope works had been at various sitesincluding Gas Street and Cook Street, and latermoved to the side of the canal. They didn’t justproduce tow ropes but doormats and floormatting as well.

By HannahTurner

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Waterside Inn

Once a canal warehouse, the Waterside Inn isnow a public house and restaurant. Thewarehouse would have stored cargo such asbales of cotton.

Welch Hill Street

The “Welch Hill Wakes” were once held aroundthis area. Organised by the landlord of theOddfellows public house, John Meakin,festivities included dancing and running for acheese along the side of the canal.

Water View Park

Once home to Etherstone Mill, this site is nowdominated by private housing. Owned by theLilford Weaving Company, the mill was used asa prisoner of war camp during the First WorldWar. Throughout its time as a camp, 12 men intotal tried to escape, 11 were captured and

one, Friedrich Schmidt, was shot on the roof.After Schmidt’s attempted escape, theprisoners’ quarters were searched and anunderground passage discovered.

Atherleigh Way

Built in the mid 1980s, the Atherleigh Waypasses over the canal. The bypass follows thesame route as the Bolton to Kenyon junction.Built in 1831, the Kenyon and Leigh JunctionRailway paid the canal company £500 to builda bridge here as well as an additional £15 perday if navigation was interrupted during itsconstruction.

Pennington Flash

Pennington Flash is a country park and apremier bird watching site. Flashes, includingPennington, are believed to be the result ofcoal mining, and the subsequent effects ofsubsidence and extensive flooding. Mapsbefore the 1900s show little evidence ofPennington Flash; they merely show that thearea is liable to floods. From 1902 onwards theFlash really began to make its mark. A railwayline and two farms were swallowed up by theengulfing waters.

BibliographyLeigh Chronicle 1856 and June 1858.1861 census return, Pennington.Pubs of Leigh: Revisited by Cyril Ward.A Lancashire Triangle Part One by D J Sweeney.The German Prisoner of War Camp at Leigh 1914-1919 by Leslie Smith.

Bored and looking for something todo this summer? Then spend timewith the Heritage Service, you won’tbe disappointed! Grandparents bringyour grandchildren.

Junk Modelling2, 9, 16, 23 August 1.00pm-2.30pmMuseum of Wigan Life

Can you build a bridge from kitchen rolls? Can youcreate a piece of art from sweet wrappers? If youcare about the environment, join us at the museumand take on a different junk model challenge eachweek. Suitable for children aged 4-11 years.

Astley Explorers4, 11, 18, 25 August 10.00am-2.00pmAstley Green Colliery Museum, Higher Green Lane,Astley, Tydlesley.

Discover how the borough’s environment haschanged over time. Make a fossil rubbing, solve the riddle of the colliery and stalk the wildlife in the ‘jungle’. You can make something to take home too. Bring a picnic. Suitable for children aged 4-11 years.Cost: £5 per child and £3 per adult.

Design Your Own T Shirt5, 12, 19, 26 August 10.30am-12.00pmWigan Archives Service, Leigh Town Hall

Are you a budding fashion designer? Get someinspiration at Leigh Town Hall, print your own T shirt and wear it all summer long!Suitable for children aged 4-11 years.Cost: £2.50 per child

August Bank Holiday Fun Day29 August 11.00am-3.00pmMuseum of Wigan LifePlease contact us for more information

Information and bookings please contact 01942 828128

Find out more about all our activities andevents in our new brochure ‘Arts & HeritageEvents & Exhibitions Guide July – December2011 out now!

Friends of Wigan Arts and Heritage ServicesThis newly reconstituted group is looking for additionalmembers to help support and actively work jointly withArts and Heritage Service staff to help fund, developand run events and projects. If you are enthusiasticabout the history of your local community and wouldlike to become involved with aspects of research, whynot come along to find out what we are doing? Youcan make new friends, be part of an enthusiastic team,learn something new, have a laugh and know that youwill be contributing to the history of your communityfor future generations.

If you decide to become a Friend you will also receivecertain benefits such as free entry to evening talks, freetraining and development, free copies of our Heritagemagazine Past Forward, VIP views of exhibitions andsites and a 10 per cent discount from the shop. Whatbetter incentives for you to join us?

Future plans in the pipeline include helping with theHeritage Open Days in September and being involvedwith a Lancashire Day event in November.

If you would like to join the Friends group pleasecall the Museum Reception on 01942 828128 oremail heritage@wlct.org.

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SUMMER WITH THE HERItaGE sERVICE

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LOCaL & FAMILY HISTORY NEWS

Life after ...Who Do You Think You Are?Here at the Museum we see a steady stream of folks whoare stuck on a particular line, sometimes for a good fewyears. Sensible researchers decide to follow another lineand often stumble upon a connection with the personthey are stuck with. Not everyone is that lucky. There are afew strategies to employ in this situation, particularly ifthe brick wall is a longstanding one.

First of all it is useful to go over carefully the groundalready covered and to check the information gathered.If there is, for instance, only a baptism record and nobirth certificate has been sought for the person and theywere born within civil registration dates (that is from1837 onwards) it would be an idea to buy thatcertificate. Where a marriage has not been found onlineon the national indexes, then check with the local districtregister office. General Register Office’s indexes are wellknown for their omissions and mistakes. Even trawlthrough marriage indexes produced for record officessuch as the Museum.

Try name variations. Even simple names can be misheardor copied. At times of real desperation I have beenknown to apply to a district register office with just ayear or two and a name and this has produced results. If it is census entries you struggle with and cannot seemto find a particular family which ought to be in aparticular area at a set time, perhaps because childrenwere born in the area at that time according to a latercensus. Then buy that birth certificate. This will at leastgive an address and then try locally produced censusindexes such as the ones here at the Museum. Againthese are often far more accurate than online indexes.

One avenue of family history research much neglectedbut which can provide rich rewards, is to look at othertypes of record such as wills, marriage bonds (for thosemarried by licence prior to 1823), and affiliation orders(for illegitimate children especially in the 1700s and early1800s). Obviously not everyone left a will but it issurprising how many people did. They are often a richvein linking to relatives and connections previouslyunknown. This applies often to licences too. Sadly, not allof these documents have survived and those that haveare usually in county record offices.

Family history research over the last ten years has beenrevolutionised by the internet and the massive upload ofdigitised records. Search engines are refining constantly.It is therefore always useful to re-try a website regularlyto see if other records have been added and moreimportantly, incorrectly transcribed entries corrected. Ifall else fails try that other branch of the family, pursuebrothers and sisters. Better yet ask someone else, moreexperienced perhaps, to look at what you have found, tosee if they can dismantle the brick wall.

Recent additions to the reference stockat the Museum of Wigan LifeCatholic Family History Society: Lancashire Registersvolume 1: Wrightington Hall 1795- 1889 and Standish Hall 1742-1889. CD ROM.Lancashire Parish Register Society Volume 173: St Luke’s LowtonRecusant History volume 30 No.3 May 2011Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire transactionsvolume 159.Crockford’s Clerical Directory 1989/90 and 1959/60.283.025Pendlebury, Harold. Before mobiles and nightsticks:reflections of a Wigan detective. 363.20942736Skelmersdale Library. George Lyon Highwayman?364.1552Wigan Grammar School 1597-1947 373.42736Roby, John. Lancashire myths and legends volume 1.(First published 1829) New edition. 398.2094276Thomson, Susan. Manchester’s Victorian art scene andits unrecognised artists. 709.42733Hayes, Dean. Lancashire County Cricket Club: an A-Z.796.358094276Brannigan, Norma. The Pennington family of Hindley.942.736Walker, Henrietta Walker 1833-1900. 942.736Hayes, Cliff. Greetings from olde Liverpool: a history inpicture postcards. 942.753

Our final tip on researchingyour family history

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This piece was written by amember of the Pemberton Pensgroup during a creative writingworkshop run by the HeritageService. It is inspired by the story ofMargaret Park who was Mayoressof Wigan from 1882 to 1887. In1887 she led a group of pit browlasses to London to protest aboutplans to ban them from workingon the surface of coal mines. Theprotest was successful and pitbrow lasses continued to work atWigan’s coal mines.

Oh dear! I don’t know why I ever agreed to join thepit brow lasses on their trip to London. I think itwas the charisma of our Mayoress at the time, MrsMargaret Park. Mrs Park came to our meetings andtried to understand our problems. We told her wewere unhappy because the miners’ unions wantedto ban women surface workers, to protect thewages of the male members at our pit. We all knowit is a very dirty, thankless job but it’s the onlymeans we have to help our family’s finances. Someof the girls also have to keep food on their table fora family when the husband has died or sustainedinjuries in the pits.

Well never mind, we have just had a very longjourney down to London in May. The train waspacked and some of the girls were quite at a loss asthey had never left Wigan before, myself included,what opportunities we now get in 1887. We hadtaken enough food to keep us going during the dayand Mrs Park did her best to keep our mindsoccupied, explaining to us what we could expect

A VERY EXCITING DAYBy Patricia Rigg

Wigan Pit Brow lasses.

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when we got off the train, and why it was a goodidea to go to meet our Home Secretary and be ableto put our case. We were also joined by some wellknown members of the women’s suffragemovement who came to support our case.

We have all tried our best to wear somethingpresentable as we don’t really have a need for fancyclothes working at the pit, but I was pleased to seeeveryone had made an effort, even if some clothinghad been borrowed from family and friends.

Well here we are. We have arrived! The station is avery busy place, there are people moving aboutwith purpose, running for trains or greeting familyor friends, it’s completely different to our littleWigan Station. They say that there is even anunderground train called the Metropolitan that isopening this year. We are getting swept along withthe crowd towards the exit and we are all trying tokeep together and not get separated, it would beterrible to be on my own not knowing whereanything is or how to get to the Houses ofParliament to join the rest of the girls, but thesuffragettes are a help as they have done this sortof thing before.

I feel completely out of my depth, outside thestation there are cabs and omnibuses and coacheszipping about in all directions, the noise of all thehooves on the cobbles was horrendous. The girls,all 23 of us are trying to put a brave face on it, butwe are all, not surprisingly, very nervous.

There are ladies in wonderful clothes walking aboutthe streets and the shops are amazing, I have neverseen such shops. They sell everything from food,clothing, household goods and wonderful luxuries,things that we girls in Wigan can only dream about.

We are now walking towards the House ofCommons and it is quite pleasant, not quite as busy and noisy. We decide at this point that weought to have our food, so we find a quiet place on the Embankment and share our food in the dim sunshine.

Mrs Park then tells us to gather all our things andto follow her. I am feeling very nervous

I hope the Home Secretary and his sort of peopledon’t ask me any questions, I think I’d die on thespot or get so tongue tied nothing but rubbish willcome out of my mouth. My mouth is dry, my chestfeels as if it was full of butterflies, but we camehere for a purpose and we have to see it through!

The Home Secretary came to talk to us and hearsome of our views; I kept at the back of the girls

and tried to hide, but he did try to talk to everyoneand he had a knack of putting me at ease. Wehanded in our list of problems and I was glad whenit was all over.

Our appearance in London caused quite a sensationapparently, twenty three pit brow lasses and ourHero Mrs Park coming to London to fight our casewas reported widely in the London papers.

Well thank goodness it’s all over; I am tired, over-excited and wishing I was back home. We get backto the station and wait for the next train. It is verycrowded and we have to share seats or wait untilsomeone gets up to leave the train. I manage to geta corner seat eventually and snuggle down for thereturn journey. I’m afraid I fell fast asleep! We girlsare used to working long hours but this trip was sodifferent, everything to us was new and exciting andnot a little frightening. Back in Wigan we are allglad to be back in a place we know and understand.It has been a very interesting day; I have seen thingsI never thought I would, and met people I wouldnever normally come into contact with.

Let’s just hope the trip was all worth the effort andthe people in London can fight our case for us sowe can keep our jobs and help to feed our families.

Margaret Park, Mayoress of Wigan 1882-1887

24

Billy Mitchell (1874-1958) lived in Pagefield Streetoff Gidlow Lane, and my mother did his family’swashing. Billy was a famous footballer. He played48 times for Wales, 303 games for ManchesterUnited, and 367 for Manchester City. Billy was thefirst superstar of football. At 45 years of age, hewas the oldest international footballer when heplayed for Wales. He was the oldest to play in anFA Cup game when he played for ManchesterUnited v Newcastle, aged 49. When he lived inWigan, every week my Dad and I would carry alarge basket with the family’s clean laundry, andpick up their dirty washing. My Dad would begiven 10 Woodbines, and I was given sweets. AllBilly’s International Caps were hung around thewalls in his front room. He gave me a biscuit tinwith hundreds of marbles in it, a four-wheeledtruck, and a six foot ‘Joe Davis’ snooker table. His

son, Jack, lived on in the house until his death afew years ago. I couldn’t say if Jack ever playedfootball, but he was a staunch Latics supporter.

As a young boy, I had graduated from picturecomics to story comics. The four main ones at thetime were Rover, Hotspur, Wizard, and Adventure.These comics started my interest in aeroplanes.The two stories I liked best were ‘I flew withBradock’ a Lancaster pilot, and ‘The PhantomFlyer’ a spitfire pilot. In Woodhouse Lane wherewe lived, there was great excitement one day. A 60 foot Queen Mary (a low lorry used totransport planes) came to the army campopposite our house. It was carrying a BristolBeaufighter. It had to stay overnight, but was toowide to go through the camp gates. An armedguard was put on it, but I still managed to climb

MEMORIES OF A WIGAN LAD

BY ALAN PARKINSON

Sunderland Flying Boat

25

up, slide open a little cockpit window, and sit inthe pilot’s seat. I was pressing the machine-gunbuttons, it’s a good job they didn’t work!

Considering I left school at 14 years of age (All Saints, now Deanery High School) I have hadquite an eventful life. In 1949, aged 18, I joinedThe Royal Air Force. After training as a flightmechanic, I was posted to Wig Bay, Stranraer inScotland. It was the largest Flyboat Station in theworld, with over 100 planes. These were verylarge aircraft (Sunderland Flying Boat), havingupstairs and downstairs, a kitchen, six bunks, anda toilet. In July 1950 I was the only member ofour squadron to be chosen to fly down for theFarnborough Air Show. We flew down to Calshot,Southampton on the Friday, did FarnboroughSaturday, and flew back on the Sunday. Imaginemy delight when we flew over Wigan, Preston,Blackpool, Barrow, and then back to Wig Bay!

Also in 1950, my friend and I had a weekend inLondon for the Rugby League Cup Final,Warrington v Widnes. On the Sunday we went tothe Old Bailey, only to find it was closed. Afterhammering on the door, the caretaker allowed usin (for half-a-crown) and gave us a tour from thedock to the cells! Whilst in the Air Force, I madegood friends with Robert Wilson of Dumfries. Weboth married had families, and welcomed eachother for holidays. In fact, Bob and his wifeMamie spent their honeymoon in Wigan. Friendsof theirs, Robert and Mary, worked for the Lairdof Dumfries and Galloway, who was equerry toPrince Charles. Robert and Mary lived in abungalow at the gates of the Estate, and my wifeand I had tea there several times. Most of thepeople employed on the Estate lived inDalswinton, a private village with its own houses,school, church, post office and pub. On theEstate is a lake upon which the first steam-boatto be built had trials. Dumfries is very close toLockerbie, which, in 1988 was the scene of thedisaster where terrorists blew an American airlinerout of the sky, killing 270 people in total. In aquiet corner of Lockerbie’s cemetery is a Gardenof Remembrance, which is tended by the localswho have adopted those victims buried there,3000 miles away from their families.

Our youngest son, Ian, was also in the RAF. In1985 he was courting a girl who was a

hairdresser in the theatre world. She did MichaelCrawford’s hair when he appeared in ‘ThePhantom of the Opera’. Michael kindly senttickets for me and my wife, and we celebratedour thirty-third wedding anniversary with aweekend in London. Our seats were about sixrows from the stage, and sitting in front of uswere Prince Edward and Andrew Lloyd Webber.We received a special programme which wassigned by most members of the cast, includingMichael Crawford. In 2005 our son married aCanadian girl, Carolyn, and we flew toVancouver for their wedding in Victoria. Theywere married in the English Garden, and thephotographs were taken in the garden of theGovernor-General of Canada, and theGovernment Building in Victoria. It was a longway from my roots in Woodhouse Lane!

Well, I am getting on in life now, in fact Iremember the Dead Sea when it was only ill! But after I have had another couple of operations,I hope to fly again over Wigan. I have alreadybooked my place on a Microlite Aircraft.

26

“A wonderful read foranyone with an interestin Roman Wigan.”Whether the Roman Settlementof Coccium was Wigan or nothas been debated for centuries.But with the important remainsbeing exposed at thearchaeological excavations onMillgate it has been shownbeyond reasonable doubt that Wigan was a Romansettlement of considerableimportance and almost certainly the site of Coccium.

This booklet has been eagerlyawaited as it is Volume 3 in anew series called ‘GreaterManchester Revealed.’ Itpresents new and excitingfindings from the archaeologicalexcavations as well as a freshinsight into the development ofthe town from the medievalperiod onwards. You are takenthrough the topography ofWigan and the surroundingarea, showing how Wigan laymidway between settlements,for travellers using the North /South routes.

A chapter is devoted to the earlyhistory of Wigan showing thediscovery of the artefacts from

polished stone axes to flintflakes. The people who madethese tools would have beennomadic ‘hunter gatherers’ withWigan being an ideal territory asit would have been a largelyforested area.

The evidence for a Romanoccupation of Wigan isexamined and illustrated withgold and silver coins found overa period of time. Also theconstruction of Roman roadsand the routes they would havetaken is explored.

There is a very detailed and fulldescription of the excavationsalong with photographs of thesites and finds which is a mustfor anyone who has seen themock hypocaust outside theGrand Arcade. I never knewRoman baths could be so variedfrom elaborate baths atfortresses to smaller ones inauxiliary forts.

I found the format of thechapters easy to read andfollow, as well as being fullyillustrated with photographs,maps and computer generatedreconstructions.

The book is a must for anyonewho has an interest in Romanhistory. If you watch ‘Time Team’

on TV you will be familiar with lots of the areas the book covers. It is a must for ‘ex-pats’ and would make awonderful Christmas stocking filler.

Reviewed by Christine RossBOOK REVIEWDiscovering Coccium:The Archaeology ofRoman WiganText by Ian Miller and Bill AldridgePublished by Oxford Archaeology Ltd

DiscoveringCoccium

Only £5

Copies of DiscoveringCoccium can be purchasedfrom the Museum of WiganLife Shop for £5. Alternatively

you can order a copy bycalling 01942 828128

(postage & packing chargesapply). A copy of DiscoveringCoccium is also available forreference in the local and

family history section of theMuseum of Wigan Life(shelfmark 936.273604).

Seeds of ChangeEXHBITION REVIEW By Fiona Callandine

Gess with theFarington Bell

27

‘The Seeds of Change’ Exhibition at the Museum of WiganLife brings together local history, heritage and the naturalenvironment. The exhibition examines a handful ofprominent themes, such as local history, the industrialrevolution, the environment, Green awareness, and theimportance of regeneration within the Wigan Borough.

The exhibition tracks the history of Wigan’s naturalenvironment to show how the land and environment led tothe development of the coal mining industry in theBorough. It continues on through the decline of theindustrial revolution and onto the present regenerationprojects.

What is so poignant about this exhibition is that ithighlights the work of local community groups. The successof their ventures to improve their local environment isevident, such as the Stubshaw Cross Resident Group whoused their ‘People Power’ to improve where they live anddevelop the Stubshaw Cross Heritage Garden. Theeducation and local outreach projects that stemmed fromthis exhibition have been instrumental in raising awarenessin schoolchildren of the importance of looking after thelocal environment and finding ways to thoroughly enjoybeing outside.

The audio-visual film used in the exhibition and presentedby Phil Clarke, promotes the Greenheart Project. Many ofthe sites that lie at the heart of Greenheart were once themining and industrial areas that have been transformedinto recreational green spaces for all to enjoy. Phil rides abicycle through areas such as Amberswood andPennington Flash. He provides a taster of the activities onoffer along the Greenheart Regional Park. From watchingthe video it is fascinating to discover the astonishingdifferences of landscape and environment the Boroughcontains, such as marshlands, wetlands, and woodland, aswell as the miles of bridleway to explore. It is good to notehere that the video is keen to point out that these areas areaccessible for all, including, walkers, cyclists, horse riders,pushchairs and disabled people.

The display of wildlife and animals that call the greenspaces of Wigan their home is delightful as it is doubtfulthat most visitors have the opportunity to see thesecreatures so close in their natural habitat.

‘Seeds of Change’ has fun interactive features and activitiesfor children and adults alike such as plant fossil rubbing, eco

explorer games, and recycling awareness activities. If you arelooking for a fun and interesting way to occupy the kids orgrandkids in the upcoming school holidays then thisexhibition could well be the place. It has enough detail anddepth to be interesting for adults and enough activities,games and displays for the children to immerse themselves in.

Overall the exhibition is interesting, enlightening and fun. It successfully highlights the fascinating past of ourenvironment. It plants a ‘seed of change’ in the minds ofvisitors of how we can protect, use, and most of all, enjoyour local environment. The exhibition not only engagesvisitors with the areas’ past and present, but mostimportantly with how we can improve its future.

Editor’s note: Seeds of Change is on display at the Museumof Wigan Life throughout the school summer holidays until30 August 2011. Opening hours are Mon, Tues and Fri 10-5, Thurs 10-8, Sat 11-3 and Wed/Sun closed. The museum will also be open on 29 August (Bank HolidayMonday) from 11-3.

For more information about Greenheart visitwww.visitgreenheart.com

Museum of Wigan Life AdultWorkshops & TalksIn the community:Reminiscence Workshops and TalksLotion, Potions and the Poultice (talk, reminiscence and quiz)Schooldays (interactive workshop with reminiscence)History Mystery Chest (workshop and game)Make Do, Milk Bars and Mini Skirts (reminiscenceworkshop)The Fairer Sex (Interactive talk)The way we used to live (interactive workshop withreminiscence)Meet the Ancestors – Family History (talk with handouts)Local heroes (interactive talk with resources)Creative Writing Classes also facilitated

At the Museum of Wigan Life:Washday BluesTen Week Local History CourseCreative Writing Classes also facilitated

New sessions coming soon:Through the Window – The Life of William WickhamThomas Taylor – Man of Means

28

The George Formby Society (GFS) held their Spring meetingat the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool on 5 and 6 March 2011.The event celebrated the life and achievements of the everpopular George Formby Jnr – who died 50 years ago.

Following on from this, events were held in Wigan, thebirthplace of George Formby Jnr, between Thursday 31March and Tuesday 5 April, in conjunction with theMuseum of Wigan Life and Wigan Council.

On Thursday 31 March, an exhibition was opened in themuseum. The exhibition consisted of various artefacts,many on loan from the George Formby Society. Theseincluded a George Formby Toby Jug, some 1930s and1940s sheet music, photographs, a few vinyl records and aUkulele Banjo Dallas B model. The museum had produced abrief time line of George Formby Snr and Jnr and there wasa large canvas on the wall with an iconic image of GeorgeFormby. The image was produced by artist Ken Barrett, andwas to be painted on Saturday 2 April. Ken works in avariety of media, on projects that encourage conversationand participation. More information can be found atwww.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/the-formby-project/.

Also on Thursday 31 March, the George Formby SocietyPresident Gerry Mawdesley, gave a multi media talk with aukulele at the Museum of Wigan Life. Unfortunately Icouldn’t obtain a ticket for this event, as it was sold out.However I was told about 30 people attended and it wasvery successful.

On Friday 1 April, a day symposium was held at theQueens Hall, Market Street, Wigan. The day was chairedby Dr C P Lee along with Ken Barrett. The day includeddiscussions such as one entitled ‘Frank Randle V’sFormby- Wigan’s Favourite Sons?’ and screenings ofFormby documentaries and films. Ken Barrett presentedan Orwellian analysis of some of Formby’s saucy songsand Dr David James, a Senior Lecturer in Film and MediaStudies at Manchester Metropolitan University examinedhow Formby’s films were using propaganda to help thewar effort. The symposium was a great opportunity totalk to the others delegates and speakers in an informalsetting. The day provoked many interesting discussionsand as a new GFS member I learnt a lot, especially aboutplacing Formby into a historical context, and seeingwhat he achieved.

Later in evening at Club Nirvana three of Formby’s songs were mixed into house style by Ken Barrett, with a backdrop of Formby’s action sequences. It made interesting listening, and can be viewed onwww.youtube.com. Whilst they may upsets purists, the mixes were well done and the club night may lead to further projects somewhere else.

On 2 April, at the museum, nine GFS club members turned up playing the banjo and ukulele and were well received. The large canvas mural was painted by local schoolchildren as agiant monochrome paint-by-numbers. Themural stayeduntil the end ofthe Formbyexhibition. It wasthen transferredto the GrandArcade ShoppingCentre, where itwas hung fromthe balcony,behind theGeorge Formby

Celebrating Wigan's Favourite Son

The Formby Project By John Bullivant

The completed mural at the Museum © Ken Barrett

Sue Smart and John Bullivant atthe Symposium © John Bullivant

29

statue, until the end of April. The mural was used as abackdrop to the stage area, at June’s Formby Societymeeting at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool.

On Tuesday 5 April at 1pm, a talk was given at the museum on a medal George was given by Canada’s Army,Navy and Air Force Veterans. The medal was purchased by the museum in the early 1970s for £30 from Preston’sAuction House, Bolton. The medal is on permanent displayat the museum. Six people attended this talk, most werefrom the GFS, and found the talk interesting.

Whilst this was an enjoyable few days, I found it tiringtravelling from Preston to Wigan daily. However I havemade some good contacts with Ken, Dr C P Lee and alsowithin the Museum of Wigan Life, and will hopefully usetheir resources in the future. Speaking to Ken Barrett afterthe event he says ‘'I have picked up some ambivalence toGeorge in the North and particularly in Wigan”. Two of ourspeakers at the symposium alluded to this. “It seems to beabout him playing to the stereotype of the gormlessnortherner, something most comics didn't do…But this artproject was as much about generating conversations abouthim as celebrating him and the muted Wigan reaction ispart of that conversation.”

It was great to see people of all ages participating, andperhaps some of these people will become members of theGFS. Events like this don’t happen overnight, and theMuseum of Wigan Life usually plans events two years inadvance. Ken only approached them in April 2010 and it ismarvellous that they were enthusiastic and put on a goodseries of events.

I wish to thank Ken Barrett, Tony Hannan, A J Hilton, David James, C P Lee, The National Lottery, the Museum of Wigan Life and Wigan Leisure and Culture, who hadfaith in the events and made them a success. I hope eventssuch as this can be done again in the future.

Events

Leigh For All

www.wlct.org/heritage

Friday 9th & Saturday 10th September 2011Leigh Civic Square, LeighAs part of the National Heritage Open Days celebrations join us for a FREE weekend of 70’s themed events and activities around Leigh Civic Square.

For full details of the Heritage Open Weekend events in both Leigh & Wigan, please contact:

01942 828128

Events

or AllLeigh F For All

Heritage Open Days As part of the National

Leigh Civic Square, Leigh1102September

riday 9th & Saturday 10th FFriday 9th & Saturday 10th

Heritage Open Days

Leigh Civic Square, Leigh

riday 9th & Saturday 10th

igan, please contact:events in both Leigh & Wor full details of the Heritage Op FFor full details of the Heritage Open W

Leigh Civic Square.70’s themed events and activities around

join us for a FREEcelebrations

g/heritage.wlct.orwwww.wlct.or28942 828110

igan, please contact:eekend pen W Weekend

70’s themed events and activities around weekend of join us for a FREE

g/heritage

George FormbySociety InformationThe George Formby Society meets four times ayear at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool. The nextmeeting is on 17 and 18 September 2011. It isthe 50th anniversary of the formation of theGeorge Formby Society and is guaranteed to bea terrific event. Charges for non-members are£5 for a day or £8 for both days

You can join the George Formby Society for £15 per year (£25 overseas). If you areinterested in joining, contact Andrew Gatherer,52 Windrush Drive, Hinckley, Leics LE10 0NY,telephone 01455 890214 or emailandy@ajgatherer.freeserve.co.uk. Membershipbenefits include receipt of the society’squarterly magazine called ‘Vellum’ after theskin on a Banjo Ukulele, which Formby madefamous. For further information visitwww.georgeformby.co.uk

Nine members of the GFS at the Museum © John Bullivant

30

SOCIETY NEWS

Aspull and Haigh Historical Society

Meetings are held on the secondThursday of the month at Our Lady’s RC Church Hall, Haigh Road, Aspull at 7.30pm. All are welcome, contact Barbara Rhodes for further detailson 01942 222769.

Atherton Heritage Society

Meetings held on the secondTuesday of the month at 7.30pm inSt Richard’s Community Centre,Mayfield Street, Atherton. Members £1.00, non members£1.50. Contact Margaret Hodge for further information on 01942 884893.

Atherton Heritage Association

We are a non profit organisationdedicated to preserving ourAtherton heritage. We are located inAtherton Town Hall, 91 AshfieldRoad. The Heritage Room is openTuesday 10.00-12.00 noon. Contact us on 650 688 6540 or meo@rjoster.com. Further informationwww.ci.atherton.us/heritage.html

Billinge History Society

Meetings are held on the firstTuesday of the month at BillingeChapel End Labour Club at 7.30pm.For further details visit www.billinge-history.com

Hindley & District History Society

Meetings are held on the second Monday in the month atHindley Museum in Hindley Libraryfrom 7.00pm to 9.00pm. Pleasenote there is no meeting in July andAugust. Admission is £1.00 formembers and £1.50 for non-members. Everyone is welcome.

The museum is open to the public atleast once a week and entry is free.Contact the library staff for times anddates or telephone our Secretary Mrs Joan Topping 01942 257361 orMrs Norma Brannagh 01942 258668.

Leigh & District FamilyHistory Society

Monthly meetings held in the Derby Room, Leigh Library at7.30pm on the third Tuesday ofeach month, except June and July.

16 August Getting Started

20 September Armchair IrishFamily History – Marie McQuade

18 October Help Evening andMembers Talks

15 November Gun Powder PlotAncestors – Ray Catesby

A weekly Help Desk is run bymembers of the Society eachMonday from 1.30pm-3.30pm in theLocal History Section of Leigh Library.

For more information contact Mrs M Harrop (Chairman) 01942 743428, Mrs G McClellan(Secretary) 01942 729559 or email:leighfhs@blueyonder.co.uk

Local History Federation Lancashire

The Federation holds severalmeetings each year, with a varied and interesting programme. For details visitwww.lancashirehistory.org or call01204 707885.

Skelmersdale & Upholland Family History Society

Meetings held at 7.30pm on thefourth Tuesday each month at HallGreen Community Centre,Upholland. There are no meetings inJuly or August. For moreinformation contact Sue Hesketh(Secretary) 01942 212940 orSuehesketh@blueyonder.co.uk or visit www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/SkemGrp/Skem

Wigan Civic Trust

If you have an interest in thestandard of planning andarchitecture, and the conservation of buildings and structures in ourhistoric town, come along and meet us. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at7.30pm. The venue is Drumcroon, 2 Parsons Walk, Wigan. Contact Mr A Grimshaw on 01942 245777 for furtherinformation.

Wigan Family History Society

Meetings are held at the Bowling Green, 108 Wigan Lane,Wigan on the third Monday of eachmonth (7.30 for 8.00pm). Nomeetings are held in July andAugust. Please note we do have asmall charge for each meeting of£2.00 for both members andvisitors. The society can becontacted in wigan’fhs@email.comand for further information seewww.wiganworld.co.uk/familyhistory

19 September Children in the Mines – Alan Davies

17 October The Philadelphia Experiment –Brian Halliwell

21 November The Yorkshire Coiners – Cliff Stockton

Wigan ArchaeologicalSociety

We meet on the first Wednesday ofthe month, 7.30pm, at the UpperMorris Street Working Men's Club inWigan, for lectures and discussionson topics of historical orarchaeological interest. Admission is£2 for members and £3 for guests.For more information call Tom Glover on 01695 624372 or Bill Aldridge on 01257 402342. You can also visit the websitewww.wiganarchsoc.co.uk

31

It was just another 2.30pm wedding on a Saturdayafternoon; at least I thought it was, until things startedto go wrong. The verger, an old friend of mine, seemedto be getting rather agitated, so I asked what histrouble was. “The organist hasn’t turned up yet andthe bride’s due any minute. She’s going to blow hertop!” he replied. In that moment the bridal car drewup at the church gates. The verger hurried down, andopening the car door informed the bride that Frank,the organist, hadn’t arrived. “I’m not going down thatchurch without the organ” said the bride in a veryresolute tone of voice. No one spoke for a few minutes.Finally the verger asked the car driver to take the bridalparty, including the two waiting bridesmaids, to hishouse at the end of the street. His wife would givethem the comfort of the sitting room until Frank waslocated. Meanwhile he would get his car out andsearch for the organist.

This wasn’t going to be an easy or quick trip, as Franklived some four miles away in Golborne. The vergermust have been familiar with the area as he locatedFrank’s house without much difficulty, his wifeanswered his loud knocking. “Is Frank in?” he asked.“I’m afraid not” she said “He’s taken the baby out inthe pram.” “Have you any idea where he might havegone?” the verger asked with obvious irritation. “Well,he usually goes along the East Lancs Road” replied thewife. The verger, shocked with her reply, rushed back tohis car and drove off through the streets and then thetown centre and onto the roundabout on the EastLancs road. “Now which way did Frank go?” he askedhimself “Leigh and Manchester on the left or Ashtonand Liverpool on the right”. The verger decided on thelatter, his luck was in and after driving for a shortdistance saw Frank pushing his pram.

Screeching to a halt, he dropped the car window andcalled out “Frank haven’t you forgotten that youshould be playing at a wedding at 2.30 and it’s nowgetting on for 3.” Somewhat alarmed, Frank quicklyturned the pram around and set off on the long walkhome. He would then have to get his car out and makea dash for the church. Meanwhile, the verger nowfound himself trapped and unable to make a U turn,was required to drive on to the next roundabout to

make his exit and follow the signs to Wigan. Arriving back at the church, well ahead of Frank, he quickly gave the news to the vicar and waiting wedding guests that Frank had been located and was on his way there.He then hurried to his home to give the good news tothe anxious bride and the rest of the party.

Frank eventually made it to the church. The vergerimmediately signalled to the waiting wedding carwhich brought the bride and her father to the church asecond time, although well over an hour late. As I tookmy usual arrival shots, I thought the bride lookedrather strained and nervous. Following the party intothe church, I was confronted with a spate of loudmusic. Frank seemed to be pushing each chord of TheBridal March into every part of the church. The bridewas certainly getting what she had earlier demanded. I took my usual interior shots and at the end of theceremony, moved with the bridal party into the vestryfor the signing of the registers.

As my flash illuminated this familiar scene, I thoughtthe bride still looked rather solemn and non–smiling.“She’ll be more relaxed when we get outside” I thought, but I was wrong. Whilst all her relatives andfriends were laughing and joking, her expression stillremained pleasant, but no smiles. I then decided, as itwere ‘to consign all my customary silly jokes to mycamera bag’ and instead spent quite some time fussingover the bride’s slightly blowing veil and giving thesame attention to the bridesmaids' dresses.

This activity eventually resulted in calming the hilarityof the wedding guests and enabled me to producepleasant pictures of everybody. Rather than laughingones contrasting with the bride’s more quiet mood. In the end I completed a beautiful album for the brideand groom, who were highly delighted with my efforts.In all, I had supplied over thirty photographs in blackand white, colour had yet to wait several more yearsbefore it appeared on the scene.

Reflecting on this most unusual wedding story, I wouldhave to admit, as brides go, that she was definitely thebest ‘organ-ised’ bride I’d ever photographed.

MY BEST ‘ORGAN-ISED’ BRIDE by Austin Lyons

32

YOUR LETTERS - CAN YOU HELP

Dear Editor

I do so enjoy this magazine especiallyas I now live in the Isle of Mull, toofar away to visit Wigan very often.Issue 56 however was to me one ofthe most interesting so far because ofpersonal connections.

The article on the Pretoria Pit disasterbrought back my early working yearsin the Town Hall at Westhoughton inthe late 1960s. When I was one dayclearing out a large floor to ceilingcupboard I found, on a top shelfright at the back, a very dusty andyellowing copy of a local newspaperdated 24 December 1910 describingthe scenes at the pit head. Thisdiscovery caused great excitementamongst my colleagues as we alleagerly read it. I'm glad to say myboss made sure the newspaper wastaken to the then Bolton Archivist for safe storage. I bought myself acopy of Andrea Finney's book forChristmas and it makes an interestingaddition to my collection of localhistory books.

I was also interested in the article onCutacre Clough and the proposals tocreate reservoirs there. I visited thisarea about three years ago as mygreat, great grandparents, who hadrecently arrived from Ireland, wereliving first of all in Wharton ChapelFold and later in the Wash Cottagesjust over the boundary in Tyldesley inthe 1860s. The area has changed somuch, that even though we trudgedthrough deep puddles and tangledundergrowth, I could not locate thesite of Wash Cottages though I didfind the site of Wharton Chapel andits graveyard. Nevertheless, as thearea is still rural it was satisfying tofeel I was walking along the self samedirt track towards Tyldesley that myfamily would have walked along allthose years ago.

The article by A Morris on medievalfarming in Abram was also of greatinterest especially the mention ofRobert Bolton who lived in"Bekyrschawe" in 1501. One of my

Ranicar ancestors married JudithBolton (b.1622) the daughter ofEdward Bolton de Abram who I thinkis a descendant of Robert.

Finally I visited The History Shop(Editor - now the Museum of WiganLife) again for the first time since thealterations when I was in Wigan formy mother in law's funeral in Marchand was very impressed, especiallywith the exhibitions. I was interestedin the house with the three black catsas we used to pass it often on ourway to Southport from Horwichwhen our children were small; theyused to love looking out for it.However I didn't think to write downexactly the meaning of this, I thoughtI would be able to remember butsadly all I can recall is that there wasa sign put in the window when masswas to be celebrated in the locality.

Well I have often thought of writingto thank you all for your wonderfulpublications which I look forward tovery much and at long last I have gotround to it. Long may it continue. I especially enjoy articles from thearchives.

Kind regards

Valerie Fielding,Isle of Mull

Dear Editor

Re the letter in issue 57 regarding the decorating of St John’s Church(Powell Street, Wigan) in 1952. I recollect that the Parish Priest wasDr Campbell (Doctor of Divinity) andthe Curates were Father O'Connel andFather Kielt. There was no FatherComplett as stated.

I was an altar boy at St John’s from1946, age nine until I left for myNational Service in 1955.I rememberthe lovely job done by the men fromPagett's. Unfortunately, I have beenunable to see the interior recently onmy visits to the town as the church isusually locked up, sign of the times Isuppose!!! I will be in Wigan in June

when, hopefully I will be able to finda time when it is open.

I have many happy memories of theschool, the church and especially theyouth club. I now live in Folkestone inKent, but love to come home to myroots in Wigan as often as possible.

Keep up the good work.Frank L Pyke,Folkestone,Kent

Dear Editor

I was very interested to read thearticle in PAST FORWARD issue 57 (p 28) by A Parkinson about Burney’s (handbag and small casesworks) as I worked there when I leftschool (Gidlow Secondary) in 1936 at the age of 14.

I left school on the Friday in Augustand started work on Mondaymorning. I was asked if I could use anelectric sewing machine and said‘yes’. I had only used a treadle sewing machine at school but I soongot the hang of it. I wanted to workthere as my best friend and both ofher sisters worked there (Joyce,Monica and Rene Kay) from BeechHill, as I was also. The bosses werevery strict, no talking and only onehour lunch break. Also, we had to ask Joe Hayes (the manager) if wecould go to the toilet (I was veryembarrassed at this). I remember him well and was sorry to hear abouthis death on the railway.

I left Burney’s after I had been thereabout nine months as I got a new jobat H Anderton’s Sewing Factory inScholes to learn dressmaking. (I wasjust sewing handles for handbags atBurney’s). Incidentally, I didn’t wear aheadscarf that I can remember orspecial overalls, but that was in thethirties (not many of us left).

Yours truly

Mrs G Guest

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Dear Editor

Recently I went to Wigan Museum tosee a coal mining display, I had anulterior motive as I once worked atAstley Green Colliery first as a faceworker then later an official. It was inthe 1960s, nearly 50 years ago. As wellas being interesting it brought back somany memories, and whilst there Ipurchased a DVD about the Wigandialect by Richard D Lewis who Iconfess I had never heard of. He was aWiganer and his grandfather was a coalface worker. When I got home I put iton and it started of with three menconversing in the Wigan dialect, wordswere spoken that I hadn’t heard in 50 years. Two of the men left and thethird carried on talking in The Queen’sEnglish, he was obviously an educatedman who turned out to be RD Lewis.

I was so intrigued, I borrowed twobooks of his from the library, one ofwhich was ‘The Road from Wigan Pier’and underneath the title ‘Memoirs of aLinguist’. As a boy, he attended AshtonGrammar School and then university.Born in the 1930s he grew up speakingtwo languages, North Country and theWigan miner’s dialect. From an earlyage he started listening to foreignlanguage broadcasts on the radiowhich stimulated him to learn French atschool. By the time he was 25 he couldspeak ten languages which took him allover the world. Here are some of hisachievements. • Spent five years in Japan as tutor to

The Empress and her family. • Opened several language schools in

Europe.• An advisor to governments on issues

of cultural diversity.• Delivered seminars around the world.• Was knighted by Finland’s President

in 1997.• Author of several books and articles. • Visited 120 countries• Wrote speeches for Konrad

Adenauer.

Not bad for a Wiganer.

Jack Taylor,Lower Ince,Wigan

Dear EditorI read with interest your article sent toyou from Mrs L Stewart (Issue No 57April-July 2011). Mrs Stewart wassearching for relatives of the Stanley’s ofWallgate and mentioned Mrs Clarkson’scorner shop. My great-grandmother wasMrs Mary Clarkson and ran the grocer’sshop at 113 Wallgate. After her death in1935, her unmarried daughter of thesame name kept the shop open until herdeath in 1960.

I am sorry to say that I have noknowledge of the Stanley family, butthought Mrs Stewart may be interestedin the above information.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Mary C Molloy (nee Clarkson)Wigan

Dear EditorOld railway photographs

I have written a book on SpringsBranch shed and I am currentlyresearching the next volume coveringboth the ex L&Y shed at Prescott Streetand the ex GC shed at Lower Ince.

Very little has emerged photographicallyfor the shed buildings and, moreimportantly, the men themselves.

If any reader has any photos of people who worked at Prescott Streetor Lower Ince, I would be grateful ifthey could contact me.

Chris Coates

Email chris-coates@talktalk.net orphone 01204 690122

Editor’s note: If any reader does havephotographs, we would very much like toacquire copies for our Archive. You caneither donate the originals or loan them tous for copying. This way they will bepreserved for the future and researchershave access to them.

Mary TomlinsonEditor’s Note

In the last issue (57) an article on MaryTomlinson stated that she was born at254 Billinge Road, Highfield. A reader,Mr Frank Baynes, has also undertakenextensive research on Mary and has acopy of her birth certificate whichstates she was born at 64 Loch Street,Lamberhead Green, Orrell. It is alwaysrewarding when readers are able toadd to our knowledge. This newinformation will be passed on to SheilaRamsdale, the writer of the originalarticle, whom I am sure, will be mostinterested to hear of it.

'OUR HERITAGE' DVDHowe Bridge village, ChowbentChapel in Atherton, the MarshGymnasium in Leigh, St Wilfrid'sChurch in Standish, and the Abram Morris Dancers are just some of the stories featured in 'Our Heritage', a new DVD celebratingthe history of Wigan Borough.

The film tells the untold story of many of the historical buildings andtraditions of the Wigan area, and highlights the efforts of grassroots groupsand individual volunteers to preserve heritage in their own local area. TheDVD has been produced by the Wigan Environment and Heritage Network,who are an umbrella organisation for all the local history and environmentalgroups in the Borough, along with Tradition Films, who specialise inheritage videos.

The DVD will be launched during Heritage Week on the 8 September 2011at Wigan Town Hall with a special screening in the Council chamber. The DVD will be available to buy in the Museum of Wigan Life shop oronline at www.traditionfilms.co.uk

PROBING PICTURES

For this edition we’ve selected a series of images from thePhotographic Archive Collections.These images have all been acceptedinto the Archive collections in recentyears, usually as part of largercollections, but unfortunately have no supporting information to tell uswhat they show.

With the exception of the imageshowing a group on a hillside (whichwe believe is in Atherton), nothing isknown of the people and eventsrecorded in these photographs. Thephotographs appear to range in datefrom the nineteenth century to theyears after the Second World War(unknown school interior) judging bythe type of prints and the clothingand buildings in the images. It hasbeen suggested by volunteers at theArchives that the barber shop was inOrrell and the canteen workers froma Leigh pit, but we have no evidenceto support this guesswork. The onlything left to do was to cast our netwider and see if the readers of PastForward can help?

More local images (all identified we hope!) from the ArchiveCollections can be found on theWigan Images website, athttp://wiganimages.wlct.org/, or byvisiting the Archives Service in person.

If you can identify any of the people or places shown, please get in touchwith Alex Miller at the Archives on01942 404 430.

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Last edition’s picture

Local and Family History Officer Hannah Turnerdiscovered the following information about lastedition’s photograph. On Friday 2 October 1914 anadvert appeared in the Leigh Chronicle under theheading ‘OUR SOLDIERS NEED BLANKETS.’

The advert asked “will every householder... kindly send one or more?” It went on to say “it is only just that the Soldiers should have a full supply of warm covering while fighting for our benefit”.

A week later the image was printed in both theLeigh Chronicle and Leigh Journal. The Journalreported “During the weekend seven hundredblankets have been collected in Tyldesley andAstley by Scoutmaster W Callister and the BoyScouts. Mrs Lund, Miss Lund and a band of willingworkers including men of the St John AmbulanceBrigade had a busy time on Friday evening openingthe parcels and packing the parcels ready fortransport. The chairman of the Council wishes tothank all those who willingly responded to hisappeal. A list of the donors will be posted on thenotice board in the library”.

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