Wigan Album
Wigan Rugby Players
8 Comments
Photo: Keith
Item #: 24793
Left to right standing, Tom?Hesketh? (Wigan Director), ?? ex-Wigan player at this time on Leigh books, a very young Johnny Lawrenson, Jack Cunliffe and Martyn Ryan, next to Martyn a Welshman, Hermus Llewellyn a carpenter who had “come north” not to play rugby but to work and was a friend of my father who was taking this photo I believe, Hermus was killed in action as a Lance-Corporal in the North Africa campaign but not before being awarded the Military Medal in 1942, next to him another Wigan Director.
At front I believe this gentleman is called Parkes, next to a very youthful Tommy Bradshaw, followed by another member of the backroom staff. All these four young Wigan youngsters went on to have great Rugby League careers.
I believe that you are right over Parkes, as I went to school at WGS with his son Arthur. They came from Pemberton. Arthur went on to become headmaster at a school in Cornwall
Thank you Fred, interesting to know that. I also went to WGS but at least, I suspect, a decade later than both of you, although I myself spent 40 years at "the chalk face".
It is tom hesketh he' my grandad
Thank you Dave for confirming Tom Hesketh on the photo - am I right in thinking that his brother George played 10 years for the Club, I know the Hesketh family had a long association with the Wigan club.
I know of the Hesketh Painting and Decorating business and my father ran the Wellfield Hotel from 1956 to 1974 when a Hesketh, whose first name eludes me, was a customer, he was also involved in the painting and decorating business. Does any of that make sense to you?
Hello Dave, Ray here do you remember?I was thinking about your dad and yourself only the other day, never realised just what I had whilst I was with you all.
tom hesketh was my great grandfather very proud of both him and my grandpa
Tom hesketh was my grandad and my dad Jack hesketh played at wigan for a short time and my uncle george was a great wigan player my dad Jack went on to play at rochdale for quite a while. Rugby was the main topic in our house whilst I was growing up
Just to add some very late ‘detail’ - I now believe the unnamed player standing between Tom Hesketh the Wigan Director (wearing a trilby) and Johnny Lawrenson, is Vic Jonson who played between 1939 and 1942, making 18 first team appearances and scoring 11 tries. The person at the very front on the extreme right, is the ‘skipman’ M. Hitchen, I believe.