Wigan Album

No hint of glee anywhere here is there? It's easy to conclude these girls were both repressed and lacklustre with poverty . Yet no one smiled in photographs then. It was probably considered undignified, and certainly this sitting would have been conducted with great formality and almost scientific awe. You can sense the teacher saying, " One move Nellie and you're for it ".

It took so long to take a photograph that the children's faces would be aching with smiling. On the other hand,keeping still was the main object - so no wriggling about please. How often have we seen a 'blurred' image of some children who couldn't keep still...probably the ones who were naturally mischievous and teacher kept her beady eye on those with a withering glance - poor mites!

It's quite possible some of those girls may have done half a days work in the mill as well, or going to the mill in the afternoon. What a 'childhood'!

I wonder if Miss Markland was any relation to Mr Markland who I think was the headmaster at the Grammar School.

I think that the girl Nellie Griffiths ( Nee Kay) was my grandads sister.
I am trying to find my family history.
If I am right Nellies father died and she took on the responsibility of the younger siblings.

Please give any information on Nellie Kay ( Griffiths). I am looking into my family history and I am sure she is my grandads sister who ,, when their father died , Nellie took responsibility for her siblings!x

Jim Waring will know about Nellie Griffiths, she was his grandmother.