Wigan Album

Good Heavens! I was one of the children in that brand new school, but I would have been in the Infants' department so I won't be on that photo....the Infants' department was in a separate building. I can remember the day moved across the road from the old School, where Central Flats now stand, to the New School....we walked in a "crocodile", each of us holding hands with another child. All the children had paid threepence a week for a brick for the New School, and our payments were marked down on a little pink card....I bet a lot of Ince Central schoolchildren from the 1950s remember taking those threepences! What a novelty it was to have proper indoor toilets, pink for girls and blue for boys, after the primitive outdoor toilets in the schoolyard of The Old School! I vividly recall coming to the end of my Infant years and moving across the the Juniors in 1960, nervous of the "nowty" teachers we had heard about, and the building above is where I spent my last four years at Primary School, leaving in 1964 for Hindley Grammar. What a fantastic photo, Ron.....Thankyou!

I think I am on 2nd row,just above boys sat on the ground, in between 2 girls both with darker clothes on,the girl to the left of me has a white ribbon in her hair. Loved that school.

Elizabeth, I just can't find you! Take the photo in quarters from left to right....which quarter are you in, please?

If anyone wants a larger image send me your email address.

I would love a larger image please, Ron, and also of the Infants' photo. You have my email. Thankyou so much for these photos!

Hello Irene,I am just above the boy sat on floor,12th from the left.My hair looks quite fair on here ! Like you,love these photos.Happy Anniversary ! Xx

Please could you send me a larger image of this,Ron,thanks in advance.

Thankyou Elizabeth, and Thankyou so much for the lovely Golden Wedding card, It's beautiful. These photos are fantastic, but I can't imagine where I would have been....I should have been on the Infants' photo.

Ron , very good picture for historical record.
Born of Polish parents who came here after the war , there were maybe only 4 or 5 like me of foreign descent in my junior and secondary school in Wigan . A few Poles and a few from Yugoslavia. No other foreign cultures .
Having only travelled to Southport and Blackpool , it was quite a shock to me when I went to Manchester with my then girlfriend to see so many people of colour.
I left Wigan many years ago and now live in London . The schools near where I live , there are six close ones and in each, Multi culture children dominate hugely . How times change.
I wasn’t treated as an alien at my schools the other kids just laughed at my surname at first register , but after that I was ok .
Your picture has given me pause and self reflection I am grateful to you for that .

Mark,was your dad a doctor in Ince Green Lane surgery?

Ron, I saw on facebook yesterday the full booklet commemorating the opening of Ince Central School with a list of the ceremonies, the hymns sung, the photos of the children and adverts for local shops and businesses, and I can't find it now! I was longing to tell Elizabeth where to look for it but I have looked in vain this morning! Could you please tell me how to find it again? Thanks, Irene.

Sorry.....found it! Elizabeth, it's on facebook under Characters of Ince and you have to click on it and it takes you to the whole booklet. It's fascinating!

OK,thanks Irene,will have a look.xx