Wigan Album

so funny they demolished it to improve traffic flow then build traffic jammers who got the back handers there then , wonder if dw had his hand in that lol

Do you think it is Hall Lane, Hindley then?

This is definitely Hall Lane. The Toll House was demolished around 1984 I think; long after the gate had been taken down. There was barn behind the Toll House. There are houses there now but the houses just to the right of the Toll House are still there on Hall Lane.

Thanks Elizabeth for the info.

Pennygate Medical Centre is around that area now.

Your are welcome, JohnAlan. The family who used to live at the Toll House up to it being demolished were named Gregory, it's possibly their relatives on this photo.The country could be from Hindley Hall (now the golf club)The Pennygate Health Centre is on the same side of the road but farther down, past the station, in Ladies Lane.

Just clicked into heading 'stuff' and Hindley Directory of 1925 gives a Robert Gregory living at 15, Gate House,Toll Bar, Hall Lane. No info yet of country gent,though.

It used to be called Pennygate Farm. Passed it at least twice a day in the fifties and sixties on my way to and from school. The toll gate had long gone by then, but the lady who lived in the house used to make ice lollies in her fridge and sell them for an (old) penny to the kids. The protruding porch did become a traffic hazard. I recall it being whacked several times by cars and lorries. Cheers. Neil

It was Pennygate Farm and the early occupiers were the Eatocks.

I lived near here in the 60s (Highfield Road). Mrs Gregory still lived there and used to make ice lollies that she sold to us for 1d.

When I was a child in the 50s we used to go there for iced lollies. It's the only place I ever knew that sold Milky Vimto lollies!

My Cousin Ronnie Carter married Margaret Yates in 1947 and her address at the time was Penny Gate Farm, Hall Lane.

I remember the house when I was a kid living in foster care in the latter 70 &80s. We used to pass it on many occasions,My dad John Skuse (if anyone knew him please get in touch) used to mention about the ice lollies every time please can anyone tell me if it is still there

I lived in Makinson avenue opposite the toll gate from 1951 Hilda Gregory live in the toll house with her brother Bob. There were also two houses next to it leading to the farm which was owned by Bob Yates and family , spent many happy days on the farm and surrounding fields

Hi Brian, old pal! I remember coming up to yours when we were kids at St Benedict's and playing near the farm. Do you remember a shop near the toll house where they used to sell milky vimto iced lollies? Or have I dreamt that? Or am I going senile?!!

Hi Alan , it was Hilda at the toll house that used to sell the lollies, 1 penny Vimpto and milky Vimpto best lollies in the world on a hot summers day.So you didn’t dream it ( you still might be going senile though )????

Hello, we currently live on Whiteside Avenue at the bottom near the field and we are currently having an extension built. They have uncovered 2 HUGE stone posts and looking at the old pictures i'm convinced they are the stone posts that held the toll gate up. Does anyone have any old pictures or information about this? I would love to know the history

Kelly, an interesting find - and I hope you can use the stones as a garden feature... however, there's a clear picture of one of the toll gate posts in the Album - item 2717. It clearly shows that the posts are no different from the usual large gateposts found at field entrances all around the area - and it's difficult to be sure that the painted posts are not made of wood. Perhaps your bungalow was built near the former entrance to the field near your bungalow - and the posts were simply buried when they were uprooted. They may be sought-after architectural heritage now - but I would think they were simply in the way when the properties were being built - and too cumbersome to tote very far. For the same reason, I doubt the toll gate posts would have been dragged all the way down Whiteside Avenue for burial.