Wigan Album

Towards the top of Parbold Hill. Christ Church (CofE) church spire in the centre, then Our Lady's (RC) spire further away.

It's Parbold Hill not Douglas Valley.

Christ Church Douglas-in-Parbold, is the name of the first church going down Parbold hill.

Parbold hill?

Parbold Hill

It's a view looking down Parbold Hill with Christ Church in the centre of the picture.

It looks like the view from the top of Parbold Hill with Christ Church in the foreground and Our Lady and All Saints behind.

Garry, i live a mile from here, the photo is definately of the Douglas Valley taken from halfway up or down Parbold Hill whichever way you choose.

the question is this, parbold hill is part of the douglas valley, yeah or nay.

Many years ago,together with wife, I occasionally visited a convent for retired nuns. It was situated half down Parbold Hill, on the right hand side. The serene atmosphere within the convent was a distinct privilege to enjoy. My wife visited the lady nun, who had been her junior school head mistress at St John's, Wigan, many years previously. We were always made most welcome.

Albert,the convent is still there next to Our ladys church on Lancaster lane. Try google for more info.

NO nowt do with Douglas Valley.

YEAH !! baker. Parbold hill IS part of the Douglas Valley, it runs down to the Douglas, as do few more hills around there.
Garry you're here again talking about something you probably know very little about, stick to your lorries.

Technically you are looking down to the douglas valley in parbold as the douglas runs through parbold. Parbold hill and the land rising to ashurst beacon forms the valley. After parbold it is mainly open plains to the sea

I should have added, that the nun that my wife and I visited was Sister Christine. Quite a few of our elderly ladies, may have knowledge of her. She passed away whilst visiting the Shrine, at Knock, in Ireland, She is at rest, in the cemetery, within the confines of the Convent. She was the most gentle, pleasant lady, that one could ever wish to meet. May she rest in God's peace.

Blob, Your telling Gary to stick to your lorries he knows
even less about lorries he only knows about the little coal
bagging lorries he used to deliver coal with around Ince D.C

Spot on as described by Steve definitely looking down to the Douglas Valley.

My other and her mother are buried in the churchyard at the rear of Christ Church the first one on the right going down the hill. I was baptised in the church in July 1949.

The Douglas follows the tree line that's visible mid left of the picture and low down parallel to the cana!. Of course the picture forms part of the valley, albeit high up though

Derick garry with 2Rs. It's still a lorry, tell you what there's some weight in coal. You what to give it a try sometime. Coal bagging wasn't easy.

Again..the traffic conditions have changed since yesteryear.

Derrick-why do you always have a dig at Garry?
His views are practical.

Derick try driving and delivering coal to houses week after week. Very hard work. Driving was the easy bit.

I once stepped in to help a sick friend who was a coal bagger because he couldn't work. Derrick, Garry's right it was very hard work indeed. Lifting bags of coal off lorry's day in day out really took it's toll. A young man's job, I couldn't do it full time.

It must have been the same Phil, for the dustbin men, when they had to muscle each dust bin onto their shoulder to tip it into the dust bin wagon. Many years ago, the wagons' had curved panels, on each side, that were pushed up, in order to deposit the rubbish into the wagon. A thankless job, but vitally essential.

You never saw a dustbin man running in those days unlike now! They wear shorts in summer -run for the bins -haul them on the wagon -throw the bins back on the pavement any old how -then run after the bin wagon and repeat the process! Those lads are as fit as fiddles! I recall when the bin men wore thick brownish overalls with a large leathery type 'apron 'and carrying the metal bins on their shoulders. There was a lot of clanging of bin-lids -they worked really hard in those days ..I don't think they rushed to finish early either!

Albert and vb you are both right. Binmen and women today can't even bother to put the wheelie bin back where they got it from, usually outside someone else house.
Binmen upto the 1960s really deserved their pay.

In the 1950s the cart that came to our house was pulled by a Clydesdale type horse which drew attention to us kids playing in the street, especially when it did what seemed a neverending wee on the road.

There was no such thing as dragging the bins to the pavement either as the Binmen went down the entries into the backyards and brought the bins out!
Although it was mainly ash in the bins as everything was burned- there must have been consequences to their health from the ash getting on to their chests. I don't think the job was as sought after then as it is now.

Binmen have it easy today, just press a button.

Jack, I remember in the 1940's when they changed horses during the round, if you were lucky you got a short ride on one.

Harry.C. No such thing as H & S., in those far off, bygone days. I can't remember anyone ever coming to any harm.