Wigan Album

Good photograph Neil,they look very prosperous !

Hello Tom.my granddad Jimmy was a furnace keeper at Top Place Kirkless about this time. Perhaps a year or two after, after illness, he bought a bakery business in Belle Green Lane and they all mucked in. Jenny had been trained in that line somewhere up the top of Standishgate/ Wigan Lane.The business later became Ashursts'

Neil, do you have any relatives who lived in Kitt Green then Orrell, named Bernard and David?

It seems Neil, that you never discovered any further information, relative to your uncle, Albert Cain.

my mum took me to cains bakery often as a child, how did they make the pastry so thin ? best pies ever & such lovely people, hard to beat in wigan for such a small business and thats saying something,they were the best.

my mum took me to cains bakery often as a child, how did they make the pastry so thin ? best pies ever & such lovely people, hard to beat in wigan for such a small business and thats saying something,they were the best.

I queued up at Cain's often in my childhood. The shop was actually Ashurst's then but most people still called it Cain's. The queue would often be down the street at dinner time.

We loved pies from that shop in Belle Green lane and as often as not I was sent to collect them for our dinner. (four meat and potato and three meat) this was before the politically correct police made us call them potato and meat pies...the only thing that annoyed me in this shop was, if a young fellow appeared carrying a box for the local workers he was always served before any of us in the queue.. a couple of times I missed out on pies because they served "The Workers" first. truth was I was a worker too, but did not carry a box.... not fair in my opinion, my logic was if you want to be first in the queue get there earlier !!!

Albert, I haven't forgotten I need to go to the National Archives to see if they have anything on Albert. If I find anything I will Make sure I post it up.

No relatives that I know of by those names Indalo. New Springs seemed to be where most were.
Gerry, sorry they made you wait and miss out. Doesn't seem fair. Glad that when you did get pies that you enjoyed them.

i had a friend called Edward Cain at school he came from around Francis street later moved to Pennington lane would he be any relation Neil.

Dave what period of time would it have been? I think all the Cain's in Ince would be related to me going back to the children of my great great grandad who settled there about 1864. I don't know the Edward you talk of but I guess he would perhaps be a second cousin.

Neil, you and your family are now forgiven serving the lads with box....they were exceedingly good pies though...I'll bet you have the secret recipe somewhere .....

Dave Thomas, are you going to Pickering this year? Dust off that trilby hat! Gerry, I have been trying to get the Cain's prato' pie recipe off Neil for years!

neil would this be at the back or front in frances st as I cant recognise it, I lived in York st off frances st, its a bit before my time though I was born in1950.

Josie, it's the back where there was a washhouse, then a big yard with a wall you looked over into the back of Bryham Street.Gerry I think the recipe requires a bit of soot and character it's not easy to get now.

Neil i attended Belle Green school from 1953 to 1958 then onto Rose Bridge till 1962/3 Edward doing the same. Lost touch after school except for the odd crossing while serving my apprenticeship.

Dave was Corny Pennington caretaker at Belle Green School when you were there?

thanks neil I thought it might be, I remember going through the big entry into the backs and you could look over to bryham st and at the end we used to climb over the sleepers on to the railway lines,there was also a very small entry in frances st the holcrofts lived at one side and the m'colls lived on the other you came out on bryham st directly in front of belle green school down the dirt brew happy days x

Irene we were in York last weekend visiting my cousin and we all said we would go again this tear,hope the weather is as good as last year keep my eye open for you and your husband.

Neil i think he was that name rings a bell in my memory.

Josie in the later 1800s my great great great grandad lived in the house right next to the sleepers. Over time my relatives occupied 15,25,27,31 and 35 so Francis street has a particular place in my heart

Dave, you mention you were at Rosebridge School 1962/3. Would you have known Barbara or Brenda Blackledge?

neil, how amazing for them all to have lived in frances st,i remember a lad called eric booth a fair bit older than me I think at one time he lived in the house next to the sleepers ,ani feel the same as you all around up there was special to me lots of friends of mine all talk about it fondley.

Neil i think i do remember the girls did they live in Holt street it's along time ago and my memory plays tricks.

That's it Dave you have it right. They lived next door to my granddad (no 38) with brothers Harry Ken and Bob. I am still in touch after a 40 year gap

Hi Neil hope your well love the photo, my brother Edward and my sister Teresa both lived on Francis Street next door to each other when they were first wed. To Dave the Edward you mentioned is my brother and he,s fine and still lives in Ince.

Marlene give Edward my regards when you see him glad to hear he is ok he will be retired like myself now hope he is enjoying it.

Marlene give Edward my regards when you see him glad to hear he is ok he will be retired like myself now hope he is enjoying it.

Sorry to be slow in returning good wishes Marlene.....been away.Will put other old pics up from time to time. Keep watching

hi neil have you got any more pictures of mary im sarah stone grand daughter paulas mum also marion halliwells daughter

Hi Neil, my mother lived at no.17 Francis Street during the 20s. Her name was Mary Eveline Mellan and she lived with her great Aunt, Harriet Ford and her husband John. She attended St. Williams School were her great aunt was a teacher

My Mother's family, the Mahons lived at 17 and 19 Francis Street for a good many years. My Mother Evelyn Mellan lived at number 17 with John and Harriet Ford(McMahon/Mahon) and was there until Harriet died in 1929. I was told that Harriet was a teacher at St Williams.

My dad used to speak of the Fords, together with Holmes, Macdonalds and Richards

Neil, was your mother Nellie, nee Highton ? Do you have any old photos of her.

Sorry Neil I meant Nellie Culshaw

Sorry, only just seen some comments posted last year. My aunt was Nellie Culshaw later Cain