Wigan Album

This gentleman looks like the young Geoffrey Shryhane, from the Wigan Observer, and could the late Harry Stopforth, from the camera room at the Observer, be related to the family?

What a great photo John. That's reporter Geoffrey Shryhane with auld Bobby's gravestone in situ behind The Alison Arms pub in Appley Bridge before it was moved.

Thank you for the information Colin and Mark. I can't take credit for the photo, it was sent to me a few years back. I remember being told the man in the photo was a reporter, now I have his name.
William Stopforth was born in Upholland in 1817 and was the son of James and Ellen Stopforth or Stopford of Bank Top.
In the 1881 census he was living in The Appley Bridge Cottage attached to the Allison Arms and was listed as
a retired Commercial Traveller?. My records show that he died in 1891.

I have some of Geoffrey's books about Hindley and Wigan and which are of many of my memories of the area. However last Christmas I was bought "Manchester Oddities" by Keith Warrender and he features Kevin Duffy,who is pictured on the other photo, on P. 117 but there is no photo of the gravestone in the article. I like this story though, of a little donkey being remembered from a time when animals were usually nameless and faceless.

John a few years ago some of us on Wiganworld where discussing the grave stone and with some research it was found out that Willian Stopforth was an invalid and used the donkey to get about.

I printed off all the information about it and gave it the Kevin Duffy.

Kevin said he got hold of the grave stone when the council where doing the footpath outside of the Alison Arms, but from what I remember the grave stone was at the side of the pub on the Roby Mill side and nowhere near to the footpath.