Wigan Album

I think the constable in the picture is Maurice Heyes, he lived in the Beech Hill area if I remember correctly.

A Wigan Borough officer,so the photo is from before April 1969.
Possibly PC Maurice Heyes?

This is P.C. Maurice Heyes, he was a very good friend of mine.

When I visited Wigan from Kent to see my mother. I often had a chat with Maurice in King Street, or Library Street. I believe when he retired from the police , he took a job with one of the local banks. All of his police colleagues got on very well with Maurice. A very amiable fellow.

Aubrey. Is that his night duty helmet that he is wearing. Black helmet badge, and cone?

I remember a friend and former colleague telling me when he first joined Wigan Borough he was sent out on night shift with Maurice to learn the beats.
He (Maurice) was an extremely fast walker, and at the end of his first tour of duty, my friend was so tired when they finished at 6am, that he went home, went straight to bed, and nearly overslept for his shift at 10pm that night.

Albert – after retiring from the police, I believe Maurice was a bank messenger; conveying correspondence and documents between the town centre banks, in the days before Fax machines, and the Internet.
As you say, he could often be seen in the King St/Wallgate/Library St areas.

Albert,
Yes it does seem to be his 'night' helmet. Maurice had hands the size of shovels, when he clipped an ear it had been well and truly clipped. A real old fashioned bobby

Mick. In the late fifties, and early sixties, after you left P.T.C. you had to do ten weeks night duties to learn the different beats. Your head was buzzing with what were, and what weren't lockup properties. Some of your seasoned accompanying bobbies teaching you, didn't like being lumbered with an accompanying probationer.

On magistrates court days, after coming off duty at 6am, you would have to get up, to be in court at 10am, to learn court procedure. Happy days.

Aubrey can confirm.

Reading the comments and Scholes reminds me of the late 40.s When my parents had a snackbar in Scholes The Bobbies did point duty at Scholes crossing and we would get a Knock on the shop window and a cup of tea would be despatched to the back door as refreshment after a P D stint Two names I recall were Marsh and Locke.

The helmet pc Heyes is wearing is the night helmet with the black badges.the daytime issue helmets had silver badges. After amalgamation with Lancashire in 1969 all the helmets had silver badges. There was no distinction between day and night issue headware.

AB
The policemen were probably Ken Marsh and Gwynne Lott.

You are correct with Ken Marsh, Aubrey, and probably so with Gwynne Lott. Gwynn Lott lived just into Barnsley Street, from Park Road. Don't know where Ken lived.

Aubrey .Bell rung. It was Ken Marsh and Gwynne Lott also played cricket locally

Brandon. Is your father, Stanley Hilton, who served as an inspector, in the Wigan Borough Police, whilst I was serving there, early 1960s?. If I am getting confused, I apologize.

Brandon. I think I am getting confused. The inspector I am getting confused with is Insp.Stan Picton, he was in administration, I believe with another inspector, named Stan Dixon. Aubrey will put me right.

Albert, Stan Picton was in charge of training in Wigan Borough. I believe he rose to the rank of at least Superintendent in GMP. Stan Dixon was my section Inspector for a while during the late sixties to early seventies. I transferred up to Skelmersdale before the 1974 amalgamation with GMP and served the rest of my time in Lancashire.

Thanks everyone for their comments. It seems that a number of you were "Bobbies". I used to be in the Wigan Sea Cadets and we had a few that went on to the Force, names come to mind Bill Chadwick, "Much" Miller, and Johhny 'Wink" Winstanley, he was always hanging around although not a Bobbie.

Brandon When you were at Skelmersdale, did you ever per chance come across a bobby named Alan Robinson? He was a good friend of mine in the R.A.F. I have been looking for him ages. He did serve at one time at Standish. He married a St Helen's girl. He was a Durham lad.

Sorry Albert the name does not ring any bells and I don't remember anyone with a North east accent during my time at Skelmersdale.

Thanks for getting back to me, Brandon.

Brandon. An extremely extraordinary coincidence occurred whilst trying to discover the whereabouts of my friend, Alan.
When I had been retired about five years, I placed an enquiry on, forces pals, t.v. teletext(now defunct)
A fellow got in touch with me, that at one time did maintenance, at Standish Police Station.
He put me in touch with an ex dog handler named Ian Wilson, who had worked from Standish Police Station. He now lived in Scotland, and he gave me Ian's telephone number.
When I spoke to Ian, I said "You won't know me, but I have been given your telephone number.
Before I could say another thing, he said." That's Bert Short". I was flabbergasted. I said has your friend been in touch with you, from Standish?" "No" he replied. I said. "How did you know it was me?" He said I can tell your Wigan accent. We were on the same course at P.T.C. in 1958" that was thirty five years previously, and I had forgotten. I had never set eyes on him since that time.
Ian is on the photograph. "Work" "POlice.1, second from left, middle row"
Although I lived in Kent twenty four years, I never lost, nor did I try to lose, my Wigan accent.

The bobby in the photo certainly seems a nice chap and I have enjoyed reading the banter between Albert, Aubrey and the rest. Gentlemen all, who have restored my faith in human nature after the language and behaviour I have encountered on public transport this week! I wish we could go back to those times when the presence of ladies and children merited respect. Thankyou, gentlemen!

Irene,
How right you are about the sort of language we hear today, it used to be known as 'pit talk' and was seldom heard in the presence of ladies or children. Thanks.

Albert - re your enquiry about Alan Robinson.
I have contacted an old friend who served in Lancs Constabulary 1960 to 1990, and got to know a lot of officers throughout the force area.
If he can help, I will let you know.

Thanks Mick. I have tried every avenue I can think of, even Merseyside,& Hutton. H.Q. No joy.

Does anyone know if there will be another Wigan Borough Police reunion that thin blue line is getting thinner