Wigan Album

Marriage: 20 Dec 1894 St Catharine, Wigan, Lancashire, England
William Melling - 24, Collier, Bachelor, Parish of Haigh
Elizabeth Townshend - 20, Spinster, 14 Lymm Street
Groom's Father: Thomas Melling, Iron-turner
Bride's Father: Thomas Townshend, Carpenter
Witness: Thomas Ince; Clara Townshend
Married by Banns by: F. W. Boumphrey Curate

Name William Melling
Age in 1911 39
Estimated Birth Year abt 1872
Relation to Head Head
Gender Male
Birth Place Wigan, Lancashire, England
Civil parish Ince in Makerfield
Search Photos Ince in Makerfield, Lancashire, England
County/Island Lancashire
Country England
Street Address Moss Hall Farm Amberswood Common Ince Nr Wigan Lancashire
Marital Status Married
Occupation Farmer
Registration district Wigan
Registration District Number 458
Sub-registration district Hindley
ED, institution, or vessel 40
Piece 23055
Household Members
Name Age
William Melling 39
Elizabeth Melling 37
John Mellin 15
Thomas Mellin 14
Harry Mellin 13
Lucy Mellin 11
William Mellin 8
Annie Mellin 5

I used to go for walks with my parents past Melling's Farm on Sunday afternoons in the fifties when I was very small. Nearby was Melling's Flash where there were always men fishing. Incers of a certain age will recall The Three Bridges, which led to The Moss,(where there was an Echo....magical to a little girl), past the Devil's Tunnel to The White Gates and "Th'owd Arm" which was part of the canal. There was a pond of water somewhere near The Devil's Tunnel where the local lads used to swim but I'm blowed if I can remember what it was called. I've no doubt someone on here will remember.

Ann. The two farms. One near to Spring View School, and one over towards Higher Ince Park. I'm not sure if they were separate farms, they each had their own farm houses. I know they were both known as Melling's Farms. I went to school with one of the sons, from the farm nearest to the school. Every time I smell hawthorn blossom, I am transported back to the pathway that continued on after the farm to a hill, locally referred to as "The big hill" The pathway had a long hedge way, of hawthorn. Is the farm nearest to the school, a preserved building. (listed)?.

Albert, my Mam always called the farm at the Spring View end, "Bushell's, (or maybe Bush-hill's) Farm".

Thanks Albert
I have a few more photo's I will upload of the members of the Melling family. My grandparents James & Harriet Miller (both born 1881) lived a 2 Common Nook and were very close friends with the Melling's. My grandparents had a small barn and I remember skates hung in there, my dad told of his parents going skating on Mellings Flash with their friends.

Sorry Albert I didn't answer your question. I have no information on either farm building

Ann/Irene. The boy I mentioned, his name is/was Eric Melling. He was at school with me, Spring View Secondary Boys', 1945/49.
Irene. The three bridges that you mentioned, were they the ones, where one bridge, for people to use, went over the L.N.E.R. line, and then the line went over a manmade embankment, through a flash, (Lake) and went on towards Hindley. Another of the bridges carried the coal wagons across, from Bickershaw, and Abram collieries, over the mentioned railway line. The other one, the cows used, to and from the fields. Open cast mining, in the late fifties, and early sixties, spoiled the whole area. I suppose the whole scene is quite different now. I remember the Devil's Tunnel, didn't the path go on towards Amberswood?. I remember the flash, never knew its name. It was very deep, even from the edge.

Ann. Album (Schools) Eric Melling is shown on the Spring View School photograph, no 13820. He is fifth from the left, middle row.

I remember Melling's Farm very well, I can remember going one Christmas with my mum and dad, and it seemed especially magical.. It was alway's known locally as Melling's Farm, although on maps and officially named Moss Hall Farm.It was a popular walkdown there in the 1950's.

Albert yes the Devil's tunnel did go to Amerswood. As I mentioned before my grandparents live on Common Nook. We lived in Once Green Lane and my brother would take me down the lane, into what is now Pine Wood Crescent and under the railway bridge left along the embankment left through devil's tunnel and up to their house.

Albert, I am hazy about railway lines, I'm afraid! I just remember the three bridges and I know trains ran along there....when we as children were on the swings in Ince Park, we saw the trains from the OTHER side of the embankment rather than the Melling's Farm side and the trains to Manchester still go that way, but the Three Bridges are long gone. I too recall going through the Viaducts area of Ince, (now Pinewood Crescent, but then Raven Street and Farmer Street), under the bridge and through the White Gates.

Travelled that route many a time Irene, going to my grandma's. She lived in Raven Street,next to the Woodwards. When you refer to the white gates, were they the ones where you crossed the railway line, that led to the wagon works?. Ince forge was across the field. The coal wagon trains, from the pits I mentioned, used to couple up to the main line trains, near to Higher Ince Station. (L.M.S.).

That's right, Albert.

hello, i can see that this is from 2017 but I am Eric Melling, the son of the Eric Melling you are talking about. I have heard of fond memories of the farm. If possible, please would you be able to let me know of any more information as it is great to hear. Thanks in advance. Eric

My grandma Hannah Stebbing (nee Matthews) often used to talk about visiting her relatives at Melling's farm. She was a grandaughter of Mary-Ann Melling (sister to Thomas).

Hello there, my great-grandmother was Agnes Augusta Miller. She died of sleeping sickness in 1938. She had sisters Gertrude, Enid (both died in the late 1920s) and Dora and they were, I think, daughters of James Miller born in Haydock, who married Gertrude Caswell (I think), from the same kind of area. They moved to Birmingham on or around WW2. My grandma's cousin was Tommy Miller killed at El Alamein. Does this ring any bells? It's a part of my family that got lost post WW2. Can anyone help? I also think the Melling name is in our family. Richard

Dear Ann,
I wonder if you could email please. I am trying to find my great grandmother's family - her name was Agnes Augusta Miller. Does that ring any bells? Or her three sisters, Gertrude, Dora and Enid? And their cousin Tommy? Richard

When I was little our neighbour, Mrs Dickinson, was a friend of Annie Melling. My brother and I used to go with her to visit the farm. Would have been early to mid sixties. I remember the donkey and her little dog Whiskey. I have a photo somewhere, I’ll see if I can find it and post.