Wigan Album

From my many former years of experience at being married Ozy i'd say that with those smiles and their happy go lucky attitude to life their still single.

Reminds me of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man"
"Homeric"!

Can you ride tandem, I suspect yes!

Ozy: A nice collection of photos, and aren't the photos great in black 'n' white. I also like the rider's postures; John at pivot, and Mary sitting 'pretty'.

I do remember a Jackson family who lived in Mawdsley St in Hindley,they do look like the people in the photo.They had a daughter called Josephine.In the late 50's early 60's Mr and Mrs Jackson gave us a tandem bike which looks like the one they are riding.We had a great time with that bike and I was always amazed how fast it could go.I don't know why but we swapped for a violin from a lad from up Ladies Lane.I cannot remember the lads name,but every time I saw him on that tandem I regretted swapping it.Never played the violin and have know idea what became of it.I am sure they told me they used the bike for their honeymoon

Marriage: 17 Oct 1931 St Peter, Hindley, Lancashire, England
John Jackson - 30, Haulage Hand, Bachelor, 8 Gilbert St. Hindley
Mary Ethel Wilson - 25, Spinster, De Trafford Farm, Liverpool Rd. Hindley
Groom's Father: George Jackson, (Deceased), Dataller
Bride's Father: Joseph Wilson, Dataller
Witness: Joseph Jackson; Mabel Whitehouse
Married by Banns by: Wm. A. Sargent

Can yur ride tandom lol

What a dashing young couple!

Hi Ozy, they were married Dec 1931.

Ozymandias, they were married on 17th October 1931 at St Peter's church, Hindley.

Looks like my hunch was right Ozy. [ and no rings on display ] So...does this mean a new "engagement" with the agency?

Many thanks to the various people who provided me with the date of their marriage. This information would appear to indicate that they were merely courting at the time this picture was taken. It would also tend to lend some weight to GW's conception of the institution of marriage. Thank you Winnie for the additional information, and pw, you're perfectly correct, there is little doubt that this would have been the same couple that gave you the tandem, this could quite well be the very bike that you swapped for the fiddle.

Regards. Ozy.

Does this mean we should re - christen them Mary Kate Dannahan and Shaun Thornton the ex boxer from America ? My all time favourite " The Quiet Man" DTease! It was a hell of a fight that last scene!!

Veronica, I love the bit near the end when Shaun is dragging Mary Kate back to her brother across the fields and a little old lady comes up and says "Here's a good stick sor to beat the pretty lady with"
Would they get away with a line like that now? I don't think so!

This is really an amazing feat Dominic Irvine, and Charlie Mitchell, in May, 2015, completed a tandem ride, from Lands End to John O'Groats. 842 miles, in 45 hours, and 11 minutes. Averaging 18.7 m.p.h.(Nothing to do with Wigan, but interesting.)

Dtease that's when Mary Kate went on that train and Shaun Thornton dragged her off after banging all the doors on the train! She lost her hat and one of her shoes-all because he wouldn't fight for her 'dowry'! Wasn't Victor McLaglen and Barry Fitzgerald good in that film as well! No that wouldn't be allowed today beating women with a stick -although it was true and it did happen in Ireland. But just look at the violence allowed in films today!

I too loved that film..does anybody recall when John Wayne died someone wrote on one of the notice boards outside a newsagents 'John Wayne is dead'..but some body had wrote underneath The Hell he Is.

Maureen, John Wayne died June 1979.

During that fight Veronica John Wayne knocks Victor Mcglaglan on his back in the river. Victor stands up and. looking up at John Wayne who is stood on bank says "Have you had enough now"? .Priceless.
Maureen, John Wayne once gave a lecture at an American University, one of the students, thinking to take a rise out of John asked him if his hair was real. John replied "Sure it's real.......it isn't mine but it's real"

I suspect True Grit was John Wayne's best film.
John died in the 1970s.

Maureen I loved the part in the film when Micheline's horse wouldn't go any further when they got to the pub! Brilliant film -so innocent and yet hilarious! What good actors they all were. The country side in the film is magnificent. I went there a few years back and it 'twas like stepping back in time'!

Veronica!I would love to go there..it's where my Grandma came from..I went as a child but only remember O' Connell street funnily enough.

It was Co Mayo / Galway border in a village called Cong. It was breathtaking I would love to go again Maureen. I felt at home there -must be the Oirish in me. Mind you I would probably feel the same about Wales!
I love a Welsh Male Voice Choir!

Veronica/Maureen, as you have made comments relating to Ireland. In June, 2004, I flew to Dublin, from Blackpool. ( No commercial flights from there now) to find the church, in Tullamore, where my grandfather was baptised, in Dec.,1851. and I obtained a copy of his Baptismal certificate, from the church. I then, on a scorching day, and on shanks pony, and by a multitude of enquiries, I found the very ancient graveyard where my great grandmother would have been buried. It was so ancient, you could not read the inscriptions on the gravestones. One gravestone had an oak tree embedded into it, so the stone must have been there before the tree. !,000 poor people were buried in this cemetery during the great famine, 1845 to 1849, and was in use, until into the 1850s. My father told me what my grandfather told him, that, in his bare feet, he followed his mother's coffin, (probably a box,) which was on a handcart, to the cemetery. How fortunate we are.

Oh Albert..what a sad little story on the one hand,but lovely that you found her grave..I'm sure she would have been watching over you..I truly believe that..the poor folk had to be very tough then..we wouldn't stand a chance,would we..you deserve a loving pat on the back for your trouble in completing your mission Albert..you sound like a lovely chap.x

Very sad story Albert and it really comes home to you what those poor souls endured. I went to Knock one year and visited the museum of the Great Famine and the fields were so many were buried without a headstone. It was around that time that many of the survivors sailed to America and other places. I know some of my ancestors went there as well as some coming to Wigan.

A touching tale Albert. Isn't it strange , when we look into the past, the past has a habit of looking back at us to remind us of who we are and how far we have come.

Very profound statement GW and the past has a deep impact on us as well. In fact if the famine hadn't happened my ancestors would probably have stayed where the were.......result no me.....that's a cause for sure of me being here.... speaking personally.

Nature's Golden Rule Veronica... What is to be will be.

Veronica,I totally agree with your comment,isn't fate a strange thing,don't you wonder how much of it was fate..or is it a case of 'Turn another Corner'.

GW/Maureen I believe in fate or destiny whatever - nothing is random (apart from bingo numbers perhaps - or are they?). Even when you turn a corner is it a choice or something compelling you to make that choice?

I suppose that corner is the accumulation of everything that has gone before it Veronica.

Veronica,I could talk forever on this very subject.and other similar matters.

Ad Infinitum ......,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...... Maureen/GeeDubya

I suspect veronica had one too many!!

I 'suspect' you aren't capable of understanding anything so deep with your limited use of language Howard. They do sell dictionaries in Waterstones y'know.

To get back to the photograph, I think the tandem is a made to measure one from the Buckley Brothers range in the late 1920's.Buckley's were based in London and made lightweight cycles & tandems to suit the client.
They cost under £10 depending on the gearing supplied and carriage by railway was included. from order to delivery was approx.10-14 days.My father ordered one prior to his wedding in 1928 and was delivered in 19 days.The cost was around £10. I wonder what they would cost in today's money?

Well Barrie ,top of the range tandem would set you back 11.000 quid.check it out on the JD tandems website.cheers eric

Eric, thanks for the heads up on Tandem prices, I think I will stick to Shanks's pony or 4 wheels. My son spends £2k + on his Mountain bike and Tri Bike.