Wigan Album

These must be my mother's cousins then Lyndon - lovely. I recall a chap the name of Geoff Crompton who used to sing in one or two pubs I went to in the seventies. He had a wonderful singing voice- do you know if he was related? I think he died a few years ago.

More than likely in the late 50s or 60s, as the Monaco was known as the Rex cinema in the 30s. They were there around 1967 or so, I used to go there regularly then.

Jess Greenough was a regular band at the Monoco,but not in 1930,it was the Rex cinema until the 50s

The Jess Greenough Orchestra continued at the Monoc' into the 1970s; well the band did, I believe Mick Gannon took over at some point. I remember the baby grand in your house at DG Lyndon.

Proper musicians with no electronica in sight to cover their inadequacies.
A certain 'band' couldn't perform at Glastonbury a couple of summers ago because... their computer was down.
Give me an honest fiddler and a pot of ale and I'm an happy man.

Thanks for all the enlightening comments. The photo is definitely pre 1939 as my uncle has no moustache and my dad stopped in "44" when he got married. Maybe the venue is "The Emp." in Wigan. Kenee! fancy you remembering the piano at DG. My dad used to have it French polished every few weeks and the front room used to smell of Methylated Spirit for days. Veronica! I don't know ant Geoff Crompton, my dad lived in Platt Bridge at this time.

The stage looks too grand to be The Monaco or even The Emp or Court Ballroom. It does look like a cinema but if it's before 1939 it won't be the Ritz.

I remember Jess Greenough's Band from The Monaco in the late 1960s/early 1970s. They used to come on in the interval and we would all dance "The March of the Mods" to their music!

It would have changed from the Rex to the Monoco around the same time as Leigh Casino opened,about 1954.

I would say the Rex closed about 1957/58.I was at St Peters school and remember workmen removing the seats and fittings.It was a good cinema and had a cafe type snack bar at the front.When it changed to the Monaco it was out of my age group but they had dances for younger children and young teenagers on Saturday morning.Later in the 60's we used to go on Saturday and Monday nights.Jess Greenough and his band did upto the interval and then made there way into the Balmoral or Bird along with a lot of the lads who used to get a pass out for few swift pints.The beer in the Monaco,Moorcrofts, was terrible.After the interval Jess and the band played again and then local groups would finish off the night.Happy times.

I think the beer was actually Howcrofts, terrible stuff.

Roger, Howcrofts it was,but I heard it called many worse names.

Pw,I went to St. peters but left in 1948,the Milk Bar you mentioned was Bert's Bar.

I played trumpet with the Jess Greenhough band around 1960 - Performed many solos "Over the Rainbow" "Tenderly" "Wonderful One"
We all had our own pieces
Met my wife Barbara (Wade) and have been married 61 years now
Happy memories