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Wigan Album

Barnes Family Member

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Richard (Dick) Barnes 1955
Richard (Dick) Barnes 1955
Photo: Keith Bowen
Views: 2,980
Item #: 7534
Richard (Dick) Barnes was an affable, pleasant and thoroughly decent human being. He's seen here in 1955 sitting on the steps of Clarington Haulage Company's Office steps, which was directly opposite the Crispin Arms, Birkett Bank which can be seen in the background, partly demolished, in preparation for its re-building which was completed in 1956, during which time the pub never closed and carried on trading.
The Clarington Haulage Company was situated in Darlington Street East and was owned by the Bibby family, Norman Bibby was later Chairman of Wigan RL Club.
Dick Barnes was the Manager of the Empire Cinema in Wigan, a institution which was well recognised for its wholesome support for the arts in its showing of cinematographic avant- garde films to the Wigan public, colloquially referred to as "mucky pictures".
The photo was taken from a paper negative and as a result is "the wrong way round".

Comment by: Frank Healy on 9th October 2008 at 08:58

Hi Keith. A real memory jerker for me. He was a friend of my parents and I best remember him being stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Empire (1950's). I'd forgotten his first name or what sort of person he was (I was only a kid at the time). Never knew that he was the manager.

Comment by: Jm on 9th October 2008 at 15:48

Hi Keith
I am wondering if Richard Barnes is one of my family.
My great grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Barns from Hardybutts,her father James Barns born abt 1848 had a brother Richard born abt 1839/40.
James was the licence for the Raven pub just past the Crispin Arms on Birkett Bank from about 1889 untill he died 1909 not sure when his wife left the pub.
Are you a relation of Richard?
Iwould love to know if he is related to James as his brother was also Richard.

Comment by: Keith Bowen on 9th October 2008 at 20:16

Hi jm, thank you for your comments, I found them very interesting. I did not know a lot about Dick's background since I was a 13 year old schoolboy at the time but knew him as a customer at the Crispin Arms which my mother and father ran (1950 - 1956). We knew about The Raven but had very little information about it. I've just 'phoned my 93 year old father and he could add much but told me Dick lived in Kirkless Street, was married but doesn't think they had a family. He did take Dick and another customer on a 3 day trip to my father's hometown of Llanelli in the 1950's, it was an eye opener in several respects for Dick and his friend since some of the differences between Wales and Wigan were significant. They couldn't understand why there were occasionally signs indicating z bends for the next 2 miles, Dick responded by saying "there hasn't been anything else but z bends since we started". They were equally amazed to see a housewife armed with her shopping basket walking along in the countryside when there was no visible shop within miles. Not sure what they made of the Welsh language but my father spoke Welsh. I'm sure you've tried this already but since the Barns (Barnes) family are local it should be possible to get significant information from the Archives in the History Shop, whenever I've been in Wigan I've always found them extremely helpful.

Comment by: Jm on 11th October 2008 at 19:06

Thanks for the reply Keith,my grandad once told me that on Sundays the pubs in Ince closed before the pubs in Wigan so all the men from Ince used to go to the Crispin after the pubs on Manchester Rd Ince had closed{and there were quite a lot} because the Crispin was on the Wigan boundry and stayed open longer.

Comment by: Keith Bowen on 12th October 2008 at 17:20

Hi Jm, perfectly true. It's still an abiding memory and my father often refers to it. In anticipation of the weekly Sunday rush he would have a considerable number of pint glasses already half full in preparation, knowing exactly the kind of orders that would be coming in. I have already posted photos of the Crispin and its customers on Wigan World (Scholes) who were so regularly involved in the Sunday rush but if you want a little more info' don't hesitate to get in touch, perhaps your grandfather could be on one of the photos.

Comment by: Keith on 15th June 2010 at 19:49

Hi Jm, I don't know if you'll come across this comment since it's some 20 months since I last posted a comment on Dick Barnes. However, I have come across info' on the 1901 Census for Birkett Bank and I think these must be your relatives. 1901 Census, 27 & 29 Birkett Bank, James Barnes aged 48 a Licensed Victualler (presumably at The Raven) and his wife Elizabeth aged 47 and their 3 sons and 2 daughters, Margaret (20), Ann (16), Henry (11), John (10), and Jane (4). Hope this reaches you somehow, Keith.

Comment by: Keith on 16th June 2010 at 13:26

I should have said, 2 sons and 3 daughters, sorry.

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