Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 1st March, 2016)

Many years ago I remember getting an ice cream cornet from a man by the cafe, he had a bicycle with a large metal box at the front, the ice box or freezer to keep the ice cream cold as he cycled around the park. Nice to see the old building still standing.

A good view from an unusual angle.

Great Picture of a place I spent many a lunchtime in in the late 1960's with friends from WGS. Fond memories of the meat pies and chips and beans. I think Cassinellis had the catering back then Anyone remember the names of the ladies serving the food. I think one was Margaret?

Great shot, David!
It was, to me, such a tranquil and enjoyable place to spend a summers afternoon many years ago.
The peace was disturbed occasionally to my delight when beat groups played on a Saturday on the Bandstand! Does anyone recall?
Still a great place for a leisurely stroll or refreshment in the cafe.

nice shot david
those canon powershots are brilliant little cameras
I've put a couple of mine on the forum pictures (not of Wigan)using a powershot G11

If memory serves me right (and its 46 years since I left Wigan to seek my fortune,if you went down those steps on the photo , on the right hand side there was a large "Litter Bun" ie a litter bin in the shape of a rabbit. Funny what just springs to mind.

Johnny; We should have had military brass bands playing in the bandstand.
Some comments on 5th March 2015 P-a-D:-
Comment by Mick on 5th March 2015 at 18:38
Just sat next to Ernest Pyke in the doctors and he reminded me that William Higham left £2m to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust in a his will on condition that it brought military brass band back to Mesnes Park.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8894620/Military-bands-to-return-after-bombers-2m-last-request.html
Comment by RON HUNT on 5th March 2015 at 18:49
Mick the last thing I heard was that his family were contesting the will, that was a couple of years ago, so I don't know what the outcome was????
Comment by Ernest Pyke on 6th March 2015 at 07:51
RON HUNT; See :-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-15777574

I remember going with my Mam and Dad as a small child; you could sit upstairs in those days. I remember choosing between a milk-shake and a Vimto with a blob of ice-cream in it. The milkshake was a shilling and I can hear my Mam saying, "Ee, Bob, it's dear!", and my Dad's amswer: It'll do 'er good, milk". When we came out, there was a statue of a soldier holding up a flag, and my Dad always used to read out loud the inscription on the plinth, but it meant little to a small child who just wanted to run up and down the café steps and roll over and over down the grassy slopes on either side. The café had a "twenties" feel about it, although I couldn't have put that into words as a child....I just knew there was something special about it.

When I last walked through Mesnes Park in 2012 there were people sunbathing on the mowed lawns!
In the 50's knowone was allowed on the finely mowed grass.
Good picture of the pavilion.

When we were young in the late 50s and early sixties, everyone used to walk round Wigan Park on Sunday afternoon in their sunday best.

I have a photograph of myself one Sunday in the park in the early sixties. The park looks deserted as the flower beds are behind me and not another soul in sight because you just did not walk on the grass! As MarieM says it was a day to dress up I am wearing white gloves and a carrying a white handbag -just to go for a walk in the park!

Thanks for commenting and sharing your memories.
Peter, I agree, they are cracking little cameras.

A brass band, Ernest. Military is something else.

In relation to Ernest Pykes comment. The family are not contesting the will at all. The court case was to ensure that Wigan Council used the money to provide military bands to play in the band stand and not just use it as a general fund. The only thig that the family want is for the bands to play there as per Billys wishes.