Wigan Album

Took many pop bottles back to Any's outdoor and with the money bought a bag of chips from Ernies.

I remember Brian's chippy and the large black clock inside that never seemed to work. It was probably clogged with grease! I also remember going for fish n chips on Fridays (from my Nanna & Grandad's house)and seeing all these people arrive with their own dishes from home to put their tea in. When I recounted this story to southern colleagues some years later they couldn't quite believe it and said it must be "a Northern thing".

re the comments about clock it has been working a long time in the other chippy that was originally the Coop!the other about the basin's being used and left to warm is true like the old joke,when asked on arriving home, your tea is in the oven a basin and 4d (old money!)

Thankyou Brian for these brilliant photos of Ince Green Lane. I remember Little Amy's and Ernie's chippy so well.

The reason "Northerners" took a basin to the chippy was to get more chips than if they were in a "chippy tray" plus you had to pay for a chippy tray. The assistants would also warm your basin while you waited in the queue making sure your fish and chips were kept piping hot - better than rewarming them up in the microwave !!!
Do you remember the wooden bench that you could sit on why waiting your turn ?.

Yes I do remember the bench, John. There was one in Maggie Scott's chippy too, furher up Ince Green Lane. A lot of older people used to get a fish for their tea on a Friday, and would take two plates covered with a tea-towel to carry it home. It was just fish, chips, puddings and peas in chippies in those days, with bottles of Vimto to drink. A "six" of chips out of a bag made from a sheet of newspaper was heaven!

The end house of the row was where Ernies mother in law lived. Martha was the best friend of my paternal grandmother and I have a hymn and prayer book that she gave to my grandmother on her 21st birthday in 1911.

Aldred's Yard was at the rear of these now demolished row of houses numbers 138 to 130 IGL ( See Aldred's Yard photo for further commments )

me and mi dad domolished brians chippy for leigh demolition tommy addey was our boss.we had to work with balaclavas on cos we was on the dole

every friday night we took our basins to the chippy about 5.30 then we played on the front till the couches stopped at the bus stop bringing our mothers home from the factories.
we ran into the chippy got served right away and the chips kept hot in the basins till we got home.

Mam (Madge) used to serve in Ernie's chippy and I used to help out with cleaning and peeling the spuds. Ernie was a great bloke. He learned me to drive in his Triumph 2000 and once I passed my test, he used to let me borrow it!
A true gentleman.

Does anyone remember having a "treatment" from Ernie's
Chips,pey wet,scratchings and a splash of gravy,with no extra charge