Wigan Album

In those days the Jewson's was known as Clough & Gaskell's. Loads of folk used to go for bags of sawdust to use in Rabbit hutches etc.

Hilda Fairhurst was a friend of my mother, as were many of the other ladies in the picture, I recognize most of them, but would have a tough time trying to put names to them nowadyas. I too used to get sawdust from Clough and Gaskell's for my pets.

These ladies were sunday school teachers or members of the Mothers Union I would say. The lady in pink on the right looks like Mrs Melling and the lady in mustard is Mrs Jones. I remember Hilda too of course. Nice photo Tim.

Gladys Melling lived just a few yards from there, at the top of Mitchel St., she was married to my mother's second cousin Harry Melling, who with his brother Tom had Melling's Shoe shop at the Carmer of Grosvenor St and Ormskirk Rd., along with a store in Ashton town centre and one in Gidlow Lane.

From the shadows cast,it would appear to be quite a hot day. The lady must have had plenty of stamina, to carry, what appears to be, quite a heavy child. It is quite possible I could have been on duty that day policing the traffic, for this church procession.

I think the lady carrying the baby is Mrs Audrey Bromley and also looks like Mrs Bentham (who had the famous chippy on Victoria St) and Mrs Swift who lived on Argyle St are walking behind her.

The lady in pale pink is Gladys Owens. She used to live in the house on Warrington Rd that is now Greens Dentist.

I still see up with harry Melling once a month together with Derek Gibson & my cousin Clifford Hayton