Wigan Album

With them going uphill could it be Upper Morris Street, if not then someone will know which street it actually is.

That is one very windy day which made it hard work for the men on the ropes.

I did not realise that these type of walking days were mainly only done in the northwest of England.

You could be right Cyril, I'm trying to think of another 'hilly' area around Greenough St, the street does look familiar.

It also reminds me of a little street leading on to Hardybutts from Darlington St. I can't think of the name of the street but it's next to the street with the pub at the top which is the Black Bull. That would have been a short cut to St Caharines. The street is still there..

Are you sure it's St George's ? The name is not clear on the banner and with the wind blowing as strongly as it seems to have been it could quite easily read St Catherine's . Anyway, good pic and it would be interesting to identify the street

If it is the street I think it is , it's either Roscoe St or Edwin St. You could perhaps find it on 'Streets' on here.

I walked with St.George's Church for many years as a boy and a young man and I have doubts weather this photo is a St. George's Walking Day. The figures on the banner are too indistinct to be able to identify which Church and I am certain we didn't Walk along those streets. Is it Upper Morris Street? I doubt it. The slope of the road and the houses on the right say 'Yes', but I used to live in School Street and I knew the area very well; I can say that there wasn't a street going off to the right (as shown by the curve of the pavement). My final comment is almost contradictory to everything I have said....Upper Morris Street was in St George's catchment area so it would be normal for the Walking Day to walk along there.

If it is St Catharine's it could be those streets I have suggested. If those houses at the bottom are on Darlington St the the street is either Edwin St or Roscoe St bearing to the right onto Hardybutts. It maybe they were taking a shortcut onto Hardybutts and Birkett Bank and up to the church.
Surely somebody might know.

I doubt if the little girl would have been shuttled between Sunday schools
The earlier photos are certainly St Catharine's.Shared & Bedford Streets would have been in that parish.Though where they would have walked around such an awkward corner flummoxes me

Is Arthur Askey giving a hand signal - or putting his hand out to see if it's raining?

The man holding his hand out looks similar to the gentleman on the other photo with trilby and gabardine Mac. Although on the other photo he's wearing a dickie bow, so it could be St Catharine's.

Are you sure it's St George's ? The name is not clear on the banner and with the wind blowing as strongly as it seems to have been it could quite easily read St Catherine's . Anyway, good pic and it would be interesting to identify the street

You're right Veronica, it is Roscoe Street, I've had a look on Google maps and the same step down roofed houses are still there along with the setts.

Hurrah Cyril!. There's also a photo on here with the corner of the street and Hardybutts with some little lads playing, it would be the 1940's. I will try to find it. It might come under Scholes or Hardybutts

Photo 26492 with the little lads playing, could be the next street up or the one where they are.

Veronica, the link to the photo you mentioned is here: http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=26492&gallery=HARDYBUTTS+%2F+BIRKETT+BANK&offset=0

if you type Roscoe St Wigan into google search and look on street view you can see it is the same street as in the photo, it was St George's that flummoxed folks with the streets.

Hi all, I have had another look at the original photo and yes it more likely says Catherines Church on the top of the banner, and sunday school on the bottom, so i have made a mistake. Vivien is a little older in this photo and the sleeve that protected it said 1953. well spotted folks!

Thanks Cyril, I have passed the street recently when I've been to St Pats, I have played around there as a child, so it was familiar.

Good to hear from you Donald. If we don't correspond,we can always keep in touch through Wigan World. Norman

Your right Veronica, it is Rosco St. But can't imagine why St Catherine's took this short cut.When they usually walked straight along Darlington St.,to the junction of Birket Bank then turned left back up to the church.

The weather may have had something to do with it Edna. It's windy and it looks like rain. Perhaps the turned up that street instead of walking up the end of Darlington St. I remember one Whit Monday when it rained for us and the walk was terminated after the Market Square in the earl 50's.

Norman I have just passed my 87th & think you are a little older.Whoever thought that we would be contributing with authority on Sunday school Walking Days 77 years on.You are probably the only man living who can tell me why Ronnie Duddle was called Hiccup

Norma/Donald. Being old parishioners of St George’s, you will most probably remember Ben Bennison. He was also an old parishioner of St George’s. Sadly he passed away in December last year. He would have been about eighty nine. At that time he was living in Hull. He still had a lot to do with the theatre, in Hull. Quite a few years ago he lived in the south of France. In the late forties and fifties, his parents’ had the Bath Springs.

Good video of st Catherine's walking day on you tube

Albert.Thank you.I do remember him as a boy.I must however correct you as to my ecclesiastical connections.Decidedly St Catharine's.My friendship with Norman is from WGS days

Donald... was that a Ronnie Duddle who had two sisters? Florence and Maureen? regardless Hickup ...we need to know !!

Thank you Donald. Ben went to WGS. Being a parishioner of St Catherine’s you probably knew Ann Cottriall. She passed away a few years ago. She was a friend of ours, here in Blackpool. If Norman knew Ben. Many years ago, Ben was in St George’s boys’ brigade.

Adrian I cannot answer directly but his mother was a Bond & therefore related to you

It is st Catherine's the banner his on the video on YouTube (growing up in scholes)

Albert/Donald. Ben was always Benny Bennison when we were in St George's Boys Brigade. I think that Benny may have become Ben when he had his TV show.And can I correct you Donald. Ronnie Duddle was always Iccoh(spelling optional) right from Primary School years. Don't ask me why.....I have no idea. But Hiccup ? I have never heard him called that.

A word to Adrian Roxburgh. I think Ronnie Duddle had an older sister named Florence; but I'm not sure about Maureen.

Norman.Forgive me but icoh (spelling optional as you say) sounds like hiccup as Wiganers might have said it But why?:

Donald/Albert and Norman ! Yes i'm related via the Bonds (I believe Florence was named after my grandmother). I would hate Ronnie to get in trouble with his mother ....if you spill the beans.

Adrian. I had an auntie, maiden name Bertha Bond. She married my uncle, Thomas Jackson. She passed away many years ago. She had a sister, Jenny.

Hi Albert. I am still working on the family tree, there are quite a few brothers and sisters and haven't come across a Bertha yet. I'll let you know if she shows up.

Albert/Adrian.Bertha Bond later Jackson born 1914 baptised & married at St George's,was the daughter of Albert Bond brother of William Henry from whom Adrian is descended.The brothers both lived at one time in Crawford Terrace.Albert died young
For those who cannot remember Wigan before the Vandals,Crawford Terrace ran from Methuselah Sutton's clogger on Scholes to Mount Street,
parallel to Greenough Street

I only knew the 'cloggers' as Blinkhorns, that was in the fifties though. I was sent there when shoes and clogs needed mending. I loved the smell of the shop. I vaguely remember the 'clogger' came up through a trap door in the floor. I was always a bit frightened of going in there because of it. My imagination ran riot...

Veronica.You would have been frightened if Owd Mr Sutton had suddenly appeared through the trap door, which I had forgotten
He was stone deaf & customers had to nee-maw as if in the weaving shed.His so Reg had the gents' outfitters at the top of Greenough Street

Actually Donald that may have been my dad's 'nick name' for him, because he used to say to me - " Make sure you go to Blinkhorns - he blinks his eyes and blows his horn!" I reall though that was his name...

Hi Donald/Albert, Thank you so much for this connection ! I am busy plugging them into the family tree now. There is an awesome photo of Crawford Terrace on Wiganworld (as you probably know). I remember my Grandfather 'Jack' (married Florence Bond), bringing an old pair of clogs out of his shed to throw away, when I was just a spotty teenager (They had belonged to his Dad). He did offer me them as they fitted me! but as a youngster i wasn't interested, so into the bin they went. Very big regret now ! Maybe I should trackdown Owd Mr Sutton to get myself a pair ?!!!

Adrian. Are you on messenger?. I can only find one, and he lives in Australia.

Hi Albert,
Ive added my email to this post !
Cheers
Ady
(yeah there is one in Australia !!)

You can see cine film of a St Georges walking day taken by my father in the 1930s on my youtube channel (TMH123FILM)

at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt446ndl5h4