Wigan Album

we have lost so much

Looks like they are all carrying skateboards, don't remember seeing those in the sixties. More like early to mid seventies. Good evocotive photo though

skateboarding kids i think they are robert and shirley dunn they lived in wells street great photo

johnalan i'm not sure about the 60s more like the 70s to me with the skate boards but i'll stand to be corrected.great photo.

Seems like you have the same book I have JohnAlan,!!

I know it says 1960s but it looks like mid seventies to me with skate boards and lumber jackets also the lad to the left looks like Joe Murray and the lad furthest right his brother Paul Joe is 47 now and Paul about 45

Not sure when the 'manufactured' skateboards arrived on the scene, but I do remember tearing down the hill at the top of Coniston Ave at Orrell on a plank of wood that had quite literally had 2 skates nailed to the bottom of it. Lord knows whose idea it was but we emigrated to Oz in 1964 so it's possible that this could be late 60's.
Kevan

Think your right Julie it is Rob and Shirley

It's true, skateboards were virtually unknown over here till the late 70s/early 80s, before that no kid would have know what to do with one. They were poular in America decades before they caught on over here.

not rob + shirley dunne i grew up with them here had a sister called angela mum n dad dorothy n joe , we lived at 55 leader st .this picture from wigan observer .i have a copy .this is bottom of what we called the wembley .which was a dirt road from well st to platt lane.norman blackledge lived in end house on left of picture in well st. rob dunne end house next block further up street.

Lad to the right with glasses is wearing a Budgie jacket made famous by Adam Faith on the TV series Budgie which ran from 1971 to 1972 so this would date the photo.