Wigan Album

Looks like McAvoys butchers on the left, just before Sutcliffes, where I learned my trade from the best in the business. Some good people worked in the old market hall.

To Fred Mason, Other butchers better than Gerry burgess he was just a run of the mill butcher, Johnie Gaskell could show him the way easy, Also a young butcher off Greens who was loads better than Jerry Burgess. I knew them all, i worked in market at this time,

To Eric, I am sure i know the young fellow from Greens he was a superb butcher, thats why the older butchers in the market did not like him, he was loads better than them, and a hard lad as well. Happy go lucky but would not stand any messing,

Johnie Gaskell, Best butcher who ever worked in Wigan Market, He was a superb butcher who worked for Berrys, He could backheel all the rest. Strong as an horse.

Yo, folks,

I worked with John Gaskell at Berry's for a short while and I do remember he was good, but Gery Burgess used to put a knife in his hand which then became part of him...he was great. I see young butchers today who are sadly lacking in these skills, in fact it appears that the rules say that it takes two persons to lift a quarter of beef where we were trained to lift and carry one all by ourselves.

Ah, those days...sigh...!!!

I remember Jerry Burgess just a poor basic butcher, who worked on McAvoys butchers stall in Wigan market Greens sold tons more beef lamb and pork than McAvoys, If anyone wanted to make it as a quality butcher this was the best place to learn bar non, All the best butchers worked for Greens, I remember a young butcher from Greens asking McAvoys if they wanted him to show them how to split lambs with a cleaver, McAvoys staff threatened what they would do to him if he did not stop taking the mickey out of their butchery skills, This young butcher Off Greens was superb, he could do anything in the meat trade, I knew all about the market butchers being in the trade myself for numerous years,