Wigan Album

I do recall that terrible tragedy even though I was only 5 at the time.I remember the sadness and pain and how the whole village was affected.

wHEN THE BOYS GOT DROWNED A GANG OF US WERE SKATING ON THE BRICKCROFT, AROUND MIDDAY WE SAW AMBULANCES ,POLICE CARS, AND FIRE ENGINES, ACROSS FRED BURROWS FIELDS.GOING TO THE PERCHY .WHEN WE ALL GOT THERE THE POLICE AND FIREMEN WERE TRYING TO LOCATE THE BODIES USEING GRAPPLING IRONS AND ROPES. WE WENT HOME WHEN IT GOT DARK ,THE POLICE HAD SEARCHLIGHTS SET UP ,AND CONTINUED THE SEARCH AFTER DARK. KENNY WAS IN MY CLASS AT ST, NATS I REMEMBER WE HAD A SPECIAL SERVICE FOR THEM AT SCHOOL,ARTHUR WAS IN OUR SCHOOL AS WELL,THE SONG WE SANG FOR THEM WAS CALLED THERES A HOME FOR LITTLE CHILDREN ,THE SERVICE WAS CODUCTED BY MR. HARRY HURST ,EVERYONE WAS CRYING, ITS SOMETHING I LL NEVER FORGET,

I'm the grandson of Jack Meadows and Bessie Meadows (nee Gibson) who's buried here, and the 4 Meadows brothers would have been my uncles, had they survived. The elder brother John is/was a physicist, not a GP, and my mum, the eldest sister, was indeed a nurse, when alive. We often visited this grave when my grandma and mum were alive - I had no idea that it was such a well known event in the area when it happened.

My dad was from Hindley, he was brought up on Cowburn St. When i used to visit my grandparents grave at Hindley cemetery we would always go to this headstone. My dad always remembered about this tragic event. My dad was called Colin Bithell x

Arthur had been my best friend since we started school together aged 4.I was invited to go skating with them, but my mother said no. That tragedy is the reason I have never been on a frozen pond or canal.

I am the Granddaughter of Jack and Bessie Meadows.
My uncle John the last son passed away.