Wigan Album

Affectionly known as the bug house by us kids, spent many saturday afternoons in here.

If the 'Scholes' was the 'Bug House' then what was the 'Labour'?

My Dad (John Lees, brought up in scholes) says...
The Labour Picture House was run by the Labour Club (nicknamed The Penny Rush), near Vauxhall Rd.

this was the Bluesville later

After it closed as a cinema it d I'd become a music club "The Mask",it was unlicensed for the sale alcohol

my Dad used to tell me they used to go to the 'labour' and get in with a jam jar!!

I remember going to Bluesville in the 60's when a famous American blues singer appeared there but I can't remember his name. I think it was Blind something something. Does anyone else remember it? I always wondered what they made of a little old picture house in Scholes! It was around the mid sixties.

The commisionaire on the right is my grandfather, Charles Phillips, from Ince. This photo is also hung on the wall at the Boars Head pub.

Does anyone remember Ricky Allen's dad in the labour picture house Saturday matinee with is leather strap to get the kids under control before the picture started,and the bags of wafer biscuits for a penny.

I went to Bluesville when it opened (membership number 003) and saw Lighning Hopkins, Georgie Fame and I'm pretty sure also the Yardbirds amongst many others. We used to get root beer from the chemists(?) over the road as Bluesville did not have a licence.

My grandmother, Florrie Tymon lived in Woods Yard, Scholes and played piano for silent films. I wonder if it was this one.

I remember going to watch the plcture moby dick in this picture house in 1956,there was standing room only when we got our tickets,but we didnt mind because we where in.

I once played at Bluesville in the early 60’s. Later that night I joined Kublas Klan on keyboards.

In the 60s I used to hitch/walk to Scholes from Kirkby. I am so lucky that I saw Sonny Boy Williams, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Witherspoon, Victor Brox (with John Mayal I think). Each show cost 2/6 and it was really cold in there. Being very young and very lightly dressed did not stop us all from having a great time. I remember a guy from Guildford living there permanently and, also, walking down to a bread factory in the early morning for a still warm loaf.
Due to the acknowledgement of their influence by such bands as the Beatles, Stones and several others, the old blues guys had a chance to travel, earn some cash and dazzle us with their musical genius. They usually played the Bluesville before/after playing Manchester. To be there was great but to be young and there was magic.
PS I have pics of two tickets if anyone wants copies.