Wigan Album

Served my boozing apprenticeship in here Keith,at that time in the 50s and early 60s it was an ale house and didn,t have a spirits licence, that,s not to say that some spirits were not consumed. Cliff Richards(no not that Cliff, his surname was minus the s) was the landlord then, a great pub.Having said that, most pubs were good pubs then.

Was the door not moved to the right Keith ?. This door would be behind where the bar is now

I cant honestly remember where the door was, having said that i,d more chance of knowing where it was on the way in rather than on the was out.I,ll have a look tomorrow and report back.

I worked in Standish around 1970-1973 at Richardson's Chemists which was on the same side as The White Duck, (it's now across the road by the doctor's). When the shop first opened, and Mr. Richardson was waiting for a telephone to be installed, I can remember going to a 'phone-box somewhere near the pub to ring in orders to the wholesalers.

Irene, the doctors isn,t there any more it,s up the road towards Standish from the pub, it,s where the Council Offices used to be, in fact the phone box you would have been phoning from was outside the Council Offices.

Thanks Roy, I hadn't realised. A friend from London visited me a while ago and we came to Standish as his Uncle's name is on the War Memorial, and we went in Farrimond's Chippy where I used to get my dinner when I worked in the Chemists....talk about stepping back in time! It was EXACTLY the same! The mind plays tricks over the years, and I have probably mis-judged where the 'phone-box was, but remember The White Duck. Roy, are you any relation to a lady called Miss Kathleen Huxley? She used to come in Boots' Chemists in Wigan when I worked there but I didn't see her for a few years before I left and I often wondered if she was okay.

Yes Irene, Farrimonds hasn,t changed much over the years. Kathleen is my sister Irene, living in Shropshire at the moment.
There could be a contentious issue about which way the door has been moved, from the outside looking at the pub it,s been moved to the right, but from the inside looking out, it,s been moved to the left. I dont know what an architects slant on that would be. The flag below the original doorstep is still part of the pavement.

farrimonds chippy now that was the best chippy in standish in the sixties bar none ,when I were aprentice 1965 went every day monday to friday fot men ,free dinner friday unall.

Having looked closer at the original door position, the original step is still part of the front wall.

In the houses to the right of the photo circa 1990 I recall there was a chap who used to sit in the front room window writing sheet music, you could see it all as you walked past.

Have referred back as you asked, Roy. Should there be another message on here?

Read the 7th message Irene.

The one where you mention Farrimond's and your sister? You've lost me a bit, Roy.

Sorry for the confusion Irene, you asked me had i got a sister Kathleen i replied and said yes, but i didn,t get a response from you, so i didn,t know whether you had read my reply or not.

I was a regular at Farrimonds Chippy, from about '69 to '80, working on the ambulance service from the station in Glebe Close. We were always tight on time, so we nipped round the back & were served in the kitchen..;o)
Still many spoilt dinners, after fetting back to the station...Chips etc on table...Phone rings...1 minute to get out on the road...cold chips, dumped :o(

Yes Roy, you're right, I SHOULD have replied, and I apologise. If it is the same Miss Huxley, she liked to take photos, (I worked on the photo counter in Boots when it was on Market Street in Wigan). She seemed to stop coming in quite a long time before Boots moved to The Grand Arcade and I have often wondered if she was alright.

Yes Irene, it,ll be the same Kathleen, she got married, lived on Hall Lane, Hindley until about 4 years ago then moved to Shropshire where she is in good health,i saw her a month ago, thanks for your concern Irene.

My mum used to work in the duck back in the 70s pauline mason I used to go in on Saturdays at dinner for a bag of crisps and a bottle of coke when night was an outstanding 9 years old with my mates John rudd geoffrey watton we used to see Jackie edwards in there shaun edwards the landlord allowed us in cause my mum worked there.