Wigan Album

You may be aware Andrew that the entrance gate posts to the Hall are still in position on Beech Hill Lane..quite close to Beech Hill Avenue,and just around the corner on the Avenue next to the white farmhouse used to be the little School,apparently built by reverend Thicknesse,which held(I was told) six pupils...thank you for the photograph Andrew.

Would someone be so kind as to post the location that was occupied by this building, please? Thank you in advance.

Andrew , thank you for posting this photograph,I've certainly never seen this before. This is the magic of Wigan World, this will go all over the world ,
people from the other side of the globe,with a connection to Wigan,and Beech Hill in particular wiil appreciate your effort.

This is a great photo, love seeing the old halkls of Wigan. Need more history behind it. Like above, could someone show us where this use to be on an old OS Map and a map of today where it would of sttod. Maureen, where are those gate posts. Tried looking earlier when we past but didn't notice anything obvious.

Again great photo

AP..regarding Thicknesse Hall location,it was where Beech Hill council houses now are,go up Beech Hill Avenue,take first left after the shops, and I believe the Hall pond was situated where the roundabout now stands and the hall was slightly North of that.

JM..if you go down Beech Hill Avenue,turn right at the white farm house,you are now on Beech Hill Lane..go past a short row of terraced houses then there's a gap before the next houses,the gate posts are there..I hope you find them.

The Hall was where Cherry Grove is now, I did some comparing/overlaying of OS maps a few years ago and came to that conclusion. Regarding the gate posts, I'm on Google Streetview and can't see anything that would resemble them Maureen?

I have newspaper copies of the time which show the family were struggling to sell Beech Hill estate. Unfortunately there are big gaps in the dates so plenty of time would be required at the Museum to sift through as I've emptied the card catalogue already. I was told by an old friend (now gone) that it was left in a trust to the local council but I've found nothing to confirm this.

We have taken a photo of the gateposts..plus some comments and uploaded them onto this page..hopefully it will be on by tomorrow

Maureen. Found the gateposts on Beech Hill Ave and looking on an 1894 map, the footpath does seem to lead to the hall.
Excellent pic Andy.

Here’s a little bit of history connected to the Thicknesss family.
Ralph Thickness (1768-1842), was established as a banker in Wigan. He was subsequently in partnership with Thomas Woodcock of Bank House. He had a residence at Beech Hill, just to the north of the town centre, and became ‘extensively engaged in the coal trade’ at Birkett Bank and Ince; he was a co-proprietor of the lucrative Kirklees colliery
He died, ‘aged 74’, at Beech Hill, 1 Nov. 1842. He left all his property, including mines and collieries, to his only child, Ralph Anthony Thicknesse (1800-54), pro-ballot Liberal Member for Wigan from 1847 until his death. As Ralph Anthony’s only son predeceased him, Beech Hill passed to his daughter Anne, whose husband, Francis Henry Coldwell, later bishop of Leicester, took the name of Thicknesse in 1859.
I believe one of the collieries is shown on old maps as “Birkett Bank Colliery” and was situated somewhere between Gordon Street and Henry Park Street.

Any idea of when this interesting photo was taken?

when I were young we use to call that roundabout the bull ring don't know if they still call it that.

I used to live in beech grove and all that time I never new about this hall .its at bottom on beech grove on the frying pan we used to call it thanks for this

thinking about it now .I wonder if that's were they got the name of thickness .avenue,the street nearbye could be

I was brought up in beech hill from the age of two I still live here and the round about is still called the bull ring ii wonder if anyone knoes why it is called the bullring

Brilliant photo Andrew - we could do with more of this on here!

I lived in beech grove many many years should I believe the hall was over the valley?? I loved beech grove not been there for a few months visit Valerie Alker / window x

Hi guys I own/ live in the white farm house on the corner , would you guys have pictures of my house or know we’re I could find any ? I’ve seen a few from around 1890 but my house is from around 1629 thanks guys hope you see this msg , please email me

The side by side map facility does indeed confirm the exact locations of the hall, the pond and the paths.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/?fbclid=IwAR0T0w8K9UVvU9ggMElNR1uDIfGzvd8i_VMRMLVcypc3TwoqVtebGw-AULk#zoom=17&lat=53.56037&lon=-2.65382&layers=168&right=BingHyb

Scott,I live just around the corner from you.

I grew up in Laburnum Grove. Moved there “aboutl 1938 does anyone know date estate was stared. Know it was mentioned in Geige Orwell’s “Road to Wigan Pier”

I lived with my mum, dad and two brothers in Beech Grove for many years through the 50s and some of the 60s . Went to Beech Hill infant, primary and Gidlow schools. We spent many, many hours down in the valley jumping the stream. We used to walk over to Gills farm and the Speckled Holly farm etc. The field behind the grove we used to hide in what we called the craters well before that estate was built. We used to say to our friends not to go in the haunted house which you could get to from the valley., we were too scared. We used to play rounders and cricket until we were told off as the ball kept going into peoples gardens but it was a very happy friendly place to live. Many, many happy memories.

I remember you Eileen and I think your brother Brian was in my sister Barbara's class. You lived next to Christopher Higham and we lived at number 20 Beech Grove. I remember all the things you have mentioned and totally agree that it was a wonderful place to grow up.

I think I lived in the same house as you Eileen ?Dawson. No.2 Lived there from about 1954 until I married in1967.