Wigan Album

This photograph was taken Harrdybutts the building on the left is The Cotton Tree Inn. St Patrick's school yard is opposite Church Terrace. This was my playground I was born in Mc Cormick St, happy memories !

Love it!

What a lovely photo for anyone that was brought up there.

Great photo Tom. Did you go to the old St Pat's school? The "new" junior school was built exactly on this spot - I started there when it opened in 1970. I had previously attended the old infants school on Rupert Street.

j greene ,yes I did attend St Patrick's School 1949/1956. I wrote an essay on my fist day at school. If you are interested if you go to Past Forward issue 66 ,16 of 19 .if you do I he you find some humour in it .Regards Tom.

j greene ,yes I did attend St Patrick's School 1949/1956. I wrote an essay on my fist day at school. If you are interested if you go to Past Forward issue 66 ,16 of 19 .if you do I he you find some humour in it .Regards Tom.

I dont know about lovely , but what springs to my mind is the absolute deprevation, squalour, of the coditions that true genuine Wigan people were born into and had to exist thier everyday lives.

Lovely, nice, great???? I dont think so.Whats with some folk.

What spring to my mind is, damp, cold, hungry and boring.

I wish I could see a photo of the street that I grew up in..no matter how bad times were for some people I'm sure they had some lovely memories of their families there..I suppose it's a case of how you look at life.

Families cared for each other, not like today.

alan winstanley ,My mother was born in Church Terrace, my Father in Mc Cormick Street as was I, so I speak with some knowledge. There was certanly no squalor in the houses I was acquainted with,on the contrary homes were well cared for and spotless ,even to the point of the doorsteps being cleaned daily , furniture and brasses gleaming,smell of baking . The most important thing was the feeling of community. I conceded that housing and sanitation were not up to todays standards,and there was much less affluence. I'am however proud of my background,and had a very happy childhood. I'am also proud of the neighbours most of whom worked in the mines. Others had distinguished army careers ,one man, James Carney was awarded The Croix de Guerre , WW2. another John Kelly voulentered in WW1, and gave his life. Times have improved for most people, and that is to be applauded and welcomed ,but not by decrying our past .

I was born 1n 1931. We didn't have electricity just gas. No bathroom and an outside toilet, but I never felt deprived of anything. I was always well fed and even if we didn't have new clothes we were always warm and happy. There are a lot of people who have misconceived ideas about life in the 30s and they think that we were "dragged up" When you lived through that period you know what life was like and believe me, we were all happy even if we didn't have the so called luxuries of life

Thomas, my husband was brought up near here and he remembers the Street and enjoyed looking at the photo. It is the first Street I have seen without a pavement.

Hi Maureen, I believe you lived in Great George St, Wallgate, as a child. If you just google'old photos of Great George Street, Wigan' there is one that looks like Wallgate area, although it says Great George Street, Scholes. As far as I know there wasn't a Great George Street in Scholes. Also, I think I remember your late brother, Mike,did he used to live in Hindley and have 3 sons?

Hello Elizabeth,thank you for your message..there's a couple of those shots I've never seen before..brilliant..and yes Elizabeth our Michael did live in Hindley and had three sons,did you know him..thank you again,I'm very grateful.

Hi Maureen, thanks for your comments, glad you found the photos interesting. Like you, I love looking back to old streets, especially of Ince, where I lived as a child. Yes, I remember your brother, Michael, as he used to live in Whiteside Avenue near us.I didn't know him well but he always seemed to have a good sense of humour. My friend, Margaret Wall sadly died on Saturday morning. I had known her since I left school, from my first job. She has really suffered these past few months, such a fighter.Will keep in touch, Maureen, as I know she knew you.

Hello Elizabeth,yes our Michael had a brilliant sense of humour..and it's very sad about Margaret,I seemed to spend most of yesterday with tears in my eyes after Irene sent me an email,she had the same as our Michael a brain tumour..If you go on hobbies and books I've put a mention about her on there,she was one of the nicest people I've ever met..thank you for your reply Elizabeth,I'm very grateful.

Hi Elizabeth,I've only realised since our last comments that you're the Elizabeth Irene said was Margaret's best friend..the penny has finally dropped..isn't it's small world,and did you live very close to our Michaels..I miss him every day..he was the other half of me..I just can't explain what I mean..
Cliff printed the painting that Margaret did of her beloved Meggie and we're going for a frame for it..it will go on the living room wall..as a constant reminder of her..it's been lovely talking to you Elizabeth.

Hi Maureen, thanks for your lovely comments and info about link, etc. I will look at them soon. Yes, Irene, went to the same schools as me, and she used to write many exles for 'Past Forward' the magazine from Wigan Museum (used to be called the History Shop.)My mum used to live a few doors away from your Michael, so I really remember him with a young family. I live in the same avenue now, too.I think I understand what you mean by being so close to him, it's uncanny really.Margaret's twin sister, Barbara, I'm sure will feel like that too. I think you may also remember another family from Great George St, the Lowe family; Sheila Charnock(nee Lowe) lives not far from me and her 2 brothers, Joe and Tony live in Pemberton/Marsh Green area. Will keep in touch, Maureen, thanks again.

Hello again Elizabeth,I didn't know Margaret had a twin Sister,if the truth is known I don't know anything about her except from meeting her..I've even wondered who would look after her dog.
There was a family next door to us but it was Sylvia Wilf and Frankie Lowe,so I don't think I know them,they probably lived further down the street which was a very long one..will keep in touch Elizabeth.

Those houses were of their time (and looked quite sound from appearances!) And as Tom Walsh said quite succinctly "it was the community" that counted and when you can look back with fondness things couldn't have been so bad!***What replaced these buildings in the sixties and seventies were an abomination. Granted now there are some lovely houses and bungalows that have been built in recent years around Scholes - which with more thought in previous years could have been built to compenstate for the heart and soul being ripped out of the said community!

Hi Maureen,I meant to type in Irene had written many excellent articles for 'Past Forward' magazine, but had typed it wrongly.Margaret had put many old photos on this site from Cardinal Newman School,( on the first one, she is pictured next to her twin sister, Barbara;) also walking days at St. William's, Ince. There is also a lovely one of her under the 'work' heading, at a TSB football match .Two of her friends, Jean and Keith have got the dog another friend has the cat. About the Lowe family that I know from Great George Street, I believe they did live quite a long way down.I have no idea how to get a personal email from this site, Maureen, perhaps you know how.

Hi Elizabeth,I'm not too sure which way you mean re emails..all I can say is you can ask admin to get in touch with the person you want to email they will then ask permission for that persons email,then send it to you,I will have a look at the photo's, I have seen the football one..wasn't she a bonny girl..don't think I told you Elizabeth but we got a frame for the painting of Margaret's and it's now on our living room wall...it's been nice talking with you.

Hi Maureen,
Thanks for your comments. Glad you got sorted with the frame for the picture. Margaret was quite a good artist wasn't she? You are right, she looks lovely on Bank Football team photo. I contacted Irene to say if you would like my email address she can pass it on to you, as I don't have yours Maureen. That's if you would like to keep in touch, I know, like me, you love the old photos and memories of growing up in a lovely community. Speak soon, I hope, Maureen.

Thomas I’m trying to do some Lyons family history
I’ve got your grandparents marriage certificate
Martin Lyons aged 22 lived at 1 Church Terrace and Margaret Coates aged 21 lived st 46 McCormick Street in Feb 1904 do you know of any other history ( if they were born in Wigan or Ireland ?)

My dad Tom Gallagher was born at no 3 Church Terrace in 1926 the youngest of 7. His father was still there in 1939 but grandma Gallagher had left him in the early 30’s and taken the younger children to 21 Sovereign Road. My dad died in 2024 aged 98 yrs.