Wigan Album

good pic adam

Yes, nice photo. If I remember rightly, St Mary's was demolished early in 1979.

Whereabouts in Spring View was this church Adam ?

this church was where the new estate is ,on the left hand side over the bridge

I got married at that church in 1973. Only seems like yesterday. I wish it was tomorrow................

It was a lovely church. There are more pics of this lovely building in 'places' in the photos section. Now there is a very large housing estate being built on the site. It was just over the bridge past Ince cemetery on the left-hand side going into Spring View. Although on a much smaller scale St.Mary's church is now on the site of the old St.Mary's day school.

I travelled through Ince for years going to school and then work but I couldn't remember where the Church was situated. It is a very good picture.

didnt it get pulled down because of mining subsidence?
i take it they have solved the mining subsidence problem then with putting a great big housing estate on it

It is a good 'Church' - St Mary's is still going strong after moving into the former school 30 years ago, in August 1978. The building, however, though it looks like a good church, had been giving maintenance problems for most of its life, as the records show - and as the iron tie-bars visible across the windows bear evidence. Sad it had to go, and even sadder that too much of its original fixtures were lost in the move to the new building, but I doubt if the Parish could have survived very long if it had had to continue trying to maintain the building.

it was a fantastic building inside
if memory serves, the brickwork was bare inside.
i was christened there in 1949 and was confirmed there by Bishop stuart Blanche in 1968.
lovely memories of a beautiful church

All my family went to the church where are the records on the church kept.

Before the church was demolished a special service was held where the joint choirs of St Mary's, St Nathaniel's Platt Bridge and Abram St John (I think!)combined to form a 'mass' choir. It was a great occasion. One of the anthems we sang was 'O Thou The Central Orb' which is normally sung by Cathedral Choirs. I wish I had a recording but sadly I haven't as the singing was superb. I think someone called Donald Corns was the conductor for the special occassion assisted bt Stan Greenwood. Anyone out there also in the 'big choir' like me?

It was a landmark in Spring vIew, I did my confirmation and I also got married there in '71, the vicar was then rev. Wagstaff. It's a pity it got pulled down because of mining subsidence.

It`s good to see so many people have fond memories of the old St.Mary`s. The present church is on the left side of the road just beyond the cemetary gates & has some of the original stained windows & a few fittings. We ars still going strong.

thanks for the pic adam brought back happy childhood memories i grew up on warrington road and remember sitting in the old wagon works at dusk waiting for the bats to come out of the church tower

i remember the church very well.i used to go to sunday school there.i was also in the choir.i used to live in spring view.when we were kids we used to play in,what was called the graveyard.a little piece of land at the back of the church.as well as bieng in the church lads brigade.blowing my bugle,not trumpet.

I loved st Mary's church got married there I didn't go to church a lot but when I did it always took my breath away was sad they pulled it down.

I loved st Mary's church got married there I didn't go to church a lot but when I did it always took my breath away was sad they pulled it down.

Our House was about the right hand side of the photo 297 Warrington Rd. Andrew,Donald Cornes lived across the road from us ( see St Mary's Chior) Julie,spent many a happy day playing in Wagon Works,Emily,same goes for Church Yard .Sad to see all them houses gone replaced by (expensive tacky new houses ) were Ainscow st used to be .

Good afternoon from the Netherlands
My english is far from perfect, but I hope you understand me.
On janauari 1920 William Lane was born in Spring vieuw. On March 29 1948 he married in the St. Mary Church, with Ella Fernay.
I cannot find him baptised in your church. I did find his sister.
Is it possible that you send me information about him?
Why am I interested in him? His Havilland Mosquito collided in the air over my village Roden, near the city of Groningen, in the Netherlands. It happened on March 27 1945. William was the navigator. Leicester Smith his pilot. They collided with the Mosquito of Maurice Gant and Gordon Hudson. They crashed and were buried in the village Zevenhuizen. I have written a book about that crash and would love to have more information about Willam (Bill) Lane.
Could you please help me? I would be very grateful for that.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best.
Tjerk Karsijns, Roden, Netherlands.
When you google my name you can see what I am doing.

Tjerk, although I cannot help personally I found your story quite fascinating. There is a Reverend David Long who often puts up comments and researches such matters. I will try to make contact with him to see if he can assist.
With my work in the 1970’s I used to visit the Netherlands quite regularly and especially remember Groningen, unlike most English I could get the back of my throat around the ‘G’ to pronounce it correctly. People were impressed. Happy times!
PS, your English is perfect.

Very good of you to share your fascinating story here Tjerk.

Interesting article on William (Bill) Lane in the Past Forward Magazine issue 78.
Tjerk is mentioned.
According to the article Bill is buried in Hindley
cemetery.
Good luck with your further research and thank you Tjerk.