Wigan Album

You used to deliver our paper.

Yes, I was a paper boy for Gardners in Ince Green Lane. I also helped Jack the milkman and the Harvey's bread man! I also used to serve in Amy's Off-Licence and help out Ernie in his chip shop! Anything to avoid going to school. Mind you I ended up there whether I liked it or not!

"Little Amy's" was like a time-warp even then! I remember ancient, faded showcards showing ladies of a bygone era enjoying Gaymer's cider, and it always seemed very dim and echoey.

Yes, Amy's was really set in the past. All her stuff was still in their boxes. I think Kwik Save copied her style!
Her living room was in a time warp. Nothing had changed since the place was built. When Amy retired she moved to a house behind The Brocket in Wigan.

Is that the very same Amy that had a shop in York St higher Ince? in the 50s/60s

Amy's off licence wasn't always doom and gloom.It was a very nice shop when Mrs Ardern had it before Amy.

I used to live in Francis Street, near York Street. We moved to Meadway and folk who used to have the our-licence in York Street moved in after the Amy I knew retired. Small world!

Bill, do you have any pics of Francis Street? A friend of mine in London had family in Francis Sreet in the 30s/40s and is trying to get photos of the street.

p.s.; my friend is particularly interested in nos: 15, 25, 29, 31 and 35, where family members lived from early 1900s, but would love to see photos of the street taken at ANY time.

Sorry...I've no photo's of Francis Street. We simply couldn't afford a camera. They were desperate times.

ok, thanks!

I LIVED AT 9 YORK ST BUT CANT RECALL AMYS I REMEMBER MINIES AND A SHOP AT THE TOP OF THE ST WAS THAT AMYS? I REMEMBER LILLY HAVING THE SHOP AS WELL THEN SHE GOT THE ONE ON CORNER OF HEMFEILD RD,I THINK I DO REMEMBER AMYS BUT CANT PICTURE HER BUT SHOP WAS DIMLY LIT I ALSO REMEMBER YOU BILL& YOUR SISTER MARJORIE & IT WOULD BE GOOD IF ANYONE HAS ANY PHOTOS OF THE STREETS AROUND THERE.

Bill I vaguely remember you. Did your Dad have a bad injury to his hand and always wore a glove ?. I too delivered papers for the same paper shop but well after Gardners had it. When I worked there Dave and Ann Taylor ran it. Dave had a gold Mk3 Zodiac and played in a group

Shows shows how old age is catching me up... Minnie was the one who had the out-door licence in Ince Green Lane and it was later taken over by Amy.
My dad wore the glove as he was hit on the hand with a sledge hammer whilst at work. It caused his muscles to deteriorate and the skin of his hand went very hard and it looked like leather. The disease it caused eventually killed him.

OLD AGE IS RIGHT,IME CONFUSED ABOUT AMYS I KNOW MINNIE& REG JOHNSTON HAD THE SHOP AT BOTTOM OF YORK ST, THEY THEN MOVED TO INCE GREEN LANE I DONT REMEMBER ANYONE ELSE HAVING THE YORK ST SHOP AS ALL THE HOUSES WERE DEMOLISHED UNLESS IT WASNT PULLED DOWN SAME TIME AS OURS?& THE ONLY AMYS I KNEW WAS IN BELL GREEN LANE&SHE WAS ONLY LITTLE.

Both Amys must have been little...we always called the Ince Green Lane lady "Little Amy". Bill, I bet you never thought your photo would start all this, but isn't it nice to be in contact with like-minded people who like to look back? Josie, if you ever come across pics of the streets up Belle Green Lane, particularly Francis Street, would you let me know please? My friend would be so grateful. Irene.

BILL. FORGOT TO SAY THERES A LOVELY PIC OF THE HARRISON FAMILY AT 6 FRANCES ST, IF U GO ON PEOPLE U MAY HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT UNDER HARRISON FAMILY THEY LIVED NEXT DOOR TO THE ASPLEYS I USED TO PLAY WITH KATHLEEN&OUR SANDRA MATED WITH SHEILA I REMEMBER THERE WAS ONLY 4 OR 5 HOUSES ON THAT SIDE, HAPPY DAYS.

Hi Josie...I was born at No6 Francis Street! We lived there until we moved to Meadway in around 1960.

Bill, I also remember you were dead clever fitting a brake light to your push bike. Every time you pulled the brake lever the rear light lit up.
Didn't you also have a sister Margaret ?.

My sis is Marjorie, John. She lives in Grasmere Ave. She married John Halsall from Leaway. I ended up fitting flashers on mi bike too!

Bill Isn't it funny you can remember something over 40 years ago, yet sometimes you can't remember what you had for dinner !!
You'll also remember Bernard Wilson who lived across the road from you.(although he was a couple of years older than me)

I couldn't even remember what day it was today! Kept thinking it was Thursday... I remember the Wilson family well. I still occasionally have a pint with Willy Wilson. (My health permitting)

hi john, did u live in frances st i dont remember the wiltsons i remember the mcolls,the holcrofts,the knockeruppers mr & mrs brighton, mrs burk she hd no nose & always had a white square peice of lint on it flat to her face never knew why, nice old lady.next i only remember further up hammund nasir&jean,mellings,then near entry was mrs macdonnel? owens ,durnlys,&in the end house lived eric booth,he mated with my brother raymond he played the guitar & we had many tunes in our house my uncle gerald played the accordian,and we would all sing &clap, kids today will never know the joy of what we had.

Josie, No I didn't live in Frances St but I do know Kenny and Ronnie McCall well also remember his Mum and Dad but only when they moved to Pinewood Crescent in the mid 60's, when I lived in Ince Green Lane. Kenny is a regular poster on this website

JOHN ,IME SURE THE McCOLLS HAD AN OFF LICENCE SORT OF END FRANCES ST BELL GREEN LANE, I REMEMBER THE DOOR & A HIGH STEP ON THE CORNER AND US KIDS USED TO SAY LETS GO & SIT ON THE STEP THE DOOR WAS UNUSED BUT THEIR HOUSE DOOR WAS IN FRANCES ST ,?

Yes...McColls lived in a closed-up off-licence. It was a place where Ronnie and me used to play with various toys. It was dark and musty in the part that used to be the shop.
It was always interesting to go to Ronnie's as his dad was a merchant seaman and he brought home some amazing things. When Ronnie got married he moved to Hindley. I later moved to hindley when I got wed and we used to booze in the pubs around Hindley together.
Ronnie still lives in Hindley and works as a postman.

ISNT IT FUNNY BILL NOW U MENTION IT I REMEMBER VERY VAGUELY GOING IN THERE WITH KATHLEEN ASPLEY IT WAS ONLY WHEN U SAID ABOUT THE MUSTY SMELL & THEIRE DAD IN NAVY DID THEY EVER USE IT AS AN OFF LICENCE THEMSELVES?

Hi Josie... I don't remember the shop ever being used as an off-licence. I will ask mother...

Josie... it was always boarded up as far as mum can remember. Obviously though it must have been open at some time. Kenny McColl visits the Wiganworld website from time to time, maybe he can enlighten us?
BTW, mums just about recovered from a bad bought of pneumonia...been touch and go.