Wigan Album

This is lovely, Helen! Someone writing a "proper" letter instead of an email, and a lovely 1950s tree. Our house is like this at Christmas...we have paper streamers on thc ceiling (original ones, not reproduction), and all our tree decs are from the 50s and 60s.

Thanks Irene...I expect my brother made Anne pose for this but yes, she is addressing an envelope. We used to have paper chains, plenty of crepe paper & those fancy pleated bells that you opened up.
I always remember we got a tangerine, some nuts & sweets in
our Christmas stockings and used to leave out a mince pie & glass of sherry for Santa ! I think we were children for much longer back then.....

We still have those paper bells, and we have an array of old-fashioned toys...golliwogs and spinning tops etc....under our tree. I always got a Post Office Set and a "Chocolate Smoker's Outfit",didn't YOU,Helen? My Aunty Mary's present was always an Oxo tin or a Chocolate box containing a little hanky,(not new, one of her own),an old liptick to "dress up" with., a little comb. a pencil and a sixpence. She had no money to spend but Aunty Mary's Present brought its own magic!

I recall a Post Office set but I can't remember getting a smoker's set..do you remember the little packets of sweet cigarettes you could buy & pretend you were quite the woman of the world while you puffed away?! And sugar mice...I saw some of those just the other day....50p EACH !!

The sweet cigarettes have to be called Candy Sticks now in case they encourage children to smoke...another daft law! I must have eaten enough to sink a battleship and have never once been tempted to try a real one.

Excellent to read Helen and Irene's accounts of not so long ago....!
Sadly I was not born then though my Christmases were not to different at 236 Ormskirk Rd ( Grandparents) The Bradshaw family name used to crop up in conversation from time to time as I was growing up . Our stockings were some of the really good simple things that today would be just laughted at. Used to love getting the nut crackers out, these only came out at this time of year. With the open coal fire..... toasting bread on a toasting fork...mmmmm the smell. Plus my Nana's cooking was second to none..........oh to go back.

Martin, it was lovely to read your warm memories of Christmas.I was only born in the year the photo was taken.....the old decs in our house are what my husband and I have collected over the years from jumble sales, car-boots and people chucking out! Do you remember tangerines wrapped in tissue paper? How many Wigan children wondered how Father Christmas got down their chimney carrying a bike from Oliver Somers' on Mesnes Sreet?!

More happy memories! Your sister is wearing her (UGS) school uniform,isn't she? I definitely remember theCandy cigarettes and Chocolate cigars. Also, though not only at Christmas,getting Gingerbread Donkeys with string tails,and pink sugar Pigs from Ormskirk market. I was born at Ormskirk Hospital,on a Thursday; it was a big family insider joke; that I was bought at Ormskirk Market! Maybe an all time record for a discount purchase!!!???