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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Melling Family Scholes/Whelley

9 Comments

Lilian Melling and Ronnie Bennet in 1943
Lilian Melling and Ronnie Bennet in 1943
Photo: John A Hankin
Views: 2,518
Item #: 20489
Lilian mated around with my mum Doreen Hankin (nee Critchley who live in Scholes)later married into the Matthews family. Ronnie Bennett at the time was a member of St Catharine's 5th Wigan Boy's Brigade along with my Dad Alan Hankin. They both served with the Royal Navy in WW2.

Comment by: Maureen Andrews nee McGovern on 23rd April 2012 at 18:39

What a handsome couple they are John..and your Mum has a beautiful head of hair.

Comment by: irene roberts on 24th April 2012 at 10:10

Being a grat fan of the 1940s events, I love Lilian's hair and dress. People took such pride in their appearance then.

Comment by: derekb on 24th April 2012 at 15:01

Thought I recognised Lilian Melling. She married Gordon Matthews a cousin of mine who was much older than me. He came from Gordon St., off Darlington St and they went to live Vine St., Whelley.

Comment by: sheila worsley on 24th April 2012 at 20:27

hi derek im the daughter of gordon and lillian matthews i have left a couple of messages for you on the crawford terrace page as i was sure you were a relation of my fathers his mother frances was a bond whos son are you

Comment by: derekb on 25th April 2012 at 22:10

Hi Sheila. Haven't looked on the Crawford Terrace page for some time so missed your messages. My dad was Tom (Tommy) Bond, brother to your grandma Frances and uncle to your father, making your dad my cousin. Nice to hear from you, will look up your messages on the the Crawford Terrace page tomorrow, as I'm off for a pint now. Is Harry, your auntie Lillian's husband still alive? Wonder every time I go past the street in New Springs where they lived.

Comment by: Derek Bond on 26th April 2012 at 12:31

Hi Sheila. Since my last posting, I have looked at your postings from February on the Crawford Terrace pages. Your grandmother Frances had four sisters. Helen (who lived in Gordon St) Esther (who lived in Burlington St, off Greenough St) Elizabeth (who moved to the Doncaster area in the late 1920s)and Florence (who lived off Darlington St before moving to Leyland in the mid 1950s.) She also had four brothers, my Father Tom, Bill (the youngest) who married an Essex girl and moved to Harlow New Town and Henry and Joe who both stayed in the Wigan area. As I mentioned on the Crawford Terrace page, due to a family feud I never knew Henry and Joe or their families. Both grandparents on my father's side died before I was born. I am still in contact with cousins and their families in Doncaster.

Comment by: sheila worsley on 26th April 2012 at 14:26

great to hear from you derek i remember uncle tom wasnt he a policeman we used to go visiting i dont remember anyone called henry and joe bond maybe my grandparents had fell out to do you know why im doing my family tree and would love to pick your brains do you still live in wigan x

Comment by: Derek Bond on 26th April 2012 at 16:08

Hi Sheila. Thanks for your response. Yes, my dad was the policeman. I was born in Whelley, we moved to Beech Hill when I was six and I still live in Standish. You are welcome to pick what brains I have anytime. I have included my e.mail address in this posting.

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