Wigan Album

That's my Gt Grandad too! His son, Ernest is my Grandad on my mum's side. Jame's first wife died in 1924. He married Mary Ellen Critchley in 1928.

Hi Carol, that is some coincidence. Do you have any more info? My Granddad Jack Critchley married Florence Molyneux and lived in Golborne St Scholes. They had one daughter Doreenn my mum. The photograph was in mum's collection and she passed away in January so I can't ask her. I know she said Gt Granddad Houghton was a nice man. Was he a cobbler by trade?

Unless you know different, the bloke in the photo looks like Samuel Roberts. This means the lady is possibly Polly (Mary) Houghton. They (Samuel and Polly)married in 1923. I do know that James and his second wife split up and she sued him for maintenance, ie half of his 10 shillings per week pension. (Apparently she enjoyed her drink!)James was a miner.

Hi again. I've just been doing some research (Ancestry plus some personal documents) Samuel Roberts died in 1948. Him and Polly had a son, James Randall Roberts b 1925. Looking at James Houghton, this was probably just a couple of years before he died, so the young man could possibly be James Roberts. My mum was in touch with Polly when she moved to America in the late 40's / early 50's. I'll show her the photo next time I am down in Wigan.

Hello again Carol, Is the lady in the photo the wife of Robert if that is who the chap is or is it Ellen Critchley?She seems a lot younger than Gt Granddad so is it Roberts wife? Written on the reverse of the post card photo in pencil is "From Grandma Houghton to Doreen with love" and this is confusing me and makes me think it is Ellen.

Hiya, I'm 99% the guy is Samual Roberts. We (the 5 of us researching James Houghton, scattered throughout the UK) have his photo. Someone has a thumbnail of James Houghton from this photo, so I'll try to find out if that pic has any writing on it.

Carol, the writing is very faint and on closer inspection it reads Granda. Whether it should be grandma or grandad I'm not sure. It would be nice to find out definitely. From memory my granddad Jack Critchley's father either died and ellen remarried or they got divorced but don't think it was the latter. It may be that my Gt Granddad Critchley was the cobbler. I remember a minature pair of leather clogs with wooden soles in a matchbox made by my gt granddad ? but haven't seen them for sixty years or so. Is the lady Ellen Critchley? NB I have put this photo under my family name in the people category.

Hi John. I showed the photo to my mum yesterday. The people with James Houghton, are his daughter, Mary (known as Polly), her husband, Samual Roberts and their son, James Roberts. I didn't prompt her, just asked who they were (she wouldn't have known James Houghton as he died a week before she was born, but she did know Polly, Sam & Jim Roberts.
Mystery solved. Please can I make a copy of this photo for my family records?

Hello Carol, I am very grateful for the information which I have written on the reverse. Of course you can take a copy. If you have difficulty let me know and I can email you one.