Wigan Album
Foot family
4 Comments
Photo: Dr. Keith Tattum
Item #: 2235
Parents of Alice Houghton (nee Foot) who later married Thomas Houghton and lived at 121, Cale Lane, New Springs. All I know about my Great Grandfather is that he came to Lancashire form the Cheddar Gorge area and never lost his Westcountry accent. Like so many others he came to work in the coal mines. They had several children, Elsie, Albert, Jim, and lived at what they called the "Old Home", which was just off Cale Lane opposite the end of Ash Lane. This photograph was taken there.The chimney from "The Top Place" can be seen in the background.
I seem to recall being told the "Old Home had previously been a Methodist Chapel or meeting house, and after that the winding house for a small coal pit. I remember it in the 1950's when it was home for my Great Auntie Elsie and her husband Jim Gould. It was the centre of a active firewood business, but more importantly a great place to play! I visited the site last year. There is no trace of the house, just derelict land surrounded by the remains of a wire netting fence.
i remember the foot family very well, albert foot lived in the old home as i remember, they had a horse called " peggy " my dad had his garage on his land, and yes i can still smell the wood from the saw mill!!
Hi Keith! Your mum and my dad were cousins - you might remember Jim and Hilda Foot, from Aspull - I'm their youngest! You're almost right about a few things - yes, the photo is James and Sarah Foot (née Hillman), your great-grandparents - from Buckland Newton in Dorset, a bit further south than Cheddar! I have loads of memories of visiting Old Mill House on Cale Lane; Aunty Elsie was married to the tall, thin, cadaverous Harry Gould, who used to work at a pipe works in Horwich I think. House was demolished by Wigan Council in 1978, despite being Grade II listed...if you would like to chat more, second-cousin, do email!
Mr & Mrs foot use to live next door to us we were at 71 chapel st our toilets were outside, my mother Lily and father Harry winrow sister Joan & Doreen & twins Brian and me Bill.my dad use to help in the sawmill we use to go as well putting a wire round firewood.in later years we also had a garage on the land , remember Mr Atherton and wilf green of cale lane there was only 4 or 5 garages.as a child remember an old black car ,we used to play in ,it would be worth a fortune now. The house was always hidden with a row of cottages, and there was a massive plot of land in front of the two big gates to the yard. I remember my father buying a van for me off wilf and mrs foot came to my wedding that was a lolg long time ago I will put a photo on
Hello Bill - wonderful to hear about your description of where my Grandma and Grandad lived, at 69 Chapel Street. I remember that place very well, especially the outside toilets in the back courtyard. I remember Old Mill House very well too, where my Grandad's sister Elsie and her husband Harry Gould lived. That old black car was probably my Grandad's Hillman...JP2488...happy memories.