Wigan Album

I remember my mum talking about Gregory's grocery shop in Belle Green Lane, where she lived as a child.

James Alfred, the only son of Roger, the brother who opened the shop in Standish, became a doctor, and went into the Royal Army Medical Corps in WW1. He was with the 12th Manchesters at the Battle of the Scarpe in April 1917, where he was fatally wounded, dying on 13th April.
He is commemorated on the family grave in St Wilfrid's churchyard, as well as on the village Cenotaph and the Peace Gate.

Graham, would John and family have lived in Hemfield Road off Belle Green Lane? My dad often spoke of Gregorys (he lived across in Francis St.)I am sure he said they were bakers

Yes, Gregory's shop (bakery) was on Hemfield Road, I remember my mum talking about it.

Thanks Elizabeth

Graham, We must be related. John Gregory b.1829 d.1902 is my GGG Grandad. I've sent Ron a better quality scan of the model T van and driver. My dad thought the photo is c1915. Also sent Ron a photo of my Grandad John Gregory b.1908 and Great Grandad William Gregory b.1881 outside the grocers on Belle Green Lane. I knew his wife Annie d.1984 as she lived to 103!

I also believe one of John Gregory's sons set up the 1st mechanised pie factory in the Wigan area, suppling pies on match days to Wigan RLFC.

I came across this image whilst looking for information about a shop in Kirklees Street run by a member of the Gregory family - Thomas. He was the father of my neighbour, Ben Gregory, who would have been 100 years old in February, but has sadly recently died. Looking up the family Baptisms at St Catharines', I learned that Thomas was down as a Baker living at 36 Albert Street, Ince in 1914, when his eldest was born; then as a Baker at 30 Well Street, when the next was born in 1916; then a Labourer at 25 Kirkless Street in 1920, when the 3rd was born; then as an Iron Worker at 25 Kirklees Street in 1924, when Ben was born.
Thomas was the son of Thomas and Ann when Baptised himself in 1889, his father being a Carter, of Caroline Street, Ince. When he married May Littler at St Elizabeth's Aspull in 1914, he was down as a Baker, of 39 Kirkless Street.
I'm assuming that Thomas was the son of John and Elizabeth Gregory, living at Millgate, he being an Engine Tenter, at the Baptism at All Saints in 1862.
John Gregory, 73, was buried in Wigan Cemetery in 1902, from 37 Kirkless Street - the same address as Ann, Thomas' wife, 47, in 1909. Thomas, 57, was Buried from the Union Workhouse in 1920. John's wife Elizabeth, 78, was buried from 238 Belle Green Lane - their son John's home.
Ben's father, Thomas, 54, was buried from Kirkless Street in 1943, with May, his wife, 76, going from Pepper Lane in Standish.
Hemfield Road turns up in the Ince Burial record in 1921, with the burial of 11 moth-old James Alfred Gregory, son of Roger (obviously not the same James Alfred Gregory, son of Roger, Grocer, of Standish, killed in WW1 - but presumably named after him). The burial is in the same pair of graves as John Gregory jnr's (d. 58, 1918, Grocer)

Hopefully all this fits in with the family history other members of the large Gregory family have uncovered....

I find all this information fascinating and I am trying to work out if there is some connection to my grandfather John Gregory born 1916 and died in the early 90's. John bought his first business from his father (Roger Gregory) some time after he returned from WW2 on the corner of Newman avenue and Springfield road (now a sunbed shop). It was a grocers and bakery. He then bought a bakery/building at 2 Hemfield road, Ince and operated as a wholesale bakery - this was in the 70's. John then bought or leased a unit at Rose bridge on the canal and expanded the business by using machines to produce pies. To confirm an earlier comment on here - yes they supplied both WIgan football and rugby grounds at some point. John ran the business from Rose Bridge with his 3 sons - John Junior, Derrick and Philip along with my father Alfred Ricketts who was married to Jean Gregory (my mum)- only daughter of John Gregory. I remember the white vans with John Gregory & Son printed on them. In summer holidays my mum used to pack me and mu sister off to the bakery to help out and I sometimes used to deliver pies with uncle Philip. My grandmother was Lilian (nee Ashcroft) from Schofield Lane.
I have gleaned some of this info from hearsay over the years, also birth and marriage certificates. If I have anything incorrect please feel free to let me know or tell me more about my family history if you can. Thank you

Lillian Gregory was my great aunt. Her brother Richard ashcroft was my grandfather