Wigan Album

I remember my dad talking about the Winter of 1940. He had just been called up in the Army and they were sent to clear the deep snow around Wigan. I think they were ‘based‘ at the Drill Hall but not too sure about that or maybe that’s where they had to report to.

43 Wrightington Street

Phil, thanks for correction, misread back of photo for house number. Should have checked as a couple of years ago I visited Wrightington Street along with Swinley Street, Standish Lower Ground & Poplar Avenue Pemberton where the parents once lived before I was born in Standish. Veronica, Father was working next door to the Drill Hall during this time at Santus Motor Body Works Ltd and moved back to Wigan from SLG because of the war and difficult in getting into work by bus from the rural area on time. It is interesting to note that some of the photographs taken by him were also printed out as a postcard for posting to relatives etc. Wrightington street in those did not have many vehicles parked outside the homes then and my sisters used to sledge down the road from Earl Street down to Dicconson Street during winter months. They used to say the walk back up the hill was a pain!

I remember it well
Though to a 7 year old in Caunce Street the snow seemed to be up to the bedroom windows

You never know Barrie my dad and your dad may have crossed paths…they were all in it together in those dark days… mind you that was the time of the phony war so they had to find something for the enlisted to do, even if it was shovelling snow! ;~)

Barrie apart from building a car and sledges for his children what did he do for a living?

I can well remember the worst two winters on record……Mike & Bernie!

Linda, Hi, no doubt you may have served him at the garage either for parts or petrol during the 60's. As to what he did for a living is complex and in many parts. Basically, he started out as an apprentice at the age of 14 learning to be a coach builder working with wood. This was at the carriage works of the LNWR in Buckinghamshire. At 21, he was trained. He left home and took employment in Maidstone till 1926 when he moved up to Wigan with a start Northern Counties on Wigan Lane. 6 weeks later he moved over to Massey Bros. at Pemberton building buses etc still in wood construction. He stayed there for 10 years including some design work as a Draughtsman. Mostly he was on the shop floor either as a senior foreman or one of the managers but still hands on. Hence out of hours he was able to build sledges, furniture for the various houses they lived in until moving to Standish in 1940. He stayed in the bus building industry latterly design work up until 1955. (That's another story to be told). He changed employment joining Walker Bros in Frog Lane in the drawing office then moved onto estimating there until retirement in 1966. He was always hands on making things for us children growing up but I never had a sledge, instead it was trolley carts made from pram wheels and timber. He once designed one with a steering wheel instead of rope. I know in the mid 50's I ended up under the front of a bus at the bottom of Moss Grove on one. Good job we had traffic jams on the High Street in those days. I know he was on good terms with your Dad having long chats at times on the garage forecourt.

No doubt i did Barrie I loved serving customers and I was always in trouble for getting oil on my clothes because I was always in the garage with the two mechanics Brian and Colin. How good if we could turn back the clock and join our two nice dads on the forecourt chatting.

My Mam was expecting my brother in 1940 and when the snow came she was walking up Wigan Lane to look at a house,as she's was only five foot tall she said the snow was up to here pointing to her chest..of course my brother was a real mickey taker and whenever snow was mentioned he used to say ."It was up to here"..my poor Mam,I remember her saying that pit men had shovelled paths out all the way up Wigan Lane in order to get to work but where would the pits be then.?