Wigan Album

The two pics of the Rectory lawns are used by David Smith in his book, 'About Standish'. His caption simply states, ' Field days on the extensive lawns at Standish Rectory, circa 1900'.
In those days church Sunday Schools catered for hundreds, over a wide age range. Entertainments provided for their members made the church the centre of the social life of the community.
Note the segregation of the sexes - there were boys' and men's classes, and girls' and ladies' classes. There's been a bit of fuss this week about schools in Birmingham with mainly Muslim pupils where it is alleged that the boys and girls sit separately in classes. It's not that long since we all thought that was a Good Thing.

Reverend. It is my personal opinion, that it was much better, when even the schools' were, exclusively for senior boys', and exclusively for senior girls'. Others may thoroughly disagree with me.

It would most likely be the Field Treat after the walking day procession. The tradition of using the old rectory fields lasted to the late 1940s and then moved to a field near Ashfield house. I don't know how long it continued there.

is this location now the Owls restaurant ?

John, i remember the Field Treat once taking place on J B Almonds field,near the top and bottom lodges, behind the School Lane terraced houses, just once thats all.

Yes JJF it is.

Hello Roy, I didn't know that, it's a long time ago! , but I remember Almond's field being used for the Fair and the carnival. Do you recall how many times the Field Treat was held near Ashfield?

Hi John, sorry, no i cant, as you say it IS a long time ago, i only remember Almonds because of a particular incident.

Roy was the incident when a young man from Standish drowned in one of the lodges?.

No alan it wasn't that and i don't recall anybody drowning in the lodge to be honest, it was a personal incident i was referring to, something and nothing really.