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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Standish

16 Comments

Civic pride
Civic pride
Photo: Rev David Long
Views: 2,833
Item #: 30498
Not the weeds, of course, they would never have been allowed... but the pre-1974 labelling of a simple gulley cover with the name of the local Council.

Comment by: John D on 6th May 2018 at 11:01

Strictly speaking, the name of the council was Standish with Langtree UDC but there's not enough room for its full title.
I've no doubt gulley cover is the correct description but I think most Wiganers referred to them as grids.

Comment by: Poet on 6th May 2018 at 11:04

A thing you don't see these days are roadside gutters. Great for sailing lolly sticks down .

Comment by: Joseph on 6th May 2018 at 13:11

We called those a grid.

Comment by: DTease on 6th May 2018 at 13:51

Things were much better when every town had their own Council.
If you had a problem you just went to your local Council Office and reported it. The Council had a small crew of workmen who would tackle the problem as soon as they could.
Trying to get anything done now is a nightmare of endless bureaucracy.

Comment by: Alan on 6th May 2018 at 20:53

Because Wigan Council have a very big area to cover than the little UDC did.

Comment by: Helen of Troy on 7th May 2018 at 08:00

Is bigger always better Alan ?

Comment by: DTease on 7th May 2018 at 09:10

The Joiner for Aspull Urban District Council was based at "The One House" on Haigh Road. All he had to get round to the jobs he had to do in the town was a handcart! No expensive van for that poor lad!

Comment by: Alan on 7th May 2018 at 09:21

No not all the time, but that's the point i'm making. Just like in-house working is much better than contractor..I've been there.

Comment by: Jinksi. on 7th May 2018 at 10:03

Gypo's must have missed that one

Comment by: Johnny on 7th May 2018 at 10:31

It is Helen...so I was told by various girl-friends!!

Comment by: DTease on 7th May 2018 at 11:37

Johnny, who were they comparing you to?

Comment by: Veronica on 7th May 2018 at 12:41

You could guarantee if you dropped a key or in my case an ear-ring it would fall in a grid! I wonder hom many items of jewellery landed up in those grids.

Comment by: Brian B on 7th May 2018 at 13:30

Veronica, I had a friend whose uncle drove a "gulley sucker" and they always went down with a scoop prior to using the suction hose!!!! We got a lot of free "pops"

Comment by: Veronica on 7th May 2018 at 19:32

I remember well all the 'pops' that went down the grids Brian. It's a wonder we weren't disease ridden playing near them. I bet loads of strange things were found in them.

Comment by: Veronica on 7th May 2018 at 19:38

Just an afterthought. I recall those 'grids' were called 'soughs' or 'suffs' when I played in the 'cart road'!

Comment by: TD,. on 9th May 2018 at 07:02

Thank you Rev David, your photo brings back fond memories and the sound of a very familiar voice... Eat up your crusts child or we will have to put a ring around your neck, to stop you falling down the grids.

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