Wigan Album

A good photo Barrie. And you're quite a cataloguer.
Oh, I've managed to find Item 27038. Thanks.

Used to walk home from school, Shevvy, to Standish that way. On the day we had domestic science, remember that ladies, the boys used to join us hoping to sample the delights in our baskets. Memories.

We used to stop near that bridge during the school cross country run and wait for them to return before rejoining the race to finish like Leopards .

We took that route when it was cross country run time at Shevington Comp. Out of the bottom entrance, left down Park Brook Rd, into the woods and over this bridge. Onwards past the Hermitage and up the hill. Turn right and right again past where the Hall once stood and past the old cottage and back to school. Some decided not to do the whole run and stop near this bridge, throw some mud on their kit, wait until the first 10 or 15 had returned the tag along and back to school. This would have been a great plan had Mr Pennington not been on top of the Unit Building with binoculars seeing who had run all the way to the right turn. Culprits were singled out and sent round again whilst we went for a shower then break time. Do they still allow cross country runs as part of PE

Thanks for the correction of item number,had jotted down 038 but typed 058. Reading about the antics of the school "dreaded cross country" made me smile. Gidlow had theirs in February with the route,if memory serves me right, up towards the Gidlow Washing plant and Giants Hall. If any ex-Gidlow boys from the late 1950's remember the route please correct me. I was always one of the stragglers to arrive back-running was not my forte unless it was for the bus! The Public Rights of Way map within Wigan Borough produced by WBC is well documented and fairly easy to follow and the paths well trodden. Dad was a stickler for checking paths around Standish and if one was cut off by the landowner, a letter would be sent to the council offices.

No problem, Barrie. Hope you manage to send through some more of your photos.

Hi Barrie,I think the route was up Gidlow lane ,pass Gidlow houses,turn left at what we called Germans farm,cross the railway lines at giants hall,come out in willlow road beech hill,cross beech hill lane,turn right at Lynton ave.then down springfiield road.turn right at Newman ave.then left into the school finishing at the end of the football field..

I wonder if it was Sunday afternoon as that seemed to be the day for going for walks. How smart they look as well ...

It was a Sunday morning walk and I guess that my Mum was at home cooking the roast. Later that that day we took them up to Red Rock and the canal path. Eric, the route is possibly correct for I remember going out from School one way and returning from the opposite direction.Such memories.

Another half-forgotten gem: Sundays for walks.

The run always gathered momentum during the eerie passing of the 'witch in the woods' cottage.