Wigan Album

I remember Annie Thomas but not delivering milk. My Mum and Dad used to talk about her. Garswood's just not the same now and it's getting to the stage where there are very few of us left eho do remember when it was just Garswood Road, Station Road, School Lane and Victoria Road. Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be.

Hi Janice, I remember someone with a horse and cart coming round delivering milk. I always thought it was Cunliffe's farm, maybe came to that assumption as they were the closest, being just at the top of the Brow. Love the photo and all the history we are learning of Downall Greeen past..

janice, there used to be a young girl, sally who worked the milk round with mr thomas for quite a few years, she would always run from & to the milk float, i think she may have lived in brocksteads ave

Janice, during the 50's and 60's in Cedar Grove we got our milk from Waterworth's Farm which was in Station Road, Garswood and most of their bottles had Manor House Farm printed on them. They had all the land bordered by Station Rd.,Smock Alley, Billinge Rd. and Victoria Rd. The son John Waterworth used to do the rounds with his dad and they collected the money on friday evenings.

Hiya Lyndon, is John Waterworth The brother of Arthur, he must be in his 70's now. Arthur moved to a farm at Edge Green think it was called Rose farm. He now lives in Ashton. I belive Richard Evans lived at Manor House farm in the 1800's. He being the Evans family who had Evans school and the Congragational Church built. Regarding the Manor House the middle part was built in the 1600's and both wings were added in the Victorian era. As you look at it the left hand wing was occupied by Wilf and Annie Thomas. When they took the horse and carrage to the Rose Queen event 3d would buy you a ride in the carrage around the school field. The farm is now owned by Ernie Phythian who lives in the right hand wing as you look at it. Ernie is almost 75 and he was born there.

Hi Janice, Arthur could well be the elder brother of John Waterworth because I think Arthur was the fathers name, although "RoyM" would know better than me.

This is indeed a photo of wilf and Annie Thomas, i am Annie's Great Niece (Amanda Ratcliife).I have an orginal photo at home. I am currently reseaching my family histoty and would love to hear from any-one who knew Annie and Wilf, also Annie's sister Bessie Phythian,brothers Jack Ratcliffe and Tom Barton, all of whom lived in the Garswood and Ashton area

Does anyone remember the ghost story attached to the Manor House farm on Garswood road {Phythians}? My grandma an old Downallgreener who moved to Garswood on her marriage in 1909, told me that the room over the door was haunted by John Penswick, he was a local bigwig who the villagers trusted to care for their savings unfortunately he started to play cards at first using his own money, then when that ran out the villagers. This resulted in his ruin and so the story goes he will not allow gambling in the house if anyone attempts to play cards a draft comes down from the room over the door {which was his and blows the cards away! Apart from my grannie who had she survived would be 121 nobody else seems to remember this story I wondered if any of you older folk had.

Hi Helen, I am related to Ernest Phythian who lives in Manor House Farm, my Great Grandma Elizabeth Ratcliffe used to have the room above the door when she lived there and from the stories I have heard about her (she died when I was very young) no ghost would dare to show itself, of the few family members that are left we know nothing about Mr Penswick.

Janice, you seem to know alot about Annie & Wilf. I am keen to know more about Garswood and it residents during the time that my family (the Ratcliffe's) lived there. I am struggling with my family tree as i have very little documentation to work with. such things tended to be kept by the women of family, seeing as they are all gone now, not much has survived.

amazing details on this photo - we have started a Garswood Remembers page on Facebook if anyone is interested

Hi, my dad and mum came up to Garswood last weekend to do a reminisence mini tour. dad was born in Ashton in Makerfield but when old enough helped Annie and sometimes Wilf on their milk round. He was a youngster with a mop of Ginger Hair! he held the horse steady and generally did alot of running round delivering the milk (he was 10) dads name is Frank Holliday. they went to the Manor House Farm and he knocked on the door which was opened by Ernie!! he recognised him and they had a good old chinwag. dad has told me a few stories about the milk round where the horses misbehaved and Wilf err 'put them right' dad is now 84 and really enjoyed himself last weekend. I'm typing this in the hope that someone recognises his name and i can pass on details. fingers crossed it works

I am an old Garswood chap & i remember Wilf Thomas & his wife going round selling milk, Jack ratcliffe married Ernie.s sister, they had two kids Fred & arthur, Fred would be about 80 now & arthur 2 years younger.