Wigan Album

Ben Flower...??

Sharon what a great photo of your dad,he was a great laugh and I have fond memories of our visits to your family on Alma Hill Upholland with my mum and dad Cyril and Irene.
Hope you are well.

Great photo Sharon. Your dad looks a real character. Can't help but note old Wigan has had it's share of fine athletes over the years.

Harold was a" Platt Laner" a lively character, a good footballer too. He mated about with Albert Blan in his teens

I do believe Albert was a younger brother of Jackie, and Billy Blan, they played, I believe for Wigan R.L.F.C., Billy 1940s, and 50s.

Albert, he was, and he was tall whilst Harold was small, An odd pairing. Harold once took me to Rileys gym, I was 14 and Once was enough, coconut matting and skin burns everywhere,

Hi Ab. A few of us, Wigan Borough officers used Billy Riley's Gym, in Whelley. Ted Knipe, Jock Scott, Freddie Dyke, Aubrey Fairclough, Alan Cotton, plus a few others. The professionals would throw me around like a rag doll, but it certainly helped your confidence, when you were in a battle royal.

Sharon,iss Harolds sister Hilda still about? Albert You are in the 50's era, my Scholes days were the 40's Gwyn Lotte and Ken Marsh

AB. Knew the two mentioned officers' well. They were still serving in the late fifties, when I joined, early 1958, after demob from the R.A.F.

used to go to there shop on alma hill when it was a chippy in around 1963

I remember Harry as being a keen single figure handicap golfer at Dean Wood. A real character.