EX DOWNALL GREENERS 24

HERE WE GO NUMBER 24

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150 Photos of North Ashton


133 photos round Ashton

MAP

Here we go guys with 24.

Hi Bri, have you heard anything from pey Jones.

not recently dav , why ? .

is there something wrong dav ? .

No Bri, nothing wrong I think he must have sacked us, ain't heard from him since he joined ww.

he did have prostate cancer dav .

Oh I didn't know that Bri very sad, I wish him well always liked Peter had some very good times with him In bell, always a hard working lad.

he,s in recession now dav & had a couple of good results . he,s never been off that silver bird since .

That's good Bri, I don't blame him jetting off there's nothing exciting in this country anymore.

not with the torys running it dav . they dont want us to have anything . how did you go on with that bus pass ? .

I had to give up Bri, the greater Manchester transport only have forms for people at the age of 66, I argued with them saying I'm entitled to a pass with being over 60 and they told me not in England, only Scotland Wales Ireland support that scheme, I got fed up with them, if there was such a project it's no longer there, I looked it up and Internet says same thing.

dav we know that,s bullshit as at least 3 people we know was under 66 & got a temp pass . are you still trying to get a pass under the disabled law ? .

My missus got a bus pass before her 66th Birthday due to her disability

No Bri, but I've read that in Greater Manchester over 60s can obtain a national travel pass, so I'm going seek advice as to how to get a form as the people I have dealt with seem to be reluctant to help me, I was trying to get a temporary pass which they said they had no knowledge of that pass, at end of day it's typical Britain not telling you what you can claim or what you are entitled to, smells of tory tactics to me.

Merseysiders are entitled to a bus-pass at 60.
However, it's 66 for Greater Manchester.

The Answer? ...... Move back to Downall Green!

I got told Derick Hatton arranged that 60 year old transport pass for Merseyside when he had some power there. Don’t know if that’s true. Got told David Simm flipped his lid when he found out it’s 60 on Merseyside, as he can spit over onto the Merseyside boundary where he lives!

Derek Hatton, eh.? There's a name from the past. He was a regular Downall Green visitor a few years ago. Came in a helicopter too!

Oh dear, can't move back tonker, it's no longer the estate I grew up on it has now been invaded by St Helens rejects, why can't the boroughs all be the same in England after all it's the same clown government.

Bambam, the only people who refer to 'borough' are Wigan minded folk. To anybody normal, 'borough' doesn't enter into daily life. The recognition of 'borough' is rather strange to most people. I find this amusing! Borough means council. Who's interested in council? Not me! I thought most Downall Green families were still there?

Tonks I left DG in 1975 and even then they where sending deadleg's from other areas of St Helens to DGThe village has nothing there A shop with booze. Is the chippy still there? A part time pub and a large church which may close because it is too expensive to keep open. Even the church hall was up for sale I have spoke to various Ex-DG's over the years and not one would move back for a gold pig.

When it was put under merseyside from wigan mbc it became a st Helens dumping ground.

Bambam, as you know, Downall Green has NEVER been under Wigan MBC, or Wigan council, of any shape or form!

Was AUDC not under wigan council if not who supported it, I remember them having a site in Ashton

Ashton in Makerfield Urban District Council, from 1872 to 1972, was a Local Authority governing an Urban District which was part of Lancashire. Nothing to do with Wigan, which was not part of Lancashire.

dont take him on dav .

If the estate was not under wigan Bri, how did they obtain a wigan postcode which they still have today, why did it have wigan schools, and until recently had wigan buses running through it.

we was under wigan dav hence the wn4 .

Don't get Tonks on about post codes again. They have nothing to do where council boundaries are or where. My sons both pay to Wigan for their rates etc one lives at Atherton the other at Astley one has a M46 code the other M29 . What fun they have using Slag lane recycle centre were you have to show proof that you are a resident of Wigan BoroughSame with phone numbers Most of DG had the Wigan STD code 01942 because they were coupled to Ashton exchange. I bet there are not many houses with the St Helens STD code of 01744

Bambam

Prior to the Local Government Reform Act of 1974 Downall Green was part of Lancashire County Council. The school exercise books would have been marked on the covers with ‘Lancashire County Council, Education Department, Division 14.’
After 1974 part of Downall Green became part of Wigan Metro with the remaining area being aligned with St Helens.
The post codes represent local delivery areas for the Royal Mail. They are not aligned with local government boundaries. For example Altrincham and Knutsford use the Warrington post code WA.

Do you know what part of downall green is under wigan metro gaffer.

Bambam

Downall Green

dav that,s a new one as i remember that there was a sign post just the other side of the s-bend between simms rd & billinge & another one near the hare & hounds in billinge .

Gaffer, the plan you've shown is of the "Bryn with Ashton-in-Makerfield North" Electoral Ward, why have you titled it 'Downall Green'?

Bambam, NO part of Downall Green is "under wigan metro."
That's because Downall Green stops at the brook.

You're all better off forgetting 'council' and 'borough', because neither is for US. It's all about "Them Men" and what they can TAKE off US!

we arnt takiling about now or even 1974 we are talking further back than that when we was in the wigan area hence the wn4 postcode .

The old saying. “You can’t put owt where there is nowt” seems to ring true here!

He who knows all about Lancashire uses a primarily Yorkshire saying to make his point! Derrrr!

…Was talking to a good source the other day about the ‘pop house’ on Leyland Green Road…apparently it was initially used by ‘Morgan’s’ pop, then moved to somewhere on Downall Green road.

Oh yes let's leave boundries where they are, thanks for that information Gustavus we worked and played in the old barn as youngsters working on farm, never knew pop morgis operated in there although I remember them on downall green rd near haseldine street.

The pop house was just a ruined shell in the 60's .Morgan's pop was always on Haseldine Street which is now a doggy day centre and I think they had the building on DG Road which is now Tailor Maid

Yes, that is right.

(The rear of the DG Road premises was simply just the other side of the back alleyway from the other.)

Downallgreen Where's that again I've never had trouble with post always WN40PY n 01942 load of crap wigin always as been and you con put what you want on here all letters I've had from shithelens down years post code WN40PY END OF THE WE'VE ALWAYS NO MADS DAG every skoo in bourgh of shithelens got a book all bout Bert Troutman yes Germon keeper Rectory skoo didn't get one

I put that post into 'Google Translate' and it couldn't handle it!

I struggled with last post Malc, you having trouble with keyboard.

Translation
Downall Green, where’s that again? The post has never been a problem with the post code WN4 0PY. Nor has the telephone been a problem with the STD code 01942. Wigan is a load of crap.
Irrespective of what others have posted I’ve had no problems with letters from St. Helens, full stop.
————-. Every school in St Helens, except the Rectory school was gifted a book about the German goalkeeper Bert Trautmann

they did indeed make pop in the pop house & was reliabley informed on that . dont know if it was morgies or not .

I'm not old enough remember pop being made in there, we used it to put our spuds in on picking days, the farmer collected them up at end of day.

my aunty philis is an old loneender like my mam & she told me that they did make nettle pop amongst other flavours in there dav . do you ever remember the bakery at simms rd dav ? .

Morgan’s Dandelion & Burdock was well nicer than any other I ever tried.
That would be in the 60’s, I reckon they’d still have been in Bryn then?

I wonder if they used natural ingredients back then? Had a recipe, like?

I think pop morgis was still there in 70s I loved their pop to not sure when it ceased operating, can't recall bakery Bri was it near pub.

I think pop morgis premises later became ABC Aerials in 80s, Ronnie Miles off estate worked there along with his son Bernard.

Joan Morgan has posted on Album, (Bryn) and left her email address. Maybe she can tell you when production ceased, and if the DG place was theirs. (I did know her, but that was back in the 1950's)

Bambam, you're wrong about Ronnie, he actually lived on the estate. Not Miles off it!

Ha Ha nice one tonker, his nickname to some on estate was kilometers.

My source for the pop house was Joe Wilcock off the very nearby farm, who said it was once Morgan’s pop. That’s why I said it was off a good source. I would guess he would probably know!…I did notice on an older map, put on here sometime earlier, that the pop house wasn’t on the map. It is on the recent Downall Green map ‘Gaffer’ put on. Does anyone know when It first appeared on any map shown on here?
As overgrown and shabby as it looks now I hope it stays for a long long time. It has a real historically natural beauty to it. Makes you reminisce as you look at it!

To be honest I can't see Morgan''s pop having been there, why would they set up in a farmers field, but you never know stranger things have happened, I was told it's actually a listed building, I tried think back to 60s but can only remember the farmer using it.

corrigans had that farm then it,s nothing to do with wilcox . the bakery dav was on the corner of billinge rd & garswood rd across from the pub .

I do remember it now Bri, don't think I ever went in though, back in day Malcs dad used take us to simms rd pub and bring us bottles out to car.

yes dav i,ve been in there & sampled their barm cakes . lovely .

In the winter I and gang of Garswood and loaneenders would lean on the Bakery wall to keep warm it was the same gang every neet, the heat came from the ovens,

that,s very true .

Using your Loafs theer

I bet next door loved it in winter with cheap heating bills.

Great reading you guys stuff about the history of the place we know and love!…Just wondered have any of you got Flickr?…You can download the app for free!…It has great pictures of Downall Green and all of he local area. Photos, Maps and the like…and if you click on each picture tells you all about the picture!…Pictures I’ve never seen before!…I can recommend’ The Makerfield Rambler ‘ and Makerfield Extra to follow…really interesting stuff!

…Whilst we,re in the Simms Road area, does anyone remember the bookies that was situated about half way along the row of terraced houses/cottages that has the football pitch behind that row?…I had my first ever bet in there. I was aged about 14…An over 18 put it on for me and I listened at the door via the tannoy that was the only way to hear the race. Unfortunately it won!…I,d caught the bug!…Had it lost I would probably have sacked that and saved a fortune over the years. I even remember the name of the horse. ‘Araba’ it won 7/2…Does anyone know who owned the bookies?…I don’t!

I'm not old enough remember the bookies gustavus, but as a youngster spent a lot of time on Garswood park facing the club which had a full sized football pitch, the one you are mentioning was near crossroads where Garswood united play, I can just remember the bakery and a garage nr cottages, whups will probably remember bookies.

Bambam

The garage was at the Billinge end of the cottages. It was owned by a Terry Walsh who lived in Ashton. He was the first person in Ashton to be charged after failing the breathalyser test.

yes i do & it was owned by mary houlton who had brothers alan & frank . my old chap could,nt come past it on his way home from work where he worked at the pit just past the s bend in the field to the right & had various names like baxters & blackley hurst & gaffneys .

Cheers Whupper!…Was wondering…I know, I think, why you got the name Whupper, by Whupping everyone at darts!…But who first give you that name?, as it surely stuck!…An outside guess would be Curtsy!

Cheers gaffer, I didn't know that but I do remember a mate of mine being in the first few to fail breathalyser test.

well before curtsy . it was billy woodcock who christened me with that name when i 1st started playing darts for the simms rd in 1973 .

Tommy Houlton was the local illegal bookie, you could put a bet on with him any afternoon in Garswood Labour club, and collect your winings, if you had any,

I remember a chap who frequented all the boozers taking bets, don't know if he ever had a shop or not, a small balding guy always wore an overcoat I'm still trying think of his name.

Just remembered the little guys name, it was Billy Catterall he used to do football and rugby coupons as well.

gustavus seeing how you mentioned curtsy do you know any of the other leeds fraternity ? .

Hi Bri, just spoke to Blakey his mother was in wigan infirmary last week as she hadn't been well, they have put her in a nursing home now at back of Leigh hospital why they run tests on her, so he's going down Ashton this afternoon to sample a few.

hows he going to manage dav ? . he cant boil water for himself .

He has 2 carers calling in daily, they will probably sort his meals out, but if he goes Tom & Gerrys in afternoon he can have a meal there.

Gustavos was Harry Lowe headmaster when you was at rectory I take it you went that skoo .

so you know who he is then malc ? .

No iam asking see what decade he's from he must have lived round Leyland Green Road end slaters pen be called gustavos and that's where he got name from

Yes Whups!…I know the Leeds Fraternity!…Mal Simm, Martin Eden, Mal Ward and Curtsy.
Couple of good footballers among those 4 as well, Curtsy and Martin…They used to annoy the Man U fans in the Bell, up to the point that half of them deserted the Bell for the Eagle n Child!
Whatever happened with Curtsy? He became quite reclusive at a fairly young age as I remember. Was always out, then all of a sudden not!
Yes Dag!…I got the Harry Lowe finger prod in my time there! (For anyone not knowing Harry Lowe, he used to prod you hard in the chest for misbehaving, and nothing as sinister as it sounds!!!)
Great days though at that school!

Sure do remember Harry lowe's piano fingers in my chest I had them a good few times, also remember going to Billinge pubs I took David Mather there on a few occasions, I used to work with a deaf and dum guy who lived facing Brown Cow young David really enjoyed himself as he was also in same boat, but his Father Tommy wasn't impressed when David went home sloshed.

O hy he was good proder owd Harry oleary left because his son Frank got his job as headmaster 74 75 years 19 that is respect tho then at skoo not like today gustavos o hi wi had some banter in bell when football was on Mrs Burton what LEGEND she was wi cats

Yes Bambam, nice lad David Mather. Not seen him for years. Didn’t let his problems stop him from enjoying himself.
Yes, Mrs Burton, driving her mini at about 15 miles an hour, could barely see over the steering wheel.
I did prefer the old school as opposed to the new build. I remember going up the zig zag staircase to the upper classrooms. And when they flattened the old building I remember Bert Parkinson pushing his wheelbarrow to it and collecting all the old light fittings and switches among other things. The original Salvage Hunter! Would probably be worth a few bob nowadays them old things.
Also remember the chocolate sponge with pink custard. Don’t think I’ve ever had it since then!
…Great times!

curtsy still reclusive .

David worked for Royal Mail at wigan branch, I think he's retired now he has a nice family to look after, his father is on committee at whelley ex servicemen club, I also liked the old school and remember Bert parkinson with his wheelbarrow.

Gustavus has a similar writing style to Ozymandias, Ozzy.

sorry to report the sad passing of another downall greener gwillam hughes who passed away this morning . he was 68 . r.i.p. my good friend .

That's very sad Bri, R.I.P Gwillam.

RIP Gwillam sad Loss

I’m gutted!…Such sad news!…Lovely lad, never saw him have a wrong word to anyone. Will be truly missed…RIP my friend. X

Rip brother loved you xxxx

Our thoughts are with you Sammy! X

Thank you xx

sammys

I'm so sorry to hear this. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Sammy and all the family.
RIP Gwilym

Gwillam may you RIP

saw spike today dav . he looks very dodgy with that stick . looks like father xmas with that beard he,s got .

Must admit Bri I didn't recognise him with his Xmas beard he has no one to make him do things now, poor Thelma can't get onto him now like she used to, I will ring him later to see how she's doing.

he tried to get up the steps across from me dav & struggled very badly . a couple from lilac ave saw him & helped him to the top . i think they gave him a lift to somewhere ? .

I can't understand why they would give him a stick, I'm sure that won't help him with having one leg longer than the other.

Hi Bri, just spoke to spike he was going to golden lion yesterday when he was struggling on steps, his mother is still in care home at Leigh doctor going see her this afternoon, carers are looking after him calling three times a day to prepare his meals, so he's being well looked after.

did they take him there dav .

Whoever took him dropped him off in Ashton.

it was the couple who now lives in ian simms house .

I wouldn't know anyone on estate now Bri, I would definitely be a foreigner walking in bell now.

if your lucky enough to find it open dav .

That's true Bri, I'm suprised it doesn't do well saying it's the only watering hole on estate now, back In day it was always packed afternoons and night, but all day opening and greedy breweries put a stop to it I suppose, to be honest the working day bloke can't afford the extortionate prices of today, and let's not forget government tactics have and still are closing our pub heritage down, sad really everyone loved a couple of pints after work.

Bambam most people now commute for miles by car/train and the last thing they want to do is call at a boozer on their way home and also the age of the breathalyser stops some people from going for a drink

not all of them .

Good morning all never to return now hey that's a good name fort Blubell

I am surprised that no one has mentioned loaneend chippy, just a wooden hut across from Sims Road pub but they made good chips , I think that Edith Lee owned it,

Suprisingly people are still being prosecuted daily with breathalyser, some folk never learn, can't remember chippy at simms rd Bentlegs but I remember the wooden chippy hut on station rd, they was good chips to.

Bambam you mean the "Chip pan" they did good chips but at times they were what I call bitty small pieces of chips

gwilym,s funeral is at the holy trinity -7th dec at 10-30.

Yes the chip pan, Peterp do you know if it's still going I remember Eddies chippy on rectory rd, used to come out of Bell or club and call in there for supper don't think many chippies open late night any more it's kebabs and pizza now.

Chip pan open dinner & Tea times according to good old google

Glad it's still going it is surrounded by a big estate and they probably do well, thanks peterp.

i go most fridays dav .

Oh belting I didn't know that Bri, I miss the chippies not that I need them battling with weight gain, I used treat myself once a week on Friday tea but all chippies near me in Springfield are rubbish, there is still a good one in beech hill facing tesco express but queues are crazy so I don't bother now.

The chip pan garswood up for sale so get your bids in quick

Someone will soon snap that up, a good chippy will make good money, hope it doesn't turn in to a Chinese or Indian like other estates.

the thing is dav they can ruin them like the one in bolton rd who sold theirs to a young couple who would,nt run it the old way & people voted with their feet & it closed down ,.

The Chip Pan

It's a confusing address that gaffer, Ashton in makerfield wigan merseyside. It's quite expensive as well.

Bambam

Their website is just as bad.
For a company based in Goose Green it’s a poor show.

Don’t know how true, if at all, this is, but I was once told The Chip Pan building was originally built by the prisoners of war to store ammunition in.
I kinda doubt it, but makes you think why such a building was built there among a row of terraced house instead of another terraced house.

Could well be true gustavus, it was built in old Garswood day we'll before the large estate went up.

Gustavus I've tried to remember what was at the rear of the terraced houses on station rd I'm sure there was farmers fields there, perhaps where the chip pan is now was an entrance for the farmer afore the hut was erected, maybe Bentlegs has some knowledge.

Hi, Bambang, I was born in station Rd a couple of hundred from the chippy, all the land behind the chippy were farmers fields until they built the estate,the land was outcropped to where Birch groce is, regarding the chippy mam uses to send me with bowl enough for 4 of us and that was before world war 2, Jonny Greenhall was the owner and it don't appear to have changed apart from a coal fired boiler, I recon they are the best in Ashton,

Map of Station Road c.1890

Cheers for that Bentlegs so it's always been a good chippy, thanks for map gaffer very interesting.

…I asked someone I knew who was going into the Chip Pan on Friday to ask about the Prisoner of War thing. He was told it was used to accommodate Prisoners of War. So maybe that is where the connection lies.

Was going down Booths Brow Road last evening. I like the red telephone box, lit up, with the soldier inside. It’s at the side of the house facing what used to be Slaters Pen. Nice touch.

Nice one I haven't seen that Gustavus, will have to look out for that next time I go up there.

Morning all wonder you that is

not seen spike since dav .

He will be back on bus to Ashton Fri Bri, he'll have his hands full with carers at moment.

yes he will dav .

I will give him a ring tomorrow to see how his mother is getting on, he mentioned losing weight with her not being there, but I'm sure the girls are feeding him well.

he might be substituting beer for food dav .

Probably is Bri, his mother didn't like him going out after pandemic I think that's the longest period of his life not having a scoop, but he's got a freedom break now, hope he handles it well I wouldn't want him come to any harm, I've had some good times with the old timer.

Stoney brow Ashton,how longsince the cottages were kncked down,it is down the side of the old police station,

Don't know much about stoney brow Bentlegs, I know there are some nice houses round back off old road my old mate ex greener lives there, or he did, wasn't there a clinic of some sort a little further up than police station, and did they build where stoney cottages was.

Bambam as you walk past the old police station there were double gates and if you turned into a small yard i think there were steps at the back and these led to the school dentist

When I used the School dentist there, entrance was by the front: the small pedestrian gate.

It is 'The Old Manse'.

When the Congregational church sold that land for a police station to be built there, the manse was included, but under a separate deed and contract. The original intention had been to allow for the site occupied by the manse to be used to allow building of a courthouse.

That never happened, so I think we saw some intermittent usage of the property, such as for school health service, until it again reverted to being a private dwelling house.

I do remember going in there through a gate off old rd, I didn't know they converted back to a house.

Front entrance

rear

Thanks ena, brought back some memories there I can see the old magician's house on that map, Fred Barton also a teacher in his time.

Sorry to go off topic, but strangely I was just wondering. If in the unlikelihood that the question…Name something or someone associated with Wigan came up on Family Fortunes, and the 100 people who were surveyed weren’t from Wigan. What do you think would be the top 5 answers in order of most popular to 5th popular?
My guess is…

Wigan Casino
George Formby
Wigan Pier
Wigan Rugby
Wigan Athletic

…would George Orwell, Ian McKellen, Uncle Joes or even ‘pies’ be up there?…or maybe a more obvious one I haven’t thought of?

…Just a thought!

I would think maybe uncle joes, wigan rugby, pits and miners, mills, and the pier, the TV programme goodnight sweetheart was on last week and they mentioned wigan and the pier numerous times, we are probably famous for a lot more, I know the first Railway murder was comitted in wigan of a police officer.

Wallace and Grommet had a Wigan address

They certainly did peterp, wallaby street, in one of the films you can see A to Z map of wigan in the van.

wot about downall green united gustavus ? .

… …Yes Whups!…Great team! Maybe never to return…so sad!
I was thinking if the same question applied to St Helens, I could only think of, Saints Rugby, Johnny Vegas and a couple of darters!…Struggling after that!
Maybe if you had kept up the darts Whups you could have made that Wigan list!

…Just started to snow in Downall Green!

Bit of snow in Springfield, St Helens only famous for rugby and glass.

Maybe wigan is famous for pie shops but I think st Heleners were first christened pie eaters, the famous pie eating competition is held In wigan, unfortunately the chap who ran it owns pubs in wigan but has since gone into liquidation, so I don't know if it will continue.

Yeh Bambam, forgot about glass. Haydock Park is under St Helens as well.
Tony Callaghan is the fella who owns the pubs. I think I heard he bought the Cross Keys in Ashton and that hasn’t opened since. But I may be wrong about that.
Didn’t Tony Callaghan appear on ‘Four in a bed’ once with The Brocket pub?, and one of the beds collapsed, or have I dreamt that?

I think it's true about the bed collapsing he got some stick for that, I used to work for hime and I believe he wanted cross Keys to be another of his fifteen bars, he once owned largest pub in wigan with three floors it was always packed but only opened at weekends, he also owned lap dancing club which did well, he ran the Raven pub for Neil Kay but unsure what he will do now.

Cheers Bambam!…Just been ‘googling’…it was indeed on Four in a bed. It was ‘Fifteens of Swinley’ then.

His first fifteen was and still is in wallgate, he sold the one in king st west, he also has one in pemberton, don't know what will happen to them now.

Cross keys (15) in Ashton up for sale

I bet they want a few quid for that peterp, but what will it become as Ashton is full of bars with cheap prices in daytime.

They spent a few bob extending it at the back. now for sale at £425000 Would need planning permission if there was a change of use(flats)

Just been talking to an old mate and the subject of Morgan pop came up, he said that they moved to Haydock to where th Poles lived when they first came over, he said they had closed down or sold out,

I take it that's after they moved from Bryn Bentlegs.

Gustavos must have watched Downallgreen utd Brian he seems know us and a lot more

I think gustavus lives on estate somewhere.

yes malc & knows curtsy too .

Yes…No…Yes.

Ha ha, I think gustavus must know us all but we don't know who he is.

I know you all very well! …you’ll always be part of my Downall Green family! X

Gustavus

Were you a regular visitor to a haulage company in Blackrod when you were a young man?

Gustavos did you go in Blue Bell at one time and was Landlord back in your day

I know who you are thinking of malc.

Sorry, no to those questions!…Ive staggered out of the bell many many times!
Miss those days!

You sure are a rum Un gustavus, we will probably know you very well.

Do you not go in Bell now gustavos I've not been in sin David Houghton s wake over 3 years now who was Landlord when you went in there

All this pondering no good fort napper he met let us know for crimbo

If he's an old greener cracker was probably landlord then, it was always busy in them days.

It could have been Jimmy Seden Dave

That would be a long time ago Malc.

been to gwillym,s funeral today dav very sad . quite a few there & seen him off proper . they went to the bowling club after .

Thanks for that Bri, nice to hear poor lad got a good send off.

Yeh Whups, was a good turn out for Gwilym. Good to see so many lads from the past, who I hadn’t seen in a while. Pity it was under such circumstances.

…First Bell landlord I had serve me was Cracker!…and inhabited there under many landlords afterwards.

Cracker was a good landlord stuck to his guns, no hanky panky or after time boozing with him at the helm, when did you leave estate gustavus.

so was you there at the funeral gus ? .

Left estate roughly 1987, but only stopped going in Bell many years later Bambam.

Yes, I was at the funeral Whups.

…I feel the net is closing in on me!

I must know you well then gustavus, I left estate in 1985 but visited Bell and rat shop for many years later.

yes i think so too .

Morning all Could it be Billy Collins

Thanks for everyone who attended the funeral it was lovely to see he had so many friends thanks again x

It was such a sad day John but at the same time a great celebration of my oldest friend Gwilym. It was great to see so many from the old days attend and shows he will never be forgotten.

No Dag…Not Billy!

Made me smile the rememberance card Sammys. With the racing picture at Haydock Park on the front. Gwilym would have loved that.
When did he meet Mike Tyson?

It was a few years ago now about 15 years at wigan athletic ground a couple of us went it was a good night

…Great memories for you!

he maybe david parkinson malc ? .

No!…Not David Parky Whups…nice try tho!…Some character David is, strange lad!…Not seen him for ages!

Is there not going to be a Christmas Tree in Downall Green this year?…Didn’t they have one on the school premises at the front railings a year or two ago?

Paul Thompson Leggy could it be mmmm gusto must let us know for crimbo Boys

No not Leggy!
Not seen him for years either!

They seek him here, they seek him there!

Ha ha, you could still be guessing next xmas Malc, I've thought of a few but they didn't go in Bell.

I’ll keep the guessing game going up to Chrimbo…see if you can get me!…Then if not I’ll let you know!

Gustavus did you have any brothers or sisters.

Yes!…Mustavus, Cantavus and Bestavus!

It was hard as a kid squabbling over clothes!…If I was up last I had to manage off wardrobe leftovers!

Ha ha I love you're humour, would you reveal what school you attended after rectory.

I went to the Cansfield School!…Also known as ‘Central School’
Made me wonder why it was known as ‘Central’ School?

It was ASM when I attended with upper and lower school, not sure where central came from.

I was thinking you might be clanc or his cousin Mark, then I thought maybe one of Thompsons but Keith joined marines and kev wouldn't be on here when boozers are open.

no dav none of those .

Do you know Bri.

‘’Kev wouldn’t be on here when boozers are open’’…How true!
As Whups said, none of them!…I wonder if he knows!
I have thrown in one or two clues into previous texts. But not obvious clues!…Don’t want to give it away too easy!

It's great this just like whodunnit, you must be either older than myself or roughly same age, or you wouldn't remember old haunted steps of old school, they started demolition there In 70 or 71, I have probably named you In my thoughts but it's hard as there was so many memories, but there can't be to many people who have had the privelage of Harry lowe's prodding piano finger.

Central school

i think he does remember them dav ,

Just been reminiscing with my brother about who gustavus could be, we had a good laugh talking of estate back in the day, he mentioned a few names one of them being a good friend of his, it was great to mention all the characters on estate I hadn't realised just how many there was, and the bell and rat shop we had good memories of all folk who went In those premises.

Was wondering Bambam, What was with the mass exodus in your street?…Your family moved to Rectory Rd. Dennis Bailey to Garswood. Peter Richardson initially to Garswood. Jimmy Liptrot to Lone Eend…Was it before being given the right to buy your council house maybe and wanting to own your own home?

Dya remember the Walkers? front windows being put through during the Millingford strike, if I remember correctly?

I think the "Central" school got its name because it was Central to Ashton and the surrounding area. The Grammar school was well established at the Junction of Old Road/Wigan Road and Eddy Arrow mint did not exist till the early 60's

Oh yes I remember it all very well, walkers windows going through and Ken fairhurst getting beat up coming home from bell, caused uproar that Millingford strike, my mother decided the house was to big in elm Ave as all us kids had moved out, she could have bought it for £8000 like walkers did but it had four bedrooms large kitchen, dining area, rear lounge, and front lounge, I think Jimmy and his wife had a windfall don't know why Peter and Sheila moved, them houses were strongly built never any building or roof damage unlike today's properties.

Yes Bambam, belting houses!…Solid well built property!
I sometimes bump into Sheilagh Liptrot and not so often Jimmy in the Simms!

As for the Millingford strike, I remember following the precession around the estate on my bike, along with many others, and was right outside the Walkers when the windows went through.
I wonder if the strikers ever got what they were fighting for?
Don’t think I was old enough to know what the hell was going on then!
I remember going behind Millingfords, near the brook that ran past it at weekends and sometimes finding large ball bearings!…Or ‘Casties’ as we called em!…I wonder why ‘Casties’?
Also was ‘Millys Brook’ actually Millingfords Brook shortened?

…It was like living in a soap opera on Downall Green, great characters and great stories to tell!

Yes millys brook we did same at back of there fishing for casties, then jack walker appeared at top so we legged it to bluebell wood, Jack was a gentleman he never told my parents about us messing about at millys otherwise I wouldn't have sat down for a week they was nice family I think there was 7 children who all attended Grammar school, there was a few big families back then I know swifts on island had 11 kids, Roberts family on birch grove I think had 7 children.

Where they casties because they were the heavy item you chose to cast when playing game of marbles? That being the context in which I had come across the term, I assumed so, but could easily be wrong.

We called them casties ena, they were very hard steel boll bearing and very hard and heavy.

What about Tony Birkett ney this is just up Tony's street but he didn't go in Bell much unless it was football it's like Colombo JUST ONE MORE THING

O hi houses up on estate where built to last gustavos do you remember when Mr Jackson crawled thourgh atic into Boffys and cut his self ney that must have been early late 60s early 70s do you have any brothers n sisters gusto

No, not Tony Birkett Dag!…Good try tho!

Just been trying to find out (Google) as to why we called ballbearings ‘Casties’…
Noticed that can be made of Carbon Steel. Could the first two letters of those two words form the word ‘Cast’ and we referred to them as ‘Cast’ies?
Probably not, but worth a punt!

I thought I knew who gus is but the guy lives on rectory rd, and gus said he left 1987, will have keep thinking. but I do think he will be 55 to 57 yrs old now.

Will find out Christmas day iam sure I'll come clean then dav

Oh yes Dag, those houses were built to last. Proper dwellings!
Never fails to amaze me how well built, older than Downall Green houses, are! The detail they put in, even high up in the buildings. And how much time and effort they put into building them, even though life expectancy was much lower in those days. We supposedly have a much higher life expectancy nowadays giving us more time, but we just throw up inferior sub standard housing. Those houses were the best!

…As well as me there is Mustavus, Cantavus and Bestavus!

…I kinda remember the Mr. Jackson thing!…Didn’t he get into a bit of trouble, or something else in those days?

…Oh yes, if you don’t work out who I am I will give you my name as a Christmas gift!…But I do feel the walls are closing in!

We would know straight away if we knew where you lived but I suppose that's to easy, I still think you are around mid 50s, then again I've not been reet so far.

I remember your parents very well gustavus if you are who I think you are.

It looks like his trying gee is sel up reading this 4 of them fourdustknowus then mmmm

If you think you know who I am Bambam, what is the second letter of my surname?

I've not been correct yet but I will go for the letter R.

R is incorrect for the first name!

Pointless trying if I got it wrong but the guy I'm thinking of would have second letter of surname as D.

No, sorry Bambam.

Here’s a clue!

Only one of these statements is correct!

a… I once watched Whups play a darts match on Morecambe Pier.

b… I once was at a Buffs meeting where I bought Bambam a drink.

c…I once left Dag asleep In toilets at Bell and told Landlord everyone was out as he was locking up!

Hells bells I thought I was closing in, if you know about buffs you must know me better than I thought, do you know what degree I was in buffs, if you answer that correctly I will be astonished.

Kangaroo!

…No, sorry Bambam, I don’t know!…But is (b.) the correct statement?

And yes, I know you well, as I do your family!

…Is Tina still in the USA?

No not b as answer was incorrect, so I will go for a if it was c malc would know who you are, I'm suprised you know about buffs as a kangaroo is a first degree brother, yes Tina still in USA.

Googled ‘Kangaroo’ Bambam!… But I did know you was in Buffs!…Michael M to as I remember!…Nice fella!

Yes me and spike were ROH members in buffs both of us being past PGP'S for st Helens and district province, I'm struggling now with smoke coming out of ears As to who you are, I thought you was mid 50s but unsure now you might be more to 60 or even older, if there was 4 children In family I'll have put thinking cap back on.

Sorry Bambam!…Didn’t want to give anyone a headache!…It has gone on too far now me thinks!…

If you refer to my post on 9th of December at 22.39, you have there all the info you need. The answer is in front of your eyes!

…Good Luck!

There was a few downall green buffs on here at one time, earthworm and green apple, do you know them.

Obviously I was one, as I bought you a drink at one of the meetings!

…I do remember there being more than you and Michael, but can’t remember who!…Do you still go?

was kev earthworm dav .

Yes Bri kev was earthworm, buffs folded in Ashton much to my disgust I loved raising monies for charaties and spent a lot of time travelling country to do so.

Fair play to you Bambam, well done with the fund raising!
Shame it had to end!

still dav it was an experience tho .

It sure was Bri, I met some lovely people even met a bloke with same name as me, he heard of me becoming the PGP of St Helens and travelled from Wales to Runcorn where I was doing a charity event to actually meet me, I was in tears that day as it raised a lot of money for the blind he brought all buffs from there with him and the lads all donated generously, I was made up Bri all the hard work paid off and that day I felt like a king.

Good morning king David ast geet thi cap on again there weren't many wi 4 in family what Borris carl Andrew was there Doughter too sickos lived in palm

I am murder for remembering peoples names please correct me if I am wrong but where the Sitco lads Joseph and Philip cannot remember the girls names but think one was called Christine

So there was 5 then Peter/ Phil Andrew Carl Joe and Chris

Phil was 12 month older than me and Joe was the same age has me same yr at school. I thought there was another girl ,long time since I lived at DG(1975) my mistake Cannot remember the other 2 lads

Garnetts as well, Peter, John, Kevin, and Paul.

their names was lenita & christine dav .

Yes Bri, Christine went out with Black Jakey in 70s.

Regarding the mystery man, he could have been a Scott, work that one out,

Regarding the castles found behind Millinford factory, the were part of valves that connected to deep well oil pumps they sealed the oil from running back down the oil well,they would have been rejects Jack walker had nine kids not seven,I know because I worked there,

Yes you are correct Bentlegs, sorry about that I forgot about the 2 eldest Sandra & Geoff, then John, Wendy, Jean, Julie, Kathryn, Billy, and Barbara.

Thanks for info on casties very interesting, we loved going in brook at back fishing the iron bearings out that had over spilled from back of factory, there was always a greasy oily smell as well, loved it.

I also thought about you're earlier comment bentlegs, I had my suspicions about Roys lads who at the time lived in poplar Ave, but they wouldn't have bought me a pint at buffs.

Gustavos did your Dad go in BlueBell by any chance

Yes Bambam, I remember that smell behind Millingfords. Lovely smell!…Also loads of metal shavings on the floor!
I didn’t know there were so many Sitko kids, I thought there was only Phil, Carl and their sister.
…And who the hell was ‘Black Jakey’?…Don’t remember that name!
I had relatives in Palm Avenue!

…Didn’t all Dads go in the Blue Bell back then!…Yes, he did Dag!

Did anyone take a look at this previous message off me?…It was put on after someone asked me have I got brothers and sisters!…It has all you need!……….

(Yes!…Mustavus, Cantavus and Bestavus!

It was hard as a kid squabbling over clothes!…If I was up last I had to manage off wardrobe leftovers! )

…I need to come clean very soon as I didn’t intend to drag this out on your Downall Green forum for so long!…The Downall Green Forum is a great place for Downall Green chat, not guessing who I am!
If someone wants me to disclose who I am I will!

Black Jake lived in cedar grove, worked on railway and rode a Honda plac.

Don’t remember him Bambam!

Wasn't jakey Reta boland sister David had a brother Ray worked at kwik save he liked a drink

Yes that's him Malc, used to go In rat shop, Rita had 2 brothers Nath and gusset.

jakey slater is black jake gus .

No Bri, I should have said 2 besides black jake, Ray (Gusset) lived on Bryn rd south, and Richard (Nath) lived at Land gate.

but how many were called black jake dav ? .

John slater was black jake.

yes dav there,s only 1 black jake .

So gustavos what was your first car mine was Datson cheery

Ha ha that's true Bri, he was a rum one don't know if he's still with us Nath passed and I'm sure I heard Gusset passed as well.

Hiya Dag!…My first car was a Ford Escort!…A lovely car that rotted away very quickly… Bob Kelly welded sills, wheel arches and flooring on it many times up at Littlers Farm!…Now there was a character!
I remember reading on here about Jack Scully passing!…And I remember thinking, ‘so Jacks finally popped his clogs’!…only lad I ever knew who wore clogs regularly…another character!… Both sadly missed!

There was a pub full on characters back then gustavos

There sure was Dag!…Great times!
What was his name who was with Carole Johnstone?…He could annoy one or two when he was in!…Peter summat!…He used to make me laugh, he couldn’t help himself but try and fall out with someone!

Ray slater would sup ale out of a sweaty clog gustavos did you play football fort Blue Bell

Gustavus is busted, just figured out who he is.

Ya ya he he gustavos been busted we think its been great chasing him round Downallgreen over David

Well done Bambam! …Who am I ?…and what gave it away?

G W, I looked at the clue with names.

ex-Downall Greeners 25

Well done Bambam!…Also if you look at that text with the names you would have found my name.
See below!

(Yes!…Mustavus, Cantavus and Bestavus!

It was hard as a kid squabbling over clothes!…If I was up last I had to manage off wardrobe leftovers! )

…And yes you are right…M Malc C Christine and B Barry!

I started guessing with clue but started at wrong end of estate, I went all way round finally ending up in your street then BINGO.

Please go to thread 25 folks, thanks for all input.