Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 8th May, 2019)

A grand piece of artwork with supporting text from the pupils Mick, while the white hat with poppy and plume is really quite dandy.

Nice hat Mick

The Murals have been put in the wrong place, a better spot would have been round the corner were the path is much wider.

the bike is in the wrong place.

I like how the drawing depicts the pitmen sitting on their haunches! It used to be a very common sight to see in the fifties. I remember men sitting like that outside their front doors in the summertime watching the world go by.....

There was a DVD out some years ago showing some ex miners from Billinge speaking in dialect, it was named after the way miners would sit and bide the time, unsure of the spelling now, though it was something like - Caw'r thi darn, maybe someone shall know the correct spelling.

I wonder if the word was from 'cowering' Cyril. ( I don't know either how the word was spelt in dialect) I should imagine the pitmen were used to being bent double in the tunnels so they were familiar with crouching down, and couldn't get out of the habit!

Veronica - the haunch sitting you mention was very much a characteristic of Aspull men. Outsiders noticed it immediately.
Still evident in the early 1960s.

Sometimes they sat with one leg stuck out in front Gary - makes you wonder how they kept their balance. My dad would often sit like that as well. Probably wearing clogs helped!

Cyril. The dvd is entitled 'howd thi din un cahr thi dehn', and was produced for Wigan Borough Heritage Network, by Billinge History/Heritage Society.

When I worked underground we were only given our jobs at pit bottom - so a lot of waiting around with no seats - so that’s how we squatted. Then there are no dining tables and chairs inbye - so you ate your snap on your haunches too. It got to be second nature - if there was a quiet minute you’d take the weight off your feet.

Its as chep sittin as stondin !

That's the one Philip I couldn't remember the spelling, I got a copy from Just Entertainment when it was in the market hall, so it's some years ago now, and very interesting to view too as I remember.

Thanks, Cyril.

Rev david Long did;nt know you was a pit lad'