Wigan Album

Good photo Derrick of a bygone era, the car approaching looks like a Ford Prefect 100E, in production from 1953.

Im in a bit of a dilemma here Derrick, Im trying to get my bearings, is the road heading towards the top of the picture going towards Hartcommon, and where were your mudguards lol

Thinking more about this car, it could also be a Ford Anglia 100E in production as the Prefect in 1953, almost identical cars.

Eric worked as a painter for the LUT, later he became a tv aerial erector, he died sometime around 1994. That road does lead to Hart Common.

If I remember right, the firehole wall seen here was left standing for a few years after the mill itself had been semolished.

Its looking towards Hindley

A mate and ex work collegue of mine Tom Heaton lived on Castle Hill, near the Hindley centre end in a very large terraced house. Tom worked with me at UKAEA Risley in the 60s as apprentices then when he had his trade he left to help in the family hosiery business in Wigan Market. In the early days I lived in Whelley and we caught the bus at the bottom of Scholes to Risley and when Tom was old enough to drive I used to drive to his house and leave my car there so he could drive his to work as a learner with me as I had a full licence. He had a red/white Triumph Herald at that time.
When he married Tom moved to Ladies Lane Hindley in a house shared with his brother. Tom died in 2001 I think it was.

Hi,Colin thanks for putting photos on WW for me.
Hi,Aitch your right A58 to westhoughton I could'nt afford to
put mudguards on the bike lol only on £4 15shillings a week
45 hours aweek in 1959.Happy Days then.D.C.

That was a tidy sum £4 15 shillings for a 16 year old in 1959. What job did you do Derrick. I left school at 15, in 1970, only got £3- a week doing apprentice spark.

Yes, I agree, £4. 15s (or £4.75) would have been a fantastic wage for a 16 year old in 1959. My first job on leaving school in 1966 was £3, less NI stamp. I supplemented it with a Sunday paper round which gave me an extra £1.

What a treat to see Eric Bishton. I knew him very well. His father lived in Sandy Lane. . Eric married Annie when I was about12 or 13 yrs old. We remained friends for years. sadlly Annie died first followed by Eric a couple of years later. Eric's cousin lives in Hindey Green. A lovelly family

Did Annie work at a local opticians? I remember Eric saying that some local coach drivers would practice their reversing technique between his house in Carr Street, and the gap between the house next door.

I started work as an apprentice deaughtsman in 1961 on £4-13s-8d a week. It was not a fantastic wage by any means as my mates who worked in the local factories were earning almost twice that. I caught up with hteir wages about 4 years later and then started to earn more than them after that

Yes Annie did work at the opticians in Hindley. Prior to that she worked at the Infirmary I have a Chimney Pot from his roof .

No, it's looking towards hart common, westhoughton