Wigan Album

Ince Bar, a name I'm so familiar with from all those years ago but can anyone tell me just where it was? Lower and Higher Ince yes, but cannot place Ince Bar.

I grew up in Higher Ince and never knew The White House was really called The Walmesley Arms!

Ince Bar was just about where Ince Green Lane met Manchester Road. In days long past, it was a "toll road" where vehicles had to pay a "toll" to be allowed through. There would actually have been a "bar" across the road which would have been lifted on payment to allow them to pass through. There was also one on Ladies Lane in Hindley. and believe it or not, there is STILL a toll-bar on Warburton Bridge in Cheshire! You have to pay 12p to go through the barrier, (or "Bar"), or you can pay 25p for a day-pass.

I thought the only Walmesley Arms was opposite Taylor's Lane,in Spring View. You live,and learn.

My mother met my father while she was a barmaid in the White House,about 1940.
She always talked about the landlord and landlady,I really forget their name ,but Marsh comes to mind.
Irenes dad and pie pea would have sorted it for us!

From the 1925 Ince Directory (see under 'Stuff')", for Manchester Road:

[HUMPHREY STREET]
193 Walmesley Arms; Wm. Joseph Clucas, victualler
195 Horse Shoe Inn; Elizabeth Wareing, victualler
[BELLE GREEN LANE]

You certainly do, Albert! I know The Walmesley Arms in Spring View and yet hadn't realised The White House in Higher Ince, where I grew up, shared the same name. A relative of my sister-in-law used to play the piano in The Walmesley Arms in Spring View. Her name was Clara, I believe.

Bill, my friend Neil Cain's grandad ran "Pie Pee's" pie shop in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was Cain's. My Mam always called it Cain's as did many old Incers, even after Peter Ashurst, (Pie Pee), took it over. It sold the most delicious pies, as any Incer will recall!

Bill,Would the Marsh you mentioned be any relation to Monica Ainsworth. I think her Maiden name was Marsh and I have a niggling feeling she once mentioned her parents had a Pub.

My old granddad from Holt Street used to laugh about a woman who tried to talk posh and would call the pub the Wermsley Orms

That's priceless, Neil! My Aunty Mary used to put a posh voice on at walking day, and would say to people, "Oh, 'ello, hit's very naice to see you.....hisn't it 'ot?" ! And I recall my friend Pat's mam saying at Southport, "Just look at those boys clodding stones!".

Broady,no different people,I remember Bill Marsh ,Monica's dad ,he was the landlord of the Rose Bridge Inn,the first pub on the left over the cut bridge from Ince into Wigan.

Thank you very much Irene for your helpful explanation - much appreciated.

I think a family named Stephens kept the Rose Bridge Inn about 1900. The girl married into the Higham family that kept the Cases Arms across the road

royces gym there now

Anyone know the name of the guy standing at the back, in between the two ladies, he's wearing the jumper - he has the look of a Burgess about him.

I had a childhood friend in Ince, Pat Burgess, and she had a brother Colin, but that isn't him. I didn't know any other Burgesses.

The chap with the pullover was the landlord,forgot his name as well!

If the date 1960 is correct it could be tha landlord was called Mercer. A mate of mine was Kevin Mercer and his dad had the pub in the early '60's

Irene..after my Dad passed away,my Mam's neighbours took her to a club somewhere in Ince,the secretary or whoever was on the microphone as they walked in,and my Mam heard him say"And all thoose who've not paid their subscriptions'll be scrut off"..it still tickles me even typing it out...brilliant.

Stephen, Kevin mercer is on one of my st Williams walking day photos..they did have the White House for a short whils and Kevin's grandad had the imperial.. Kevin moved to leyland I think then I lost contact with him....weer. Et owd pal...

Maureen. I don't know as to whether it was in the same club, or not, (No names, no pack drill). I recollect the concert secretary making reference to a future get together for pensioners', saying "There will be ham sandwiches, and chicken butties". Another good quote he made, when something went wrong on the stage. "We'll soon gerit fettled."

Brilliant story Albert..weren't they characters then..and life was very simple and good..don't you think..I love hearing stories like these..people putting their haitches where there aren't any.

Don't get me started with concert secretary's... I've heard them all.

The artist for next Saturday is pinned up on the notice board
There is a note in the gents that says wet paint......this is not an instruction.

First prize is a diving suit....sorry. A divan suite.

Gerry..brilliant story..have you any more like that.

Maureen, Gerry, Josie, Neil, Albert and all my lovely friends.....my brother Ronnie once told me of a club in Ince where the compere said, "And the next dance will be a snake dance". "What's a snake dance, Mister?", asked a little lad who shouldn't have been in. "It means aw yo' lot wot's snaked in can snake eawt!" replied the compere.....my grand-daughter Edie and I often hold pretend "concerts" and she never fails to include the snake-dance and goes into fits of giggles!

Irene...priceless...some of this alternative comedy should take a leaf out of their book.

The next dance will be a Quakers dance..........twice round the floor then round the back for your oats...

We'd like to present Arthur with a little momentum of his long service
Anyone barging to the front of the queue will be ejaculated from the club
If yer not quiet durin't bingo well bring singer back on

We have a lovely range of beers wines and spirits, a great selection of cigarettes and cigars and if you like gambling you can have a pie...

Hilda has made some excellent sandwiches there's ham, pork chicken.. And the tongue sandwiches speak for themselves....

Brilliant.

I was in a Labour Club one Sunday night and the President came on stage in a sombre mood and said "It gives me great pleasure to announce the Death of ???????? a long time Member of the Club.

Gerry. You comment on club secretaries comments', and script. I've seen some in the old police occurrence books, before the coming of the computer age.1,"Mrs Brown has made a further complaint about youngsters' kicking balls up, and down,her back passage" 2,"The horse that dropped dead in ------- Street, has been carted off by the Knackers'". It is always a case, of think, before you say, or write.

Is that what is Robinsons Antiques now? My nan Betty Blinkhorn was a barmaid in a few of the pubs in ince

No, the pub where Robinson's Antiques is now was The Royal on the corner of Manchester Road and Pickup Street. The pub in the photo was actually on the crossroads at Ince Bar, where the gym is now, opposite The Squirrel. Was your auntie a relative of Annie Blinkhorn who had the chippy down Ince Green Lane?

irene I always wondered why ince( bar),I knew about ladies lane ,or was it stoney lane then being a Toll gate you could still see the evidence in the building sticking out into the roadway till it was modified,ah cains pies I can still taste them I remember a que forming outside as they opened, if you arrived too late they could have sold out am I right?

The landlord was my uncle, Walter Ryan, landlady was Bessie Ryan. Walter is on the back row with stripped jumper and Bessie is to his left wesring glasses.

My grandma and grandad and the lady on the back row next to Tom Hilton is my auntie Evelyn Connelly nee croston

I love looking at the photos of yesteryear and I was belly laughing at the "snake dance". Love the Wigan accent.

The lady in the centre wearing a dark coat with a broach is my grandma. Mary Alice Gaskell nee west. She was born in 1891 and lived most of her like in higher Ince in Bolton st off rose bridge and then west st, moving there just before the war when the houses had just been built.

The lady sat down wearing a broach is my grandma Mary Alice Gaskell. She passed away in 1971 at the age of eighty.

(1925) Walmesley Arms; Wm. Joseph Clucas, victualler