Wigan Album

My maternal grt grandmother was born in Up Holland after her parents moved from Blackrod and then finished up in Greenough St ......what a contrast! Even the ruins in this village are spectacular!

I recognise the area in the photo from when I used to get the bus from Holland Moor to go to Upholland Parish Church on a Sunday morning back in the 1950's.

Is that Butch and Sundance stood in the doorway? The bloke sat on the wall bears a striking resemblance to Flatnose Currie so I assume that must be News Carver and Harvey Logan standing over by the getaway Bedford.

The old jailhouse mentioned still stands as a private residents just down hill. With its elevated position and its nooks and crannies,Upholland has managed to keep its village ambience. Many my ancestors from 'ere Vb.

It seems to me the real villain of the piece is the lady scurrying away. Whilst all the men are on the look-out and watching the bank - she's been in the church and pinched all the candlesticks and stuffed them in her portmanteau. I think she's called Annie!

Possibly part of my family tree Vb. A long time ago they resided at the famous "ghost house" across the road from the building coming down.

On the census return for 1881 I have Elizabeth Moore living in Oxford St showing as born at Up Holland about 1866. Her father Henry born Blackrod in1844.. His parents and grandparents all came from Blackrod. Keep meaning to go on the train sometime to the nearest train station to Up Holland Gw and have a meander around. I would like to see the grave of George Lyon as well. It is a lovely village.

Your right Veebee, It's a smokescreen. Butch and Sundance draw the attention of Pinkerton's men, while Etta sneaks up the blind side with the non ferrous from the church and the afternoon's takings from the White Lion. Brilliant strategy.

I think your version Eddie is far more funnier than mine! A lot of the posters on here are very quick and comical and often I don't think they are meant to be. Thats Wiganers for you! Anyway they set me off laughing -my lovely neighbours must think I'm going doo-lally if they can hear me.

Many of my Mother's family are buried in the Churchyard in a single grave, and it was one of the treats to go on a Sunday to lay flowers on the grave.

The old "jailhouse" was actually the manorial court house were the lord of the manor would have dealt with estate business and certain other legal issues ralting to the manor and area. It was used by the local brass band as a practice room in the early 20th Century and was known as "The Band Room" it has been a private house for many years.

Maggie I have done quite a bit of hunting around grave yards in the past- you are lucky if you know where some of your ancestors are. I have even gone to graveyards and discovered that who I have been looking for has been removed in the dead of night!!! All the graves been removed and grassed over.

Now that really is creepy Veebee.

I know it is creepy but it's true! I bet you and your gang with the earth moving equipment know something about it! It was actually St Peter's in Hindley. It also happened in Bolton whilst I was looking for a connection to Samuel Crompton with some other of my maternal grandmother's forebears. It sounds as if I am name dropping now but he ended up as poor as a church mouse anyway!

Perhaps you mean All Saints, Hindley, Vb - St Peter's was built too late to be allowed a burial ground.

Spot on Reverend I have just looked in my records a Samuel Crompton buried 12th Oct 1873 All Saints Hindley aged 65 of Deansgate Hindley. His birth was Bolton about 1808. Marriage to Anne Bailey St Mary's Dean 1829 and 2nd marriage to Betty Butterworth S t Peters Bolton .His father is Henry Crompton he is the link I need to do more work on.

It seems we were looking in the wrong churchyard anyway. It was St Peters we were looking and because there were no gravestones we thought they had been moved, I have found Samuel in the burial lists so he is buried there will have to go sometime when the weather improves. Thank you for that info Reverend.

Looking in the wrong churchyard....Ha.. Thanks, thats given me a belly laugh Vb!!.

.."we thought they had been moved"..Ha.ha ha..hahaha..ha..ha..no more Vb!!

Vb,I think I am correct in saying george Lyon is burried in a unmarked grave somewhere around the the walls of the church building .due to being a thief and a robber, he was hung at lancaster castle then brought back to upholland, so I am informed

Yes it is funny GW but it has been known for the removal of graves and I have come across this before in Bolton.

I do know the story Sam I had forgotten his grave was unmarked! Understandable for the time,

George Lyons grave isn't unmarked. He is buried in the same grave as his mother and it has the name of his mother on it.
"Nanny Lyon. Died April 7th 1804" .

The Nanny Lyon mentioned on the stone was in fact George Lyon's daughter.
The original register entry reads "10 Apr 1804 St Thomas the Martyr, Up Holland, Lancashire, England
Nanny Lyon - Daughter of George Lyon. Abode: Upholland.

I had always thought that he was buried in his daughter's grave but I went to a talk at Upholland Library last year and the person giving the talk said that he was buried in his mother's grave.

Ron - I think I'm still inclined to believe the register entry made at the time, by a clergyman/parish clerk who in all likelihood knew the deceased, over someone speaking about it over two hundred years after the event.

Ron,i believe in the 18th century people who were hung were not burried in consecrated ground,unless you had been a wealthy person,famous highwayman dick Turpin was executed on yorks tyburn,the knavesmire,now the racecourse,and supposedly burried in st George's church yard but local historians after research are believing this to be false ,for same reason I have mentioned.

Sam H - George Lyon and his accomplices Bennett And Houghton were all buried in UpHolland churchyard on 23rd April 1815. The Reverend William Bird officiated at the burials. This information is to be found in the UpHolland parish registers.
The only executed felons barred from receiving burial in consecrated ground were murderers. Persons executed for any other capital offence could receive a church burial provided family or friends claimed the body.

Mick I'm not saying I don't believe what you say. As I said, I was always led to believe he was buried in his daughter's grave.

My paternal ancestry from 1709 resided in Upholland. All baptised and married at St Thomas the Martyr ...the name Catterall if there are any descendants living there still.