Wigan Album

Love it! What a fascinating glimpse "behind the scenes" so long ago. I bet those tankards hanging up belonged to individual customers who always drank out of their own, and the landlord or barmaid, (I refuse to say "barperson"!), knew which tankard belonged to which customer. I remember going in The Boars Head when I was young and it still had small individual rooms, and I remember one marked "Gentlemen Only" where ladies weren't allowed!

Not been in here for yonks. There was a back room with a serving hatch . If it's still there l shall call in for a pint.

It is a quaint pub - but that is REAL quaint! Went to a reunion a few years ago and sensed the age and history of it but it did have a kind of cosmetic quaintness about it with all the pictures and plush carpets. We enjoyed the meal and ambience anyway.

I always liked this pub, but I haven't been in there for ages. I used to work at the same place as a girl who had friends who were landlord and landlady at the time and she told me they had a resident ghost.

It's funny you should mention that Elizabeth we were talking about ghosts at the time. It would be interesting to hear about it.

Veronica, I can tell you that Elizabeth, Maureen and myself, when we get together, love to share ghost stories!

The Boar's Head, originally an Almond's house, was kept for many years by Sally and Paddy Keegan, and Sally's brother, Joe Gobin. They eventually retired to Victoria Street, Newtown, to a house let to them, on a peppercorn rent, by a grateful brewery.

Each of them, in his or her own way, was an unforgettable character.

Sally, a superb cook, was an extremely well-read woman, who could swap literary allusions with the best of them. She was shrewd, kind and generous.

Paddy had a ready, very Irish wit, and a twinkling eye. He was charm personified.

Joe, who never married, had served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War. He was a shy man, rather slow of speech, but the most loyal and dependable friend anyone could have. He and Paddy were complete opposites in terms of character.

It was a privilege to have known these wonderful people, and I am grateful to Mr Hunt for posting this photo, which has triggered so many happy memories.

Veronica,Irene's correct re the ghost stories.when we all met up we had quite a few stories to tell....oooooh,we love a good ghost story if you have any to tell.

Only what I've been told Maureen and I can't remember them now. I have experienced doors opening and shutting and a light coming on though! I suppose some would say there was an explanation for it ! It was creepy though.

It looks like a computer screen or tablet behind that bottle of spirit.

Yes Veronica, Irene and Maureen are right, we all love a good ghost story !

I think most people do Elizabeth. When I worked at the hospital it was said that a ward in one of the oldest buildings was haunted. It's been demolished since though.

Veronica, in the Hospital I worked at..the night staff never liked going on one particular Ward,they said they could hear babies crying in the night,it was the ward where lots of babies died during the Diptheria outbreak...just as an aside
I myself got it but was nursed back to health on the ward where I finished up working.

There must be similar stories up and down the country Maureen. Another ward I worked on just before I retired, it was said a nurse who I worked with committed suicide and was seen apparently when the ward had been emptied and moved. She was a great girl ( aged 50)and we were all very shocked when it happened it was so sad.

Veronica,it happened at our Hospital..an SRN had been to our ward for something and before leaving she said "I've had enough,I'm going" of course we thought that she meant going back to her ward...but she took an overdose that night,I think she was around 50ish..it is as you say very sad.

I used to be the glass collector/pot washer at The Pig's Nut in my student days during the mid '70's when mine hosts were Peter and Christine Lyle. On one occasion a courting couple were getting over enthusiastic in their demonstration of affection for each other when Peter stepped in and pointed out: "This is the Boar's Head, not The Whore's Bed". Happy Days.

Philip's comments regarding the courting couple remind me of Bernard, the landlord of the Abbey Lakes in the 1970s.
Seeing a chap give his girlfriend a very chaste peck on the cheek, he bellowed 'Get out! Get out! There's park benches for that sort of thing!'

Sally's dad had the pub first, Joe and Paddy did not get on, Joe looked after the bowling green for the bowling club, members in the 60s John Wane, Tom and Sid Waller Walter Farrington, Ralf Maguire and many more.