Wigan Album

I grew up in Downall Green and remember a family who lived on the roundabout in Elm Avenue. The families name was Edwards and they had two sons who took up boxing in their teens, James and Alfred, The third from the right top row has a look of Alfred in his younger days. The only other name for the same person that keeps popping into my mind was a boy called Taberner who lived in Garswood somewhere down Victoria Road, near the old co-op. Just guessing I lived in Downall Green from 1947 to 1958 a long time ago

Waz I must know you lol, it is Alf his brother jimmy is first on the left second row down,

I went to Rectory school from 1950 to 1957. I dont recognise any of these at this age,but I probably knew them when they were older.
I have mentioned this before but their doesn't seem to be any class photos from when I was there. Is their a reason for this?

I've said the same thing JONDAV, you and I were there about the same time, pics of Ken, Roy and Ste when they were there, but none of our years... Must be because the ones who have pics of our years aren't on WW.. I recognize a few faces, I recognize who dougie says is Alf, but I didn't know his name.. There is a girl 2nd row up, 1st girl on the left, was she a Frodsham? 3rd row 4th in from the right I think was Hinchcliffe, the older sister of a girl in the same year as me...As Jondav says, I would recognize them when they and I were older..

I'll give you the names as told to me by one of them, Betty Sadler.
Back Row, left to right:
Jack Heaton, Harry Heaton, Harold Parkinson, Colin Davies, John Leather, Alf Edwards, Derek Holland, Tom Cunliffe
2nd row:
James Edwards, Marion Barton, Jean Barker, Jean Eckersley, Betty Sadler, Norma Glover, Marion Hill, Marian Halliwell, Billy Hurst
3rd row:
Robin Green, Ann Frodsham, Barbara Heyes, Cynthia Littler, Margaret Williams,Dorothy Topping, Mavis Gorner, Gwen Jones, Keith Fairhurst
Front row:
Allan Abbott, Bill Felstead, Terrance Riley, Stanley Yeates, Derek Atherton, Eric Ferguson, Raymond Ashton

Good one Eric... please say Hello to Betty for me please... I hope she is well....Talk to you soon..

I'm the same as jondav and Janet I've not seen any photographs of the class that I was in all through school. There is a photograph of three boys stood on the playing field with one playing a guitar and I am one of those. I was also a school goal keeper and played at the same time as Kevin Atherton, Geoff frodsham and another good goal keeper called Allan Birkett, his dad if I remember right was something to do with Wigan Athletic, the used to live in Simms Lane End. I remember some of my teachers, Miss Jolly, Miss Cross I think there was aMrs Cross as well, Mr Berry, Mr Littler who came whilst I was in the upper school, I think Mr Brown had the top class but I can't remember.Then there was the terror of Mr Lowe the headmaster, someone I will never forget for all the wrong reasons. Mr Foster was the old head and when he retired he could be seen in Ashton and a total different person in his retirement. believe it or believe it not he had quite a cheery disposition and would stop to talk to you and ask how you were getting on. Something he did'nt do when he was head.

wuz, I remember all those teachers and heads. Mr.Littler was very strict so we called him Hitler.

Wuz... did you live on Lilac ave.. the Blue Bell or the bottom of Poplar Ave?

Janet,I lived in Cedar Grove,other families there were the Turner,Shepherds,Adamsons,Prior,Davies, Slater,Crompton, Thompson,Sutton and a couple I cant remember some moved on but not many,one of the mum's was a dutch lady, My dad was Arthur Winstanley and I'm David,but I've not been back since the late fifties early sixties. I'm called wuz because of my broad Wigan accent, I say buz instead of bus etc and hence the nickname wuz.

Wuz, of course you are David, it says so on the pic... silly me, my head has not been screwed on right today, lol, I've been getting everything mixed up all day....Did you know Ken or Roy Lomax? they are my brothers, I remember one of them, I think it was Ken, was good friends with Robin..

David,I knew I would know you and your sister wink, I could do a better job of naming them round the grove than you did you even missed the people that lived next door off

Janet I have a memory of knowing Roy Lomax but I'm not sure about ken. Dougie you are right age dims the memory but I've tried to bring the next door neighbour to mind and the name that keeps coming back to me is Pam Heaton but I think this was the daughter. I remember when we left Downall Green I didn't want to move schools so Mrs Heaton ( can't even remember her first name, remiss of me)used to let me stay at her house for a shorttime at dinner times.I do have memories of people who used to live in nearby streets but after all this time it is just a memory.

The Ormshaws lived on Poplar Ave, Margaret,Barbara,and Derek they were around at that time!

hi wuz i have been asking about you and your carol on here for along time.it is lovely to see your alright.hope all the family are fine.i am albert uncle georges son from elm ave.

Hi albert long time no see or hear I have noticed your nameon Wigan World album a few times with other names that were blasts from the past.Even after all this time I like to hear about the old times in Downall Green and the people who lived there at the same time we did. Its been a long long time since I've been back not since my mum died and thats some time now.

david look on north ashton rectory school . you will see a photo of our class

Wuz... Our Roy played football, he was on the same team as Brent Atherton and Eric Winstanley.. There is a pic of him on the 60/61 school team... Ken didn't play sports, he is ( I think) the same age as Kevin Atherton..

Hi wuz, i remember a ken tabener and cliff tabener from garswood, ken was good footballer at the time and also good crown green bowler.

hi wuz yes it is nice to hear of you.where are you living now. i am still in bryn .still see a lot of old friends. please pass my regards to carol and clive.

Eric: Jack Heaton lived in Garswood, his brother Edward was at school with me. Harold Parkinson lived on the corner of Cedar Grove and Polar Ave. and Colin Davies lived in Cedar Grove, his brothers were Brian and Graham. David (WUZ) the Dutch lady was Lottie Pimblett, John Pimblett's mother, they lived at No.9. When we played together in the 50's the families who lived in the Grove were, starting at No.1, Turner, Shepherd, Adamson, Winstanley, Heaton, Davies, Prior, Hutchinson then Slater, Pimblett, Crompton, Cunliffe, and Sutton. Best Wishes to all.

Colin Davies also had a brother Alan !

Hi Eric. Just joined the site, what a blast from the past, still remember one or two of those names, even though I was 74 two weeks ago. I wonder how many of the class are still around, best wishes to them all. Robin, in the Garden of England.

Hi Eric.six in second row is cousin Norma glover who was a lot older than me, I was born 1952 I don't know if she is still alive but I wish her god bless.

My Mum (Margaret Williams) is on this photo. She passed away in 2007 whilst living in Spain. I recognised her straight away. It was lovely to see her.

Fantastic reading about the hard, physical discipline meted out to the unruly Downall Green ragamuffins. Some of this "medicine" would not go amiss on the ADHT brats of today - getting away with disrupting classes because they have "high energy".