Wigan Album

I am second from the right back row. Still have curly hair, but a lot less of it and a lighter colour.

Good photo Eric. I was at Highfield from 1960 to 1963 before transferring to Wigan Grammar School, and remember some of these lads.

Back row
???Leslie Higham???Michael Fairhurst
Third row
Douglas Winstanley??David Wood???Philip Dewhurst
Second row
????Alan Wharton, Daryl Finch??
Front row
?????Eric Grundy, Alan Gaskell??

Best wishes, Michael Mason

NAMES I REMEMBER
FRONT ROW ??? COLLIN SELLERS BILL GREGORY ERIC GRUNDY JOHN GASKELL ??
2ND ROW ??? GRAHAM TOWNLEY ALAN WHARTON DARAL FINCH ? TOMMY FISHER
3RD ROW ??GRAHAM HESKETH --WOOD ?????
BACK ROW ?? DEREK DARBYSHIRE LESLEY HIGHAM ?? HARRY GRIMSHAW ??

Priestly Pye Darbyshire Higham Wilde Cunliffe Grimshaw Fairhurst Geenough..

Winstanly Devereux Heskey Wood Cottom Holland Hankin Dewhurst Charnock

Speakman Melling Massey Townley Wharton Finch Cunliffe Fisher

Breatherton Winstanley Ashcroft Sellers Gregory Grundy Gaskell Whalley Worhington

(Sadly D Pye and L Higham have passed away)

Hi Eric
Just looking at the photo i was told Coiln Sellers was also dead is it true or not

The guy standing next to Fairhurst is David Gudgeon, not Geenough.

I think I am second from left front row but not sure its been a long time HA HA my brother Harry Wilding also went to Highfield he i 3 years older

i am second from the left on front row,wow
that brings lots of memories flooding back
if anyone would like to e-mail me i would be very
glad to hear from you
winky!

if anyone reads this i sure the date
is wrong ,it should be 1961 not 62 because
i left at christmas holidayson december 61
21st and turned 15 on the next day saturday
then on the sunday 23rd i started work at
J.MORRIS& SONS FAMILY BUTHERS
136 FROG LANE
WIGAN SORRY TO BE PICKY!

if its 1961,then its my second year at highfield and these are only third years,not seniors,sad to hear about les? higham dont seem to recall pye though how are you keeping eric,

are you the winstanley from worsley mesnes walpole ave,then you got your leaving date wrong

This was my year, but I cannot see myself.My best mates whereJohn Bradshaw and Stephen Pilkington

Dave this was not your clas you was in B with pilky and brady this is A class

This for Michael Fairhurst, Michael it's alan winstanley here can you be sure is that me next to little bretherton???
I have a photo taken from when your in class a single and I don't think it matches,probably is but just like to have it verified if you see this how's thing's with you?

It's you Alan Winstanly in between breatherton and Ashcroft

Hello Micheal. Remember our group “The Chosen Few”? I wonder if you are still playing. You were a very good guitarist even at that tender age. I wonder if David Gudgeon is still playing? I’m still playing drums from time to time. Still, we’re not as old as the Stones. Hope you are well.

My father in law was a member of The Chosen Few, Ian McCarthy.

Rebecca, Ian you father in law, was the bass player in the chosen few. I grew up with Ian he lived two doors down from me in Mitchell Street, Newtown. I replaced Doug as the drummer in The Chosen Few a lifetime ago.I remember Ian with a great deal of fondness, he was a great bass player and a lot of fun to be around, please extend to him my warmest regards.

For Alan and Doug. Hope you are well. I think Eric answered your question correctly Alan. I have great memories of the Chosen Few, Doug, and yes I am still playing, but mainly for my own and family and friends pleasure. I now live in Auckland New Zealand and it's great to be in touch across the miles.

hello to the gang of 61/62 I wish to comment about the photo, alan wilding says that he is sat next to little Bretherton on third row... it's got me a bit puzzled now the only thing I could throw into the boiling pot is this:
Does anyone on that photo ever recall me playing ( HOOKY/TRUANTCY) I" WAGGED IT" FOR A TOTAL OF 3 MONTHS WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT UNTIL MY MAM FOUND OUT ABOUT ME AND WILL NEVER FORGET THE "HIDING" I GOT AND TH TREK OVER THE PIT SLAGS BACK TO SCHOOL WITH MY MAM,PRODDING ALL THE WAY ,AFTR SHE LEFT MR.PROCTORS ROOM I WAS CALLED IN AND 12 LASHES ON EACH HAND, THAT WAS AROUND 1960/61 I KNOW IT MAY BE VAIN BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE CLOSURE AS I HAVE NOT A LOT IF ANY OF THOSE DAYS AT HIGHFIELD SEC MOD, HERE' HOPING YOUR ALL KEEPING AS WELL AS YOU CAN, FOR MICHAEL IN OZ HOPE YOUR GOOD MATE!

David Gudgeon Passed away on the 4th September 2015. I remember him with a great deal of fondness.
May he now rest easy and be at peace with himself. R.I.P.

Thanks Eric,terrific memories brought back.So sad to learn of the demise of David Gudgeon but I can confirm that Colin Sellers is alive & kicking.
Long time since I saw you fishing the resers Eric.Life is good here in Chiang Mai,sunny Thailand but memories of caveman rugby on the flooded school field on Highfield School pitch are still happily fresh.
Would really like to hear from any of you to share memories of those happy school days.Best of wished to you all.

Cave man rugby remember it well bill side of canteen

After ages and ages of viewing the class photo it is now come to my view that the photo of myself cannot be me.
The reason is quite simple at the time it was taken i was absent from school ,,not just absent for i had a blimp in my life and for 3month's or so i played "HOOKY -TRUANCY"
that being so the boy which i presumed was i is in fact alan wilding. ( solved at last) .
message for Michael Fairhurst i said OZ but i believe your in NZ if so my daughter moved to nz in PUKEKOHE north island nr Aukland, also another mate of yours i am in contact with - BILL GREGORY IN THAILAND NOW enjoying himself so all the best Michael .

Message for Alan. Like your daughter, I also live in Auckland, to the north west in a little place called Huapai. If you come over to visit let me know and we'll meet for a beer and a chat.

I think that Colin Sellers' father was Arthur Sellers who was my dad's best man when he married.