Wigan Album

my mam and dad at the alter getting married , grandad on right and joe and margaret mawdsley on left, not many guests gerry ?

I still wonder why our Grandma was'nt there? was your dad a non catholic? she had strong views about things like that

I lived next door until I was 18, and only ever had a peep through the door. I used to think Protestants couldn't go in a Catholic Church. Some of my friends from St. Williams had to go to Confession and we used to wait outside. They can never have confessed much with the speed in which they dashed in and out! I finally went in a couple of years ago to the funeral of my Sister-in-Law Rita.

It was the same with us Catholics Irene. we were always told never to participate in any non - Catholic services because it was a sin. It sounds ridiculous nowadays but that's the way it was then. We also thought that only Catholics went to heaven! How ridiculous is that?!
Also, up to me being about 12 or so, the Mass was said in Latin and the priest always had his back to the congregation, as in this photo. Things have changed a lot since then. I think it's a shame that less and less people go to church these days, myself included, because at one time, up to a few years ago I used to enjoy it, especially singing all those beautiful hymns. I've just grown older and more cynical and it's such a pity.

I don't know if I'm allowed to put this, but we used to sing "Catholic Bulldogs, Pepper and Salt", (we pronounced it "saut"), "Can't eat their dinner with a knife and fork!".....They would then retaliate with "Protestant Moprags, Pepper and Saut," etc. etc; five minutes after, we were all playing together! No-one thought anything about it or held a grudge then. If two lads had a fight, it was all done and dusted and forgotten in five minutes. Not like now!

We were Catholics went to St. Pats bud my dads dad was protestant and he used to say only Catholics got council houses, thats because my mum and dad got one, mind you she was having her 3rd child and we all lived in a terraced house on Darlington St. East lol

i have never seen this foto....awwwe

mariyam i have this photo and i never questioned it and gerry my dad wasnt a catholic (ooooooo god forbid)but i dont remember there being any probs as grandma was at our house lots, i remember us all in early 60s dancing in front room our ray was boppin him and our mad were beltin dancers and grandma came in, well she joined in and i remember her pulling up her pinnie and showing her knee lenghth bloomers and she didnt care!!! aww i would love to be back there those days will never return we had the best time we were priveleged and didnt know it,but going back to the pic it looks like there were only 5 at the wedding? why did i never ask mam about it? may ask uncle frank see if he can shed some light on it hes 80 this year.

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/plans-submitted-to-knock-down-two-abandoned-wigan-church-buildings-1-10244442

What a lovely picture of our beloved St williams church regards kevin