Wigan Album

For what it’s worth here’s a little bit of history to go with the above photo.
It was the Haigh Brewery, owned by Sumners that owned the Crispin Arms , they may well have built it in the first place (1890’s?). In the early 1930’s Sumners were bought out by Greenall’s Brewery and so the Crispin’s ownership changed hands.
Haigh brewery was a five storey building standing behind the Balcarres Arms public house in Scholes. The brewery was owned by John Sumner and his family who lived adjacent to the brewery in Haigh House.
The Wigan directory for 1869 refers to Henry Rawcliffe, brewer, (John Sumner & Co.).  The Rawcliffe and Sumner family were related by marriage although there was not a separate Rawcliffe company the family traded under the Sumner name.  When Augustus Rawcliffe died in 1919 the two companies merged.
Greenalls group took over the Sumner outlets in the 1930's but the actual date of transfer was in June 1955. My father took the tenancy of the Crispin on January 12th 1950.

I think the brewery was in haigh,next to a pub called the balcarres arms.I think the windmill at haigh had something to do with the brewery.But there is a balcarres arms in scholes.but there was never a brewery behind it.

Quite right Betty, if I'm to put historical facts out then I should make sure they're right.
As far as the windmill is concerned here's a little insight
" in June 1845, when Glover the land agent and clerk of the works in charge of the rebuilding of Haigh Hall and the erection of the many other new buildings on the estate wrote to Lord Crawford as follows:
“Sumner is about to commence his windmill .  It will be 27 feet to the top in height, 13 feet in diameter at the bottom and 9 feet at the top.  I am not aware that Varty mentioned this to your Lordship, but I do not see any objection to the structure for he intends to make it neat.” and later......
"Since there was a considerable surplus of water it was decided to supply Haigh Hall and some of the houses and cottages on the estate from the brewery reservoir and a 3" diameter lead main, with branches, was laid for this purpose.  After 1865 there was also an agreement with the Wigan Coal and Iron Company for a supply of water from the Meadow Pit at the North end of Riley lane whenever the windmill broke down." Thanks Betty.

just up the hill from this pub was a butchers shop, where my dad served his apprenticeship as a butcher in the 1930s I dont suppose you have a photo of that shop do you?

Hi Gerry, sorry I don't. Just wish I'd taken more photos at the time. I wonder if the shop is the same one that I remember as a Grocery shop which in the early 1950's was run by the Berry family.

gerry , i never knew unckle john did that u can tell me what happened later when i see u xx

Is there any Stockleys still around, as I remember there was Joe and brother Jack may have a daughter Susan ?

I remember the Shelleys, a family of miners, who lived near the top of Birkett Bank, not sure of the spelling of their name.

Just remembered a strong childhood image of the Shelley family, two of the brothers were to be often seen riding a tandem bicycle, not seen much these days.

On reflection the family I can remember from the top of Birkett Bank had the surname Shirley not Shelley. They were definitely there in 1951 when there was a General Election, just one of those quirks of memory.

yes do remember Raymond Shirley,,he would be about same age as my sister ,,so he would be maybe 70 now,,,also the Higham s lived just past the steps ,,Keith and Willie,,,also on opposite side ,,Turners ,Eric and Brian,,David Crane,,Leslie Peet,,,brian Barnes,,Simieon Whitehouse,,,,I cant remember any butchers shop but the were two shops at the top,,on the left was Curless,s papershop and opposite was Halliwells??general grocers,,,Berrys was half way down,next to entry and next to that was a "Wireless Shop",,cant remember who had that but a sure they had a daughter who was a couple of years older than me,,,probabley the same age as KeithB,s sister Pauline,,,,
Do remeber going to the "Coronation Party" in an upstairs room in the Crispin,,,in 53,,watching it on the old black and white tele..I used to live at Clarington Brook,,,last house in Darlington St East,,at the then bus stop,,next to Bibby,s Office.

Well Jim, we must have been in the same room at the Crispin to watch the Coronation in 1953. I remember it well, sadly I can't put a face to your name, I know it's no excuse but I turn 70 this year. However, I do have vivid memories of the upstairs room in the pub causing the downstairs ceiling to shake alarmingly whenever there was a reasonable number of people in there, e.g. to watch early 1950's RL Cup Finals or particular Horse Races on the tiny b/w tv, or my sister's birthday parties when my father would hire someone to run Charlie Chaplin films. The workmen who said there were no foundations to the building must have had a point. I often wonder how the building coped when apparently it was used, I think in the 1930's, as a practice room for Wigan wrestlers!-perhaps that's when the problem started. By the way the family living "next" to Berrys (although there was an alleyway between them), were the Meadows family. They had two boys and a girl, Henry was the name of the youngest, it was a radio and tv shop and this is where my father bought the tv from, a very good investment in terms of trade since there were very few tv's around at the time. I have a photo of my sister and two of the Meadow children taken outside the Crispin, if I can find it I'll post it on the site.

Hi Gerry, I've looked at the 1881 Census for Birkett Bank and there was a Butchers shop, here it is :-53 Birkett Bank
William HASELDEN Head M 50 Wigan, Lancashire, England Butcher 
I'm not sure but I think this means it's about 3 doors away from the Crispin pub going towards Manchester Road (probably close to Kirkless Street entrance) which doesn't quite match your description but this was a long time ago so perhaps it's not the same one you mentioned.

Sorry Keith I have only just found your comment from Feb..
My dad told me the butchers shop was just up the hill from the Crispin, on the same side. Thank you for your help

i live in shevington just off church lane there was a company called sumners which i believe might have been the brewery you are talking about ,must have been pretty big to has it took up half acre of land.it was there from 1865 to 1908 maybe longer .

The Balcares pub was actually situated in Haigh. However, there was another Balcares in Scholes

Henry Rawcliffe was John Sumnner's son in law. The brewery was definitely based in Haigh behind the Balcarres Arms, and the windmill was built to pump the water for the beer. The windmill still stands, but all traces of the brewery have gone. I am interested in the history of John Sumner ltd and am looking for brewery memorabilia if anyone can help? Greenalls in Warrington, who as you rightly say took over Sumners, were subject to a fire in 2005 and any artefacts that they might have held would have been burnt.

Hi Ali. You mention "I am interested in the history of John Sumner ltd and am looking for brewery memorabilia if anyone can help?"
I have a 1911 receipt (very tatty) for a delivery to the Crispin Arms. You can see it on this site. Go to ASSORTED and then scroll down to SUMNER BREWERY to see it.

I have just advertised some Sumner's ales brewery memorabilia that was found in my late Grandfather's house on Ebay, there are two packs of cards and an ashtray

Just found out my great-grandad, John Myers (1873-1963) was the licencee of the Crispin Arms at some point. He was during 1939, but I don't what year range specifically. His nickname was Gowy and sometimes he was known as Jack. If anyone remembers him or knows anything I'd be really grateful. In 1939 he lived at 47 Birkett Bank.