Wigan Album

the building you can see sticking out to the left of Johns midriff, is the old Star Pub, and is that an Ice Cream bicycle as well, brilliant photo, just as I remember the park, although at the time John retired I was 7 years old so I must have seen him prior to that, maybe he allocated the clubs out on the small putting green behind the bowling green cabin, as well as the tennis courts.

aitch is the gates in the photo where the main gates are now if so then the star pub must be in front the factory fold is that right

Those were the days,good old parkies,and doesnt he look well,lived to 81 and none of the pills that are dished out these days.

The chimney in the centre was just off Belle Green Lane, situated whats now the Nelson drive estate. It's not clear what the works was, some say the Busy bee colliery, others think a brick works??. The old railway line passed it from Central Wagon works on to Kirkless New springs.

a precious photo - well before my time but Ince Park holds such good memories. I wish I could understand the buildings in the distance better. The Parkie that I remember wasn't this chap but when we were kids "Parkie's comin'" was enough to send us scattering home and the gates used to be locked about nine o'clock in the Summer when there was so much time left in the day. We never, ever walked on the plants - a golden rule. Actually, all that we ever did was play about under the rhododendrons and throw a few stones in the lake - and run away from "Parkie". I practically lived on that lake for twothree years fishing. I loved it. I caught next to nowt, but I loved it. Great photo! Thanks.

Factory Fold ran directly from where the Ice Cream van is and the park gate, and the chimney was part of the old Busy Bee mine workings, the chimney stood between Belle Green Lane and Langdale avenue, there were also 2 mine shafts near to TEGs and we were always told they too were part of the Longworth Mining business, The Longworths lived for a good many years in Gidlow House, at the top of Petticoat lane

what a lovely photo, i love the ice cream cart does it say sivorio ?cant just make it out, and the times iv'e played in and out of that chimney comming home from school ,i never saw it working it was just left derelict and that was the 50s.

The park attendants bell would ring out half an hour before sunset and blow his whistle before the gates were locked. his office was in the bowling green and putting green house, we use to knock on his window and hire a golf ball and club for 2d. Great days and safe days.

aitch do you know what the other building is at the side of the star pub where the white cottage is now

Sorry, but I dont know what the building was, I suspect it was something to do with the pub, but I cant be sure, it was in the 40s before I started going around there and I cannot remember any building beyond the Star, before you reached the Park Hotel, and the white cottage was always there, its to the right of the parkmans elbow, a family named Prytherch lived in it and the Star had been converted into 3 houses by the time we knew it, the front of the pub was inhabited by the Seddon family, around the corner were the Toothills, and next to them were the Cromptons, all 11 of them

tony,my husband alan said that the building was a factory,may have been biscuits and he got bit off theire dog ,it was at the side of factory fold and the star was at the other side there were some cottages in factory fold all gone now but the white cottage on the common still stands,funnily enough irene toothill who lived in the star was in my house today she lives next door ,weird ha.

thanks for the memories, aitch

aitch,would you have known of a family Mr&Mrs Sammy Bennett they had a daughter Joan who married and went to live down south. I believe they lived in Factory Fold although I always thought it was Island Row.

There WAS a Mrs. Bennett who ived in Factory Fold; I think she was a cleaner/ dinner-lady or something similar at St. William's School. The tiny front door on her house used to fascinate me.....it was so quaint and picturesque down Factory Fold.

Irene,Yes that's the one, I think she was a great friend or relative of Mrs Grimshaw who lived near St.William's Presbytery.

I was so pleased to see this photo` tonight as lo and behold I can see Factory Fold where the Magnalls had lived. Thank you for that. I hope one day someone will have a photo` of Factory Fold itself.
I bet Jimmy Magnall downed a few pints in that pub!!! and could this be the pub where Annie sent little Harold for a jug of beer?

in the 60s at the age of 13 i use to be a order boy for cheethan & hilton over rose bridge a grocery shop every saturday morning i went to the factory fold opposite the small cottages there were big wooden gates and inside was a big wooden shed where they prepared meat sausages etc not very hygenic health and safety would have had a field day.

jcf, We lived in the same row as Mrs. Grimshaw, behind the Presbytery wall.