Wigan Album

I remember the Douglas Garage that would have been just on the right of this view, was going past on the bus one Saturday probably 50 years ago and somebody at the garage with a motorbike combination had backed it into the Douglas! lol, often wonder how they got it out.

Ron,
Possibly Douglas Terrace

I'm sure it was Douglas Terrace Ron.
If I close my eyes and think back I can just about smell the aroma coming from the river, no wonder folks in those houses always had the windows firmly shut.

To my recollection i think this was called Douglas terrace.

Douglas Terrace?

Ron,Street plan of Wigan (circa mid 50's) show it as Douglas Terrace and Frith Street on the opposite bank.

Clearly not all was better in the past.
Lovely to see salmon returning to the mighty Dougie.

Thanks for the update the name wasn't showing on the map I looked at.

So, salmon in the Dougie eh?, no doubt it did occur,
I've not seen many lately, but my eyes aren't what they were.
But plastic footballs, lager cans, I don't know if that counts.
and supermarket trolleys, I've seen them in vast amounts.
In fact, I've often pondered, seeing them submerged, forlorn,
Have they expired, exhausted, after swimming up to spawn?
But salmon, coming up from Tarleton get the chance to pick
the Yarrow or the Dougie, choose the latter?, then they're thick.
If I were blessed with fishy brain, the Yarrow I would choose,
I'd breast stroke up by Croston and past Chorley I'd just cruise.
It wouldn't bother me a jot to bypass Wigan's Ritz,
I'd backstroke up to Anglezarke like yon mon, thingy Spitz.
I'd fertilise the eggs to give life chance to start anew
and then I'd go to sleep, well don't blame me, that's what blokes do.
But since I can't just wait for them to swim past Coppull lane,
I'll get my fish from Bolton, as per usual, on the train.

Ozy excellent, you should publish all your poems in a book.

I did see a kingfisher flitting about not a million miles from this point only a few weeks ago.

I saw her Oz
From an explosion of river
She erupted dripping silver.
A bag lady now in frayed tattered dress
Lemon and pink .
She crashed into a pool at Appley Bridge.
A Douglas salmon
Home from the ocean.

Willy Wackum has it right
Your poems are no fluke
Get them all together Ozy
And put them in a book.

Thanks Willy, but it would be a slender volume, and I'd probably struggle to give it away free at a car boot sale.

Talent here there surely is
And no one can deny it
Put your little book on sale
And I for one will buy it.

You have surpassed yourself there Ozy....agree with Willy Wackum!

Ozy if it was only a dozen pages you could do it all on a computer. Just print the poems on both sides of A4 paper fold them in half and staple making an A5 booklet, after covering your costs, you could donate the rest to a local charity I'm sure if you sold them for a couple of pounds each you would get quite a few buyers.

Blimey DTease, you're going to have to promise me you'll buck up. You've only gone and got half of Wigan sending emails to somebody called second verse. Oh Lordy, give me strength, and if you could let the moon shine bright on Charlie Chaplin at the same time, then it would be much appreciated. Thanks. Amen.

Ozy, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that little letter on my comment. I was preparing for a deluge of abusive emails and rude poems. For once, thank goodness I made a harmless mistake.

Poet: Your colourful description of the doleful bag lady, in your latest poem, leaves me in no doubt that you have been blessed with the Pre-Raphaelite spirit. Doubters please see 'Ophelia', by Millais.

What an interesting connection you make Philip between a salmon dying after mating and Ophelia's suicide after rejection.
Thank you for your kind words. My best to you mate.

Not forgetting Will's part in her demise and all because of a man!

Poet: The opening line of your verse reminds me of a similar exclamation, that had been described in an art instruction book some years' ago. The books author, and artist, had witnessed an angler's joy at seeing a large fish breaking the surface: "Did you see that!?" asked the angler, to which the author replied "You were the sight to behold". The paintings in the book were, as far as I can recall, of creeks, canyons, shacks etc; the book just one of several American issues that were popular in UK art shops during The Seventies. Thanks.