Wigan Album

Walking across the field opposite the vicarage, it would eventually take you to where the Westwood Power Station was, and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. A short cut to Poolstock.

Walking across the field opposite the vicarage, it would eventually take you to where the Westwood Power Station was, and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. A short cut to Poolstock.

On this map, where the extension of Westwood Lane continues beyond the top left edge, the track looped back towards Warrington Road via a footpath and a long, narrow, unlit subway beneath the main railway line.

This subway had (still has?) a name. Can anyone remember what it was called? I can't recall, except that it was something in line with its dark, styxian character.


One of the recent "James Street Dereliction" series pics (Item #32938) shows the group of kids sitting on a brick wall at the eastern end of that underpass.

As a lad out on his bike in the early 1970s, I discovered that same "Deep Purple" wall and decided it would be a grand place to sit on top and do a bit of train spotting.

Not long after climbing up there, the wheels of a huge Class 40 loco and its loaded coal train rumbled past, seemingly within touching distance and way too close for comfort. I quickly cleared off to somewhere safer!
I hope the gang of kids from James Street didn't get a similar experience.

My friend's Aunt used to clean for Rev. Bryson and also used to clean either one or maybe both the chapels in Ince cemetery, I'm not quite sure on that....either way, she would be horrified to see the state of them now.

Irene. The Reverend Bryson was the vicar when I attended St Mary’s Infant, and Junior School, 1938–45.

How interesting Albert! Was one of the teachers Mrs Round?

Certainly was Irene. Mr Entwistle head master. Infant school, Miss Ormerod, Miss Naylor, and Miss Kenyon. My Teacher in the junior school, was Miss Marsden. No men except the head master. The rest were kicking Hitler’s backside, in the Middle East, and fighting the Japanese in the Far East. Then fortress Europe in June, 1944.

English Electric, the subway in your question is answered in a comment made by Rev David Long on this photo from the Album, i.e. "Perhaps the compilers were frit of walking through 'Devil's Bridge'...."

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=6&id=15473&gallery=Backyard+studio&offset=20

A modern day photo of Devil's Bridge here: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/photoaday.php?photo=2019-05-24

I knew Mrs. Round from many years later at Wigan Little Theatre. I sold ice-cream with a few times in the interval when she was in her nineties and sometimes middle-aged men who she had taught introduced themselves. Her memory was amazing as she often remembered them as young boys and she would say. "Right, your choc-ice is 95p, your lolly is 79p and your sweets are 99p....how much? Come on, lad!" and you would see these middle-aged men going red as they tried to add it up! She lived to 100 and was an amazing lady with a razor-sharp mind and it was a privilege to know her.

Yes Irene, she was a grand lady. My mother would often have a chat with her.

Irene, was she the lady whom they referred to as Auntie Betty? I wasn't a regular and think I've only ever been there a couple of times when a play was running, but doing the work I did I went there on many occasions, and it was often said if you want to know anything ask Auntie Betty as she's been here for donkeys years. I've now forgotten the caretakers name, possibly you may recall him - he lived on Dicconson Terrace, he'd many a tale to tell and once told about the ghost of an old man wearing a flat cap rumoured being seen back stage, he said very often he'd give folks a fright as they'd mistake him as being the ghost.

No, Cyril, Mrs. Round was not "Auntie Betty" as far as I know. Her name was Ethel but only a chosen few were allowed to use that name. I'm afraid I don't know of "Auntie Betty" at all. I was involved with WLT from around 2000-2015. I did scenery painting, front-of-house and I worked behind the bar. I was also in two plays. I never saw the ghost but a man I worked with behind the bar told me of a strange experience he had.....he was a most down-to-earth man who didn't believe in the ghost but the experience he had was very strange....perhaps I'll tell you sometime!

Sorry Irene I should have said this was during the 1980s. I then worked for the council and would go there to lay bait for rodents which they then got troubled with on occasions and they didn't want valuable scenery, props or expensive costumes to get destroyed by being nibbled.

Wonder if the apparition is still being seen wandering around.

This wasn't an apparition, Cyril, that spooked my colleague behind the bar. It was a voice....his daughter's voice. I don't want to put the tale on here but would love to tell you about it! Are you on facebook or email?

That sounds interesting Irene, you can get my email from off Geoff, that would be best I think.

Geoff, Cyril? I can only think of Geoff from The Observer....is that who you mean?

yes he's the one Irene, I've also read about the theory of events becoming time locked and re-occurring at future times, as you mentioned, here's an article about the Treasury House in York that may be of interest.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/by-the-look-of-you-youve-seen-the-romans

There's been other curious instances too that I've read of occurring.