Wigan Album

The writing on the football says 1916-17 Ince Albion - it was taken beside the wall seen to the left on the P-a-D for 22 April 2022. "Dad" was Daniel Swann - father of Hilda Bache, a stalwart of St Mary's Lower Ince. When he married Jane Harlow in 1921 he was a Collier, aged 25. So he was 21 when this was taken - and I guess the rest of the team were of similar age. All of age to be in the Services - but, as colliers, exempt. Daniel did, however, serve, in the Royal Navy, aboard HMS AJAX. He is reputed to have been at the Zeebrugge Raid on St George's Day in 1918.