Wigan Album

That’s a good photo Irene, especially if you didn’t know of it’s existence - those are the best! Reopening memories of you beloved mam..

Yes, Veronica, it means such a lot. Obviously I don't remember her looking as she does on that photo. , Notice the sign for "Oatmeal Stout" above her head....that was her favourite tipple! The Long Neck was right across from our house and I remember her and my Dad going regularly. It was in the days when they had a "snug" and all the neighbours would gather for a drink and a gossip. There was also a "singing room" with a piano, and people getting up to give a song and the landlord would have nipped any bad language in the bud, not that people would have used it then. Men may have used it down the pit but they left it there when they came home, It was a different world that only exists in old photos now.

Lovely Photo Irene of a great time in history.
Forgive me but is the pub still open?

I don't think so, Stan, although the building is still there. It did close and then re-opened some years ago but didn't last. I have a black-and-white photo of it as my screensaver from when the man was measuring in Ince Green Lane for the Ordnace Survey Map, around 1951. I will see if I can upload it.

A great photo to cherish Irene. I've done a Norton search and not saying it is the one in the photo, but Samuel Smith brewery have been brewing Oatmeal Stout since 1758, will have to look out for it and give it a try. Cheers!

Stan, it's now flats or as estate agents say - apartments. https://whatpub.com/pubs/LAS/1635/anderton-arms-ince-in-makerfield

I remember my uncle and aunt running the pub in the 1960s to early 1970s. I've heard two tales of how it got the name of Long Neck, one was that originally it was called The Swan, and the other that a former landlord was found hanging from the cellar ceiling, did you hear of any more Irene?

I heard both tales, Cyril, but we children always liked the grisly tale about the hanging, as children always will! It was a Magee's Pub and it was Magee's Oatmeal Stout that my Mam liked ; if my Mam didn't go out, my Dad would bring her a bottle home and I was allowed a little taste! I can see the label on the bottle now. I remember Ena Sharples and her cronies used to drink Milk Stout in The Rovers Return on Coronation Street when I was a little girl, and Peter and I were amused to find some Milk Stout in Booth's Supermarket in Settle last week! What were the names of your Aunt and Uncle who ran the pub, Cyril? I remember it was Charlie Abbott when I was a little girl, but in the late 1960s/early 1970s it was Bill and Edna Horsley, lovely people. I can't recall who ran it in between Charlie and Bill but I think there was another tenant at one point. A neighbour from George Street, Jim Taylor, married the Horsleys' daughter and it was he who sent me the photo, and it is his mother Ethel who is standing next to my Mam on the photo. They were a lovely family. Like Wallgate and Scholes, Ince was a lovely, homely community back then.

Former Wigan Rugby league star Bill Ashurst was once the landlord some years ago.

Irene, it would have been Bill and Edna Horsley. (for some reason I had Hitchin in mind, though I do remember the name Bill or Billy.) Edna was my fathers sister and with us living at Pemberton I didn't actually know them, I'd have seen them in the mid to late 1950s or so when we'd go to Scholes to see the walking days, but can't remember much of those days. The last time would have been around 1967 as father had bought a car and we had a ride to the pub to see them, that's the only reason I knew they were landlord/lady at the pub and again can't remember very much of that visit only I do remember with being into music at 14-15 California Dreaming and Simon Smith's Dancing Bear etc., being played on the juke box. I also seem to remember that they in the early 1970s retired and went to live in Hindley. I do remember a girl being there but can't recall who, and in the mists of memory there were two lads, one who lived somewhere in London and another who was in the army, and I just can't remember if they were their sons or another relative.

How interesting Cyril. I had in mind they were either from Horwich or went to live in Horwich when they left the pub but the memory plays tricks. I think they did have a son who was in the army and a younger son, as well as the daughter, but I can't for the life of me remember their names. We lived right across the road from the pub but they moved us to Platt Bridge when our house came under compulsory purchase in July 1971, (I was 18, going on 19 in the October), and my Mam and Dad and I had a ride up to the Long-Neck on the bus a couple of times after we moved, but we were having to rely on buses, and as the nights drew in my parents made The Platt Bridge Inn and The Victoria in Platt Bridge their "Local". The Victoria still had a piano and people getting up to give a song so they soon felt at home!

Irene, I messaged my older sister asking if she remembers them, however she's sure it was the Black Diamond pub that they had and their names were George and Annie. Sorry about that, and here's me for the past 55 years thinking it was the Anderton Arms?

Traditional pubs like those were very good with the piano and concert nights which were always popular, and some folks think karaoke is something new.

Was reading Ireland's Own earlier and a readers letter was on about the Eire Post Office and reminiscing of how it was set up in the shop, and how sad that's all gone and it's now confined to a counter in a corner of the local supermarket, as you also posted the other day on PaD.

Not to worry, Cyril. An easy mistake. I remember The Black Diamond too. A few years ago my daughter worked for Tarmac. She lived in Leek at the time and worked for Tarmac in Cheshire who supplied the stuff to make the roundabout which is now in front of the pub. The foreman in charge of the job spoke to Ashley and was trying to explain to this young lady in Cheshire where the roundabout was in Lower Ince for the stuff to be delivered to, and he was gobsmacked when she said, "Oh, you mean near The Black Diamond!"