Wigan Album

This was at the end of Wellington St. the front on Scholes. The first and only time I went in there and fell off a stool..! I only had a ‘Cherry B..

The shop next door was Mc Avoy's Butchers .
John Connolly RIP started work there when he left school. He later went into business on his own account in the new parade . He was one of the nicest men you would ever wish to meet. It's no exaggeration to say that his customers loved him , he was so kind to everyone I know for a fact that he gave meat to people who had fallen on difficult times . I feel proud to be counted among his friends .we started school on the same day in 1949.

I remember him in the butchers next door Tom.
Also when he worked in the shop on Scholes Precinct. He was always singing…very sad when his first wife died.. she was only young.

Tom I first met John through a mutual friend who was also a butcher. His wife and him started to come out on a Saturday night to the KEEEPRS pub with 'our crowd'. As you say he was a great guy. I would always pop into his shop on the Precinct when I was passing.. I have a recollection that he lived near the BLACK BULL pub?? I know he was only comparatively young when he died. Do you know if his wife is still around? Forgotten her name????

Ron, Johns wife's name Bernadette she is as equally nice a person as John, they were a lovely couple.

John’s first wife was Brenda who died very young tragically Tom. Do you not remember her? I remember them both from St Pat’s Youth Club and school as well. I know he married again though.

I don't particularly remember the location of this pub Ron but remember the name, which street corner was it on?
I would like to see a picture of The Fleece as I had a school friend who's parents had this pub and we had some right old adventures in the attic.

It was on the opposite side of the Scholes Pictures on the corner of Wellington St and Scholes. McAvoy’s butchers next door Colin.

Sorry Veronica, just spotted that you confirmed that it was at the corner of Wellington Street (Didn't have my reading glasses on!)

That's already in the process of being demolished and yet not one window pane has had a brick thrown through it which is amazing, as for some years derelict properties have been magnets for youths practicing their throws by lobbing bricks at the window panes. It makes no difference when a building is soon to be demolished, but if it is left standing empty for some time then the broken window panes make it look quite unsightly.

When I worked in Scholes there were two people well known for their singing, Jack Hollis the milkman and John Connolly the butcher, and both, no matter how busy, would stop and say hello or to help anyone in anyway they could.

I knew John Connolly very well fom his days as abutcher working for Lawtons the butchers. Last time I saw him prior to his death he was working for Joe Mcguire the funeral undertaker. John was a really nice person.

Ron there was a Bull and Dog just further up on the right, before the Oddfellows Arms. The Crown and Sceptre was across the road.

Ron, there was The Spotted Cow, and The Mount Pleasent. In Scholfield Lane, unfortunately I don't have any photos. But someone else may have on Album.

Cyril. Jack Hollis was our milkman and did indeed sing and was a lovely man. He lived in Moore Street in Whelley as I discovered when I was a Temp Xmas postman on the route in 1969

Colin, the Fleece is No 34108. It is further down on the same side.

Just catching up on Album as I haven't been well for a couple of days. I must say there seem to have been some lovely people in the Scholes area. Veronica, I hope you don't mind but your memory of falling off a stool after a Cherry B really made me laugh after a couple of miserable days lying in bed....thankyou for sharing that!

Actually I was under age Irene just 17…we’ve all done that I think! Very daring for me at that time…I didn’t even like Cherry B’s. Hope you are better now it sounds like you got out of bed too soon.