Wigan Album

Fantastic photo, Veronica.

I was born the year after Irene but I do remember most of those people and their names. When neighbours were neighbours. The lady on the right lived next door to us. She was also a dinner lady and I always got seconds at dinner time for puddings anyway. §;~)

Old fashioned names like Annie Baron, Kitty McNicholas, Florrie Hitchen nee Egan, Biddy Mather, The baby was Patty Hitchen…el al…I have often wondered who the children sat on the wall were! They looked like they weren’t invited! Or maybe they didn’t live in John Street. I also wondered why my grandma wasn’t there…

Funnily enough, Veronica, whenever I mention that I lived in the row of houses that stood back behind St. William's Presbytery in Ince Green Lane, I always get asked if it was the row where Mrs. Doris Grimshaw lived.....she was known to so many children as a dinner-lady at St. William's school. Children seemed to be more familiar with the dinner ladies than the teachers as they were often local ladies or even neighbours, whereas the teachers were a bit more aloof. Perhaps your grandma WAS there and had just nipped off to collect something when the photographer took the photo.

Looking at the photo though Irene. It’s mainly young mothers so I imagine that’s the reason. When I was in my 20’s though they did seem old!

The Street where I lived .
Memories of happy childhood.

I was born 8 days after V.E. Day the 16th May 1945 . As I approach my 80th birthday and after a period ill health, which thank God is behind me , nevertheless as we get older we look back on our lives and memories flood back , In this article I look back to my childhood and indeed 8 days before I was born, my Mother, who along with great majority of children in Scholes I called Mam, and as a young child it would be Mammy, I think this came from the Irish influence the overwhelming members of St Patrick's Parish were part of the Irish diaspora many going back generations. My street ,Mc Cormick Street was in itself was part of the Parish history named after the second Parish Priest Father Hugh McCormick.

I mention in the first paragraph about an incident before I was born , on V.E. day like the rest of the country people of Wigan were overjoyed with excitement after 6 long years of war with all its hardships . My Mam of course heavily pregnant with me didn't feel up to celebrating and against her better judgement was persuaded by her sisters to join then in The Shamrock Hotel, in Scholes to celebrate .After a short time she felt she wanted to go home as she stood her bump ( Me) knocked the table over , Mam always joked that I caused trouble in a pub before I was born ! I also remember Mam saying on her way home the streets were alive with people celebrating, I remember in particular her saying a young lady, Evelyn. Gregory , from the bottom of our street on Hardybutts itself, her Dad had taken the piano on to the pavement and she was playing all wartime favourites - We'll Meet Again , Run Rabbit etc , everyone dancing in the street how magical it must have been.

Evelyn married Gerald Bennett , himself a talented pianist and they became Host and Hostess of the Foundry Inn known locally as 'The Smoothing Iron' because of the shape of the building, needless to say the entertainment was second to none , Gerry they said could make a piano talk and was blessed with a wonderful singing voice . Thy really were a great team , Mam used to say they were a match made in heaven.

I'm getting away from my street, McCormick Street 48 to be precise. It wasn't a particularly unusual but it meant so much to me then and still does, I loved Scholes and wouldn't wish to born anywhere else. I knew every person from every house in the street it used to be like that in those days, you would never call adults by their first name it was Mr or Mrs of if it was a neighbour your Mam was very close to you might say Auntie, they were called Aunties of respect, no kin but someone close to you . It was very beneficial at Christmas or birthdays, a little present or a couple of coppers or if they had workers ( teenage children in work) who would give their wage packets unopened to their Mam usually on Fridays you might get Half a Crown .

Next door were the first in the street to get a television, I was invited to watch Robin Hood I got rather giddy ( Imagining I was in a fight with The Sherif of Nottingham )and knocked over a jardiniere with aspidistra ensconced ,fortunately if didn't break the Jardiniere , I don't really think I was totally responsible as it was perched on a rickety pedestal but it was enough to make sure I was a' persona non grata ' from that day forth. Anyway Mam believed my version of events .

Next door but one at number 44 lived Gerard Dobson R.I.P a little bit older than me but we were good pals, in school holidays along with others in street we'd spend all daylight hours playing Skllly , Cops and Robbers , Throw out Can ,Cowboys and Indians -no sitting in front of a television or computer screens in those days . The girls would play with a Skipping Rope , Top and Whip . Sea Shells and suchlike . Gerard became a local celebrity performing under the stage name Gerry Martin as a singer / comedian he could fill any club to gunnels . He was as nice a man you would ever wish to meet.

Just at the end of the street lived John Connolly R.I.P. again well known singer and butcher.
Everybody and I mean everybody loved John he would sing as he served in his shop on Scholes Precinct. He was kind to everyone and I know for a fact that he was goodness itself to people on a tight budget . I feel privileged indeed to be included in Gerard and Johns friends . People like them don't come along that often.

At number 34 lived Mrs Kelly and her son Frank and he was in chronic ill health because of work in the mines, life hadn't been kind to Mrs Kelly ,her husband went America promising to send for her when he got accommodation she never heard from him again . Mrs Kelly was left with 2 children, the eldest John was killed in WW1. In the front room there was something that looked like a big penny ,one day I asked her about it she said that families of soldiers killed in the Great War were given one and it's was called ' The Dead Mans Penny' I remember saying in a childlike way "a penny's not a lot for a life ", I can recall her answer " Eh love it's not a lot .but it's worth it's its weight in gold to me" . As we approached the 100th anniversary of WW1 I wrote a poem about John, I hope readers don't mind me sharing it with them.
John Kelly , who was he ? a man who gave his life for you and me , a man who left his home and friends to fight for freedom to fight the foe.

A life snuffed out before its time in the carnage of that horrendous war. Did he think of his Mother on that fateful day ? did he ponder days of yore?

Did his life before him flash ? did he have time to make his peace with God ? Did he think of a sweetheart, as life blood ebbed away, of children now denied ?

Did he wonder if his body would lie with the glorious dead in a fields wheat and corn, of poppies red and lilies white ? or was his shroud to be the earth and clay.

Did he shed a tear for times that might have been, of growing old with kith and kin? Could he have known in decades hence, a poet would ask ' John Kelly , who was he ?'
I think the words in this poem highlight the suffering of the soldiers and sailors in that horrendous war not to mention the the heartache of the mothers, fathers and sweethearts never to see their loved ones again. not even a grave to visit. Whilst it refers to WW1 it could easily apply to any casualty in any war.

Many historians view WW1 it as a catastrophic mistake, arguing that it led to immense suffering and destabilised the world order, ultimately paving the way for further conflict. Many take a different view on WW2 as a war that had to be fought against the evil of Nazism, however this view was not universal.Whatever conclusions of learned historians , it is true countless millions died. For what it's worth I subscribe to the theorem of the necessity to rid the world of Nazism ,on the other hand, I didn't have to fight in that war or live through six years of privations , if I had I maybe I'd have a completely different viewpoint, circumstances, alter cases !


All the houses in the street were 2 up an 2 down no bathrooms although most had tin baths which

hung outside until used , as a young child I remember having electricity installed , it seemed like magic , it opened the world mainly through the wireless.The majority of the men were miners most enjoying a pint or three in the local pubs which adorned the locality, 5 were within 150 yards of our house ; unbelievably at one time there were over 60 such establishments in the Scholes area .

Wigan Rugby League was often the main topic of conversation particularly on match days . It was all encompassing , an example of the eleven houses on our street there were 2 men who signed professionally, my Dad at number 48 and John Aspey at 32. apart from the professional game almost all lads would play at school level many going on play for St Patrick's Rugby Club. Going back further in 1926 St Patrick's schoolboys won the initial Daily Dispatch Shield remarkably in front a crowd over 16,000 at Central Park St Pats took the honours in a hard won game beating St Bede's Widnes 3pts to Nil.

To give an example of how important St Patrick's Church was in my early years, when doing research on another article it came to light that in 1957 the much loved Parish Priest Fr. Lappin applied for planing permission for a new church to be built in Whelley, to be called St Bridget's ,the reason given was St Patrick's was overcrowded on Sundays over the 4 Masses there was a congregation of between 2,700 and 2,800 ! As it turned out the plans came to nought .

I am fully aware that today, times are so much better for working people, that's undeniable. Lives have improved immeasurably . Our grandparents wouldn't be able believe how people's lot in life has improved . Nobody would want to turn the clock back. However a little bit of me thinks we lost something along the way, neighbourliness, time to have conversations, care for others ,alas it is the penalty we pay for progress. Some might say I wear Rose coloured glasses and there's probably a grain of truth in that ,but they are my glasses and that's how I remember my street !












The Street where I lived .
Memories of happy childhood.

I was born 8 days after V.E. Day the 16th May 1945 . As I approach my 80th birthday and after a period ill health, which thank God is behind me , nevertheless as we get older we look back on our lives and memories flood back , In this article I look back to my childhood and indeed 8 days before I was born, my Mother, who along with great majority of children in Scholes I called Mam, and as a young child it would be Mammy, I think this came from the Irish influence the overwhelming members of St Patrick's Parish were part of the Irish diaspora many going back generations. My street ,Mc Cormick Street was in itself was part of the Parish history named after the second Parish Priest Father Hugh McCormick.

I mention in the first paragraph about an incident before I was born , on V.E. day like the rest of the country people of Wigan were overjoyed with excitement after 6 long years of war with all its hardships . My Mam of course heavily pregnant with me didn't feel up to celebrating and against her better judgement was persuaded by her sisters to join then in The Shamrock Hotel, in Scholes to celebrate .After a short time she felt she wanted to go home as she stood her bump ( Me) knocked the table over , Mam always joked that I caused trouble in a pub before I was born ! I also remember Mam saying on her way home the streets were alive with people celebrating, I remember in particular her saying a young lady, Evelyn. Gregory , from the bottom of our street on Hardybutts itself, her Dad had taken the piano on to the pavement and she was playing all wartime favourites - We'll Meet Again , Run Rabbit etc , everyone dancing in the street how magical it must have been.

Evelyn married Gerald Bennett , himself a talented pianist and they became Host and Hostess of the Foundry Inn known locally as 'The Smoothing Iron' because of the shape of the building, needless to say the entertainment was second to none , Gerry they said could make a piano talk and was blessed with a wonderful singing voice . Thy really were a great team , Mam used to say they were a match made in heaven.

I'm getting away from my street, McCormick Street 48 to be precise. It wasn't a particularly unusual but it meant so much to me then and still does, I loved Scholes and wouldn't wish to born anywhere else. I knew every person from every house in the street it used to be like that in those days, you would never call adults by their first name it was Mr or Mrs of if it was a neighbour your Mam was very close to you might say Auntie, they were called Aunties of respect, no kin but someone close to you . It was very beneficial at Christmas or birthdays, a little present or a couple of coppers or if they had workers ( teenage children in work) who would give their wage packets unopened to their Mam usually on Fridays you might get Half a Crown .

Next door were the first in the street to get a television, I was invited to watch Robin Hood I got rather giddy ( Imagining I was in a fight with The Sherif of Nottingham )and knocked over a jardiniere with aspidistra ensconced ,fortunately if didn't break the Jardiniere , I don't really think I was totally responsible as it was perched on a rickety pedestal but it was enough to make sure I was a' persona non grata ' from that day forth. Anyway Mam believed my version of events .

Next door but one at number 44 lived Gerard Dobson R.I.P a little bit older than me but we were good pals, in school holidays along with others in street we'd spend all daylight hours playing Skllly , Cops and Robbers , Throw out Can ,Cowboys and Indians -no sitting in front of a television or computer screens in those days . The girls would play with a Skipping Rope , Top and Whip . Sea Shells and suchlike . Gerard became a local celebrity performing under the stage name Gerry Martin as a singer / comedian he could fill any club to gunnels . He was as nice a man you would ever wish to meet.

Just at the end of the street lived John Connolly R.I.P. again well known singer and butcher.
Everybody and I mean everybody loved John he would sing as he served in his shop on Scholes Precinct. He was kind to everyone and I know for a fact that he was goodness itself to people on a tight budget . I feel privileged indeed to be included in Gerard and Johns friends . People like them don't come along that often.

At number 34 lived Mrs Kelly and her son Frank and he was in chronic ill health because of work in the mines, life hadn't been kind to Mrs Kelly ,her husband went America promising to send for her when he got accommodation she never heard from him again . Mrs Kelly was left with 2 children, the eldest John was killed in WW1. In the front room there was something that looked like a big penny ,one day I asked her about it she said that families of soldiers killed in the Great War were given one and it's was called ' The Dead Mans Penny' I remember saying in a childlike way "a penny's not a lot for a life ", I can recall her answer " Eh love it's not a lot .but it's worth it's its weight in gold to me" . As we approached the 100th anniversary of WW1 I wrote a poem about John, I hope readers don't mind me sharing it .
John Kelly , who was he ? a man who gave his life for you and me , a man who left his home and friends to fight for freedom to fight the foe.

A life snuffed out before its time in the carnage of that horrendous war. Did he think of his Mother on that fateful day ? did he ponder days of yore?

Did his life before him flash ? did he have time to make his peace with God ? Did he think of a sweetheart, as life blood ebbed away, of children now denied ?

Did he wonder if his body would lie with the glorious dead in a fields wheat and corn, of poppies red and lilies white ? or was his shroud to be the earth and clay.

Did he shed a tear for times that might have been, of growing old with kith and kin? Could he have known in decades hence, a poet would ask ' John Kelly , who was he ?'

I think the words in this poem highlight the suffering of the soldiers and sailors in that horrendous war not to mention the the heartache of the mothers, fathers and sweethearts never to see their loved ones again. not even a grave to visit. Whilst it refers to WW1 it could easily apply to any casualty in any war.

Many historians view WW1 it as a catastrophic mistake, arguing that it led to immense suffering and destabilised the world order, ultimately paving the way for further conflict. Many take a different view on WW2 as a war that had to be fought against the evil of Nazism, however this view was not universal.Whatever conclusions of learned historians , it is true countless millions died. For what it's worth I subscribe to the theorem of the necessity to rid the world of Nazism ,on the other hand, I didn't have to fight in that war or live through six years of privations , if I had I maybe I'd have a completely different viewpoint, circumstances, alter cases !


All the houses in the street were 2 up an 2 down no bathrooms although most had tin baths which

hung outside until used , as a young child I remember having electricity installed , it seemed like magic , it opened the world mainly through the wireless.The majority of the men were miners most enjoying a pint or three in the local pubs which adorned the locality, 5 were within 150 yards of our house ; unbelievably at one time there were over 60 such establishments in the Scholes area .

Wigan Rugby League was often the main topic of conversation particularly on match days . It was all encompassing , an example of the eleven houses on our street there were 2 men who signed professionally, my Dad at number 48 and John Aspey at 32. apart from the professional game almost all lads would play at school level many going on play for St Patrick's Rugby Club. Going back further in 1926 St Patrick's schoolboys won the initial Daily Dispatch Shield remarkably in front a crowd over 16,000 at Central Park St Pats took the honours in a hard won game beating St Bede's Widnes 3pts to Nil.

To give an example of how important St Patrick's Church was in my early years, when doing research on another article it came to light that in 1957 the much loved Parish Priest Fr. Lappin applied for planing permission for a new church to be built in Whelley, to be called St Bridget's ,the reason given was St Patrick's was overcrowded on Sundays over the 4 Masses there was a congregation of between 2,700 and 2,800 ! As it turned out the plans came to nought .

I am fully aware that today, times are so much better for working people, that's undeniable. Lives have improved immeasurably . Our grandparents wouldn't be able believe how people's lot in life has improved . Nobody would want to turn the clock back. However a little bit of me thinks we lost something along the way, neighbourliness, time to have conversations, care for others ,alas it is the penalty we pay for progress. Some might say I wear Rose coloured glasses and there's probably a grain of truth in that ,but they are my glasses and that's how I remember my The Street where I lived .
Memories of happy childhood.

I was born 8 days after V.E. Day the 16th May 1945 . As I approach my 80th birthday and after a period ill health, which thank God is behind me , nevertheless as we get older we look back on our lives and memories flood back , In this article I look back to my childhood and indeed 8 days before I was born, my Mother, who along with great majority of children in Scholes I called Mam, and as a young child it would be Mammy, I think this came from the Irish influence the overwhelming members of St Patrick's Parish were part of the Irish diaspora many going back generations. My street ,Mc Cormick Street was in itself was part of the Parish history named after the second Parish Priest Father Hugh McCormick.

I mention in the first paragraph about an incident before I was born , on V.E. day like the rest of the country people of Wigan were overjoyed with excitement after 6 long years of war with all its hardships . My Mam of course heavily pregnant with me didn't feel up to celebrating and against her better judgement was persuaded by her sisters to join then in The Shamrock Hotel, in Scholes to celebrate .After a short time she felt she wanted to go home as she stood her bump ( Me) knocked the table over , Mam always joked that I caused trouble in a pub before I was born ! I also remember Mam saying on her way home the streets were alive with people celebrating, I remember in particular her saying a young lady, Evelyn. Gregory , from the bottom of our street on Hardybutts itself, her Dad had taken the piano on to the pavement and she was playing all wartime favourites - We'll Meet Again , Run Rabbit etc , everyone dancing in the street how magical it must have been.

Evelyn married Gerald Bennett , himself a talented pianist and they became Host and Hostess of the Foundry Inn known locally as 'The Smoothing Iron' because of the shape of the building, needless to say the entertainment was second to none , Gerry they said could make a piano talk and was blessed with a wonderful singing voice . Thy really were a great team , Mam used to say they were a match made in heaven.

I'm getting away from my street, McCormick Street 48 to be precise. It wasn't a particularly unusual but it meant so much to me then and still does, I loved Scholes and wouldn't wish to born anywhere else. I knew every person from every house in the street it used to be like that in those days, you would never call adults by their first name it was Mr or Mrs of if it was a neighbour your Mam was very close to you might say Auntie, they were called Aunties of respect, no kin but someone close to you . It was very beneficial at Christmas or birthdays, a little present or a couple of coppers or if they had workers ( teenage children in work) who would give their wage packets unopened to their Mam usually on Fridays you might get Half a Crown .

Next door were the first in the street to get a television, I was invited to watch Robin Hood I got rather giddy ( Imagining I was in a fight with The Sherif of Nottingham )and knocked over a jardiniere with aspidistra ensconced ,fortunately if didn't break the Jardiniere , I don't really think I was totally responsible as it was perched on a rickety pedestal but it was enough to make sure I was a' persona non grata ' from that day forth. Anyway Mam believed my version of events .

Next door but one at number 44 lived Gerard Dobson R.I.P a little bit older than me but we were good pals, in school holidays along with others in street we'd spend all daylight hours playing Skllly , Cops and Robbers , Throw out Can ,Cowboys and Indians -no sitting in front of a television or computer screens in those days . The girls would play with a Skipping Rope , Top and Whip . Sea Shells and suchlike . Gerard became a local celebrity performing under the stage name Gerry Martin as a singer / comedian he could fill any club to gunnels . He was as nice a man you would ever wish to meet.

Just at the end of the street lived John Connolly R.I.P. again well known singer and butcher.
Everybody and I mean everybody loved John he would sing as he served in his shop on Scholes Precinct. He was kind to everyone and I know for a fact that he was goodness itself to people on a tight budget . I feel privileged indeed to be included in Gerard and Johns friends . People like them don't come along that often.

At number 34 lived Mrs Kelly and her son Frank and he was in chronic ill health because of work in the mines, life hadn't been kind to Mrs Kelly ,her husband went America promising to send for her when he got accommodation she never heard from him again . Mrs Kelly was left with 2 children, the eldest John was killed in WW1. In the front room there was something that looked like a big penny ,one day I asked her about it she said that families of soldiers killed in the Great War were given one and it's was called ' The Dead Mans Penny' I remember saying in a childlike way "a penny's not a lot for a life ", I can recall her answer " Eh love it's not a lot .but it's worth it's its weight in gold to me" . As we approached the 100th anniversary of WW1 I wrote a poem about John, I hope readers don't mind me sharing it with them.
John Kelly , who was he ? a man who gave his life for you and me , a man who left his home and friends to fight for freedom to fight the foe.

A life snuffed out before its time in the carnage of that horrendous war. Did he think of his Mother on that fateful day ? did he ponder days of yore?

Did his life before him flash ? did he have time to make his peace with God ? Did he think of a sweetheart, as life blood ebbed away, of children now denied ?

Did he wonder if his body would lie with the glorious dead in a fields wheat and corn, of poppies red and lilies white ? or was his shroud to be the earth and clay.

Did he shed a tear for times that might have been, of growing old with kith and kin? Could he have known in decades hence, a poet would ask ' John Kelly , who was he ?'
I think the words in this poem highlight the suffering of the soldiers and sailors in that horrendous war not to mention the the heartache of the mothers, fathers and sweethearts never to see their loved ones again. not even a grave to visit. Whilst it refers to WW1 it could easily apply to any casualty in any war.

Many historians view WW1 it as a catastrophic mistake, arguing that it led to immense suffering and destabilised the world order, ultimately paving the way for further conflict. Many take a different view on WW2 as a war that had to be fought against the evil of Nazism, however this view was not universal.Whatever conclusions of learned historians , it is true countless millions died. For what it's worth I subscribe to the theorem of the necessity to rid the world of Nazism ,on the other hand, I didn't have to fight in that war or live through six years of privations , if I had I maybe I'd have a completely different viewpoint, circumstances, alter cases !


All the houses in the street were 2 up an 2 down no bathrooms although most had tin baths which

hung outside until used , as a young child I remember having electricity installed , it seemed like magic , it opened the world mainly through the wireless.The majority of the men were miners most enjoying a pint or three in the local pubs which adorned the locality, 5 were within 150 yards of our house ; unbelievably at one time there were over 60 such establishments in the Scholes area .

Wigan Rugby League was often the main topic of conversation particularly on match days . It was all encompassing , an example of the eleven houses on our street there were 2 men who signed professionally, my Dad at number 48 and John Aspey at 32. apart from the professional game almost all lads would play at school level many going on play for St Patrick's Rugby Club. Going back further in 1926 St Patrick's schoolboys won the initial Daily Dispatch Shield remarkably in front a crowd over 16,000 at Central Park St Pats took the honours in a hard won game beating St Bede's Widnes 3pts to Nil.

To give an example of how important St Patrick's Church was in my early years, when doing research on another article it came to light that in 1957 the much loved Parish Priest Fr. Lappin applied for planing permission for a new church to be built in Whelley, to be called St Bridget's ,the reason given was St Patrick's was overcrowded on Sundays over the 4 Masses there was a congregation of between 2,700 and 2,800 ! As it turned out the plans came to nought .

I am fully aware that today, times are so much better for working people, that's undeniable. Lives have improved immeasurably . Our grandparents wouldn't be able believe how people's lot in life has improved . Nobody would want to turn the clock back. However a little bit of me thinks we lost something along the way, neighbourliness, time to have conversations, care for others ,alas it is the penalty we pay for progress. Some might say I wear Rose coloured glasses and there's probably a grain of truth in that ,but they are my glasses and that's how I remember my street !

You really meant everything you said Tom as it came out twice. Did Gerald Bennet have a son called Gerald who was in my class at school? He lived in Cambridge St. I think he had a sister called Margaret. We were the first class to become mixed with the boys in ‘56. Also I love how your mam always took your part. I always had to go over everything again and again until things were sorted. Lovely memories and you bring the closeness of the community to life.
Poor Mrs Kelly ….i’m sure I would recognise her if I saw her. i wish I could go back for a taste of how it was. If there is a Heaven I want to be with the folk of all those I knew in those days what characters they used to be. Thanks for the memories as Bob Hope would sing in those far off times. xx

Come to think of it my grandma would have been with her two sisters in the Black Bull IImagine. Lizzie and Maggie with their cousin little Alice Quigley. Although Lizzie would still have been worried about her son who was a POW in the Far East. She would only see him when he came home in the October of that year after six years away. Sadly she died in the January afterwards. Very sad times for some families for those who never returned.

I think you would have known the Hollingsworths Tom. They lived at the end of Anderton St Lizzie’s son was Jimmy. He had a sister called Winifred they all attended St Pat’s. Alice Quigley lived on Hardybutts near the church in those very old terraced houses which were the first to go.

That was absolutely lovely, Tom, and I'm so glad your period of ill-health is behind you. I wish I had known the old Scholes. However, my Mam was an Aspey before marriage and it's nice to know your neighbour was too.....you never know, they may have been related. I still have an aspidistra in a big pot on a pedestal so that's something else in common with the story , (it's actually artificial but I do have a real one as well, in the kitchen). My Mam used to love "Robin Hood" and she hated The Sheriff of Nottingham, who she called "th'owd tyke". She was the gentlest soul on earth but she used to shout at the telly, "Go on, Robin, lad....'it 'im, 'it 'im!", and we used to laugh so much as she got so carried away! It's a good job she's not here now near my aspidistra! Thanks to you and Veronica for the stories of the people of Scholes.

That made me laugh Irene with your mam shouting at the telly. You can get carried away watching something on the box. I’m the same at Prime Minister’s Question Time!