Wigan Album

What a lovely thing to have; William and his family must have been very proud.

Very nice memento to have, thankyou for sharing.

I was so sure I wouldn't be able to upload a picture I completely forgot to give any information re the photo.
Bill Bradshaw was my Dad, he was born in Newtown into a family of miners. When he left school he got a job at Eckersleys Mill & then went to Night School at Wigan Tech to study weaving. He met my Mother there, got married & carted her off to what my Grandfather Bryson , a staunch Congregationalist, called a heathen land....India. There he managed a cotton mill in Kanpur ( Cawnpore) for many years & it was there that my brother & I were born.
He did ok for a Lancashire Lad.

How interesting, Helen! I had no idea you were born in India. Funnily enough, we walked down Wallgate yesterday, past what was Eckersley's Mill....the name is still there, picked out in Accrington Brick, and I thought of my Aunty Mary who worked there.

You must be very proud of your old
Grand- Pappy Helen. Who wouldn’t be? - What you would call “ a tryer” …

Apologies Helen it’s your old dad not Gran Pappy. Although he must have encouraged him. :o)

Thanks for the additional information Helen and reminders of India.
I once went out with a girl from Bolton, about 1965 who's father had a senior job at at a Mill. They were all made redundant and all the machinery shipped to India where labour was cheaper.
Having said that, I love India and all its varied cultures, I visited Mumbai in particular on very many occasions on business (nothing to do with textiles) staying at the Taj (before it was attacked by terrorist) and the Oberoy.
Also wonderful memories of Karachi Pakistan, Aga Khan University and The American School in Dacca Bangladesh.
The sights, smells and sheers vibrancy attack your every senses, I must try to get back someday.

I have never been back to the land of my birth Colin but I do have a soft spot for India & take an interest. I watch any TV programme or any Indian film that comes my way. It was a different world back then when I was a child to what it has become. The partition of India in 1947 caused us to leave but my father stayed on till about 1951 to hand over the mill to the Indians. 10 years after that most mills were closed by the Indian Government & eventually the Muir Mills was demolished but the mill bungalows where we lived are still there, or were still there when I looked on Google Earth.
First time I saw England was when we sailed into Liverpool & I saw the Liver Building through the porthole. That was going to be a new world for me & the first time in my life I saw snow !

Helen, fascinating story and experience, you must put a visit back to India as No.1 on your Bucket List.
You cannot possibly convey the sights and scenes to people who not experienced the real India (Not a holiday Hotel in Goa).
As I am now long retired its got me thinking again about The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel, must speak with my wife this evening!!!!!!!!!