some pics for priscus

here are some pics I took today for priscus, They are from roughley the back door position of what was finney addy row, many of the new houses are lived in and they are building many more, very soon the greenery will be gone
view 1

view 2

view 3

Thank you very much, tom.

Sad that one of my memories of a favourite view will now be just a memory.

We had left some years before the terraces were demolished, though I understand from those who remained, that the Compulsory Purchase Order bringing their demise was to do with creating a southerly extension of the dual carriageway: A49, motorway junction to Bryn. Of course, that never happened!

Anyway, all the best for the year ahead, tom. (And, of course to everyone else on WW.)

PS Difficult to tell from a photo, but those houses seem to be crammed very close to each other.

Its the new way of building, big detached houses, 4 and 5 bedrooms but you can't get a barrow between you and your neigbours house, They build as many as possible on the land they buy, its called 'progress'

The last time I was over, I stood in that same spot and took pictures.. at that time the 'Save Sparrow Fields'protest was going on..

Of course we all know, that when the general public gets to hear of anything, it already is a done deal.. So I knew I would never see that view again..

Like you priscus, that view was a favourite one of mine, I loved looking at it, lots of memories.. So sad it has all been it all has been taken away...

The problem is, I used to find taking in the view filled me with the urge, which I often followed, to go and climb The Three Sisters! Back in the day, there were still numbers of NCB people about who would chase us off the two leftmost hills. But The Black Hill (Rightmost from this viewpoint) could usually be climbed, being slightly more remote, on far side of the path through Golf Course from Bryn Road to Landgate Lane/Bryngates Lane.

had a bike ride up there today and I was taking some more pics, the site manger came and asked why i was taking pics so I told him some of the history about finny addy row, he was amused by it, he told me there are 180 houses being built on this phase,

Rose Hill 2020

Quite amused was he. Wait til someplace he loves and has lovely memories of, is erased. I think they are ugly houses, I wouldn't want to live there... Thanks Tom..

I think that we were very lucky, as children.

The pockets of derelict industrial land amongst the farmed land gave us access that is not easily had in the countryside proper.

In the 1980's, I moved from Manchester to rural Lincolnshire.

And, yes, the countryside was indeed pleasant. However, there was absolutely NO public access to the intensively farmed land. Even a footpath with signage, and shown as such on OS map, the farmer had placed a large slurry pit adjacent to the style: you wouldn't have climbed over it bowt wellies! And generally, the locals supported this, knowing what damage townies tended to do to farmland which they access.

Even to take our dogs for a walk, if it was to be anything other than a road walk, it entailed driving them into town to walk in the park, or a trip to the beach!

priscus. my friends and I all say the same thing.. As poor as most of us were, we had the best childhood , as in having the freedom to be gone all day, I don't think we went anywhere along a paved path. To Ashton through the 'Skitters', Cox Lump through 'Drummers fields', 'Garswood Rec', 'Car mill',so many places and all through the fields..

That said, we did always stay on the footpaths, never went and caused any damage.. Those days are gone, but we have wonderful memories...

not completely gone jouell, there are paths through drummers lane yet, you can walk, but not cycle through the fields up to winstanley, you can walk and cycle lots of paths from the 3 sisters to, Landgate, stubshee , The newer generations do not appreciate it but dog walkers, horse riders and cyclists like myself love it,

some paths to roam, free and safe

"The Avenue is a contemporary development of 3 and 4 bedroom homes in Ashton-in-Makerfield, situated around 15 minutes from Wigan town centre."

"15 minutes from Wigan town centre"? .... Who are they trying to kid?

Prices start at £200,000. For a three bedroomed semi.? Aye. £254,000 for a detached! I wouldn't. Would you?

I would't neither, thats because they are built by money makers, not by builders , I mentioned to the site agent, " Is't it a binding clause that you build ' affordable' housing ?" he said, they are all affordable, we know that because, they are selling well,

it will take 15 mins just to get off the avenue onto Wigan road, they should say

15 minutes to wigan if you follow tomplums ' route to wigan in 15 minutes by bike '
and even then it might be 20 minutes,

Nice one tom.

Before I lived at Finny Addy Row (well not IMMEDIATELY before, but nevertheless before) I lived at Wingates House, currently mentioned on another thread.

Now, if ever you are passing there with your camera, I would sure appreciate any possible photo of that which you might be able to grab. I was very young, and used to get lost in the surrounding woodland on a daily basis.

Wingate House, that name sounds familiar.. Where is it located ?

Jouell 2 ???
Oooops just spotted the reason for change on places

It is near Southern end of Wingates Road, off Hall Lane, Haigh. It was in the midst of the trees, unless they have since been felled. I haven't seen it for an awful long time, so stuff might have changed.

My parents always referred to it simply as 'Wingates'. I do not know how widespread such usage was, but obviously a potential source of confusion.

Thanks priscus, I don't know it, don't know why it would sound familiar, I never knew anyone up that way.. I bet it was beautiful back then...

Britboy, nice to see you posting.. I know you just look in, that's mostly what I do, unless I come across a friendly thread such as this and one that means something to me..

Stay in touch, I miss your posts re the weather, dogs, flowers blooming and such..

Granted the location is not particularly close to Sparrow Fields, but tom's illustrations of his cycle routes posted earlier on the thread is edging towards the former Bradshaigh's estate.

So, I thought, well, I might be lucky...

count on me priscus, you have given me a mission and like the Canadian mountie's motto, " we always get our man" I will climb mountain and swim river to accomplish my mission,

So today i went in search of wingates house and, What a fine house it is, I could't get near as its surrounded by a big wall, Its magnificent and set in woodland, You must have had a very good childhood to live there, Sorry I could not get any closer shots, i even tried going round into Hall lane to see if i could get some shots from round the back but, its all closed off

Wingates House

Aw thanks tom, I really appreciate that.

As I mentioned on the thread on 'Places' we were domiciled not in the big house, but in the servants' annex, as my dad at that time had the live-in job of chauffeur to Bill Lowe. He lived then in the big house. I know little about him, but I believe that he owned retail businesses in the district.

However, Bill Lowe had a son who was of the same age as myself, and so we were 'looked after' together. I think that is from where I have acquired my lifelong issue of having tastes way beyond my means! HA HA!

Thanks, once again tom.

Way to go Tom you're a good un

I can't imagine living in a place like that, even in these days, never mind all those years ago.. Very nice indeed..
Bit of a change for you priscus, going from fancy house and woods to play in, then move to Bryn and the climbing the Three Sisters

thank you jouell, I also thought
WOW fancy being brought up in the high life of the Wigan Beverly Hill, then moving to a 2 up 2 down house in Finny Addy row with an outside toilet and stepping out the front door onto the pavement, That's quite a transformation,

My mother had some maid duties, so when she fell pregnant again with my sister, we had to leave the employment of Mr. Lowe, and hence had to leave Wingates. Different standards pertained back in them days.

We did not move directly to Finny Addy Row.

In fact, by the time I was old enough to go to School, we had lived in five different locations:

1 Scarisbrick Street, Wigan. Too young to remember much of this.

2 Hamburg. Was still a bombsite in 1940's

3 Wingates

4 Downall Green Road, Bryn.

5 Wigan Road, Bryn.

I have very positive memories of all, except being just a baby not much recall of number one.

Finny Addy Row was not bad, it had much to offer.

tom,

Tha's sowld mih ont bike rides.

If ever I do drive over again for a visit, I will strap a cycle carrier ont car, and will give them a whirl.

here's good Tip. Dont come till they've finished the new road, its due to open this year but till then, traffic coming in and out of Wigan will be slower than a post office que,

A49 progress report 2020

Thanks tom.