George Formby films to be shown in Wigan

THE GEORGE FORMBY FILM CLUB

Info - a REGULAR monthly event: 1st Thursday of each month.

Next showing: "I See Ice" (1938).

Gormless photographer's assistant George Wright dreams of being a glamorous Fleet Street photographer and getting the big scoop - but his antics on board the speeding Manchester to London Express only succeed in getting him sacked, and in trouble with the law!


Also showing: the BBC3 documentary with Frank Skinner.


The venue: "The Honeysuckle Pub", Pool Street, Poolstock, Wigan WN3 5BT.

There is NO CHARGE and everyone welcome!

I am.... Keep us informed

turned out nice again he he

Chewie

Are yoo a 'Dinky Doo'

I am indeed a dinky doo - and my uke playing helped the war effort through code too Stooo! :D

I'll be updating this shortly - venue sorted. just need to get it all tuned up before putting info out proper.

It'll be a first will this - to see George's films seen in Wigan for an audience since they were released at the flicks for the first time - I know they put the films on at the George Formby Society conventions in Blackpool, but not Wigan.

I'll keep you all informed! :)

Neil.

P.S. How do I put pics. in here and links? I can put the 'flyer' up for all to see.

See bottom of page

Cheers Hindleyite - I'll have a fettle now.

Reet - here goes - I'll put the FULL ad. on proper after confirming a couple of things.

It makes me chuckle ..... thinking about all them Wiganers, sat watching a Warringtoner taking the mickey out of Wigan and laughing about it!

Tonker

Are you a Dinky Doo

If he'd been born in Warrington, Tonker then I might even have agreed...

But he wu'n't

So I won't

If Billy Boston can be proclaimed a 'Wiganer', having been born and raised in Cardiff and only moving to Wigan in his twenties, isn't it hypocritical to claim George Formby as a Wiganer, seeing as he left Wigan only a few months old and never returned?

However, as he never lived in Warrington, he was never a Warringtoner either. He lived in Stockton Heath, in Cheshire!

Ah - but didn't he live at Hindley House on Atherton Road?
He also learned to ride horses at one of the farms at Martland Mill too - so God knows what this 'hypocritical' cack's about... unless we're going to start being silly about Hindley Green 'not being in Wigan'.

Mind you - I don't mind a debate - and yep, he certainly took the pee out of Wigan about 'Tripe & Cowheel' stuff, and the clogs, and the pier - but I personally like all that.

If it were to be done today, no doubt there'd be references to the Pound Bakery, B&M Bargains, King Street, The 'Nutella Tanned' lasses, the burberry capped chavs etc. etc.


Prob

He also was married in Wigan....

He classed Wigan has his home town...

He was a regular visitor to Wigan and could name all the shops
in the town centre.... He is more than enough Wiganer for me...

Well said Darren.

Here's one of my favourites.


IN A LITTLE WIGAN GARDEN

Talk of your beautiful meadows and fields and your parks so grand
Talk of your wonderful gardens down at Kew.
I know a spot that can beat all the lot it’s the best I’ve seen
Keep all your hills and dales, put me with the slugs and snails.

In a little Wigan garden, where the dandelions grow
With my sweetie frowsy Flo round the mulberry bush we go
Underneath the Wigan Palm trees there I bring her up to scratch
We have such a game on the cucumber frame;
I’d show her the cabbage patch

When the morning mildew christens our shallots,
Scented breezes coming from the chimney pots
In a little Wigan Garden, when the soot is falling down
Oh what a place, what a case, a disgrace to my hometown.

All sorts of things come with wings some with stings every night appear
Glow worms and silkworms and Wigan earwigs too.
Crocuses croak with the fog and the smoke from the gasworks near
The one thing that only grows, is the wart on my sweeties nose

In a little Wigan garden with my little Wiganese
Getting stung with bumble bees, between the cabbages and peas
‘Neath the Wigan water lilies where the drainpipe overflows
There’s my girl and me she sits on my knee
And watch how the rhubarb grows

‘Neath the shady tree to my loved one I cling
While the birds above do everything but sing
It’s a rotten Wigan garden, everything grows upside down
Oh what a place what a case, a disgrace to my hometown.

As to George leaving Wigan at 'a few month's old' - sorry Tonker, auld cock...

I know that after Westminster Street, they moved to Dicconson Street.

Also this about George Jnr.:

"At the age of five he had begun visiting a farm near Martland Mill Bridge in Wigan and it was at this time, taught by his Mother's brother, Uncle John, that he began to ride horses properly.

Family then moved to Walthew House farm, Wigan

Now then you should all know That Twonker (AKA Master Bates)the Yicker is Allus Right.
George Formby, born & registered in Westminster St Wigan...Where does Warrington come into that equasion?

it could get even dafter Art - a mate if mine who lived at the other 'existing' Westminster Street at Newtown told about the time when a coach of disappointed Japanese fans were upset to be turned away from the house they thought George was born in.

This YooTube documentary explains George Formby's Wigan roots, which are what Chewie says they are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIwEgW5_aik

Belting documentary that Stooo - George also being and adopted Blackpool Lad too - and good for him!

THE GEORGE FORMBY FILM CLUB

Info - this will be a REGULAR monthly event: 1st Thursday of each month.

The first will take place on Thursday 5th April at 8pm - "No Limit" will be shown, along with George's last ever televison appearance - "The Friday Show" will also be shown in full.

The venue: "The Honeysuckle Pub", Pool Street, Poolstock, Wigan WN3 5BT.

There is NO CHARGE and everyone welcome!

Hope to see you there

Instead of using the M6, I came back from Winsford on the A49 today. I must have gone past George's old house. I don't know which one it is, laaaaike!

This also may help. Source: The Vellum Winter 2011.



Technically Tonker is right, if I lived in Pemberton and moved to Newtown I would cease being a Pembertonian and would become a Robiner.

HI CHEWBAXTER, if you are the same chewbaxter I know did you receive the e-mail I sent? I still have the same e-mail address it would be good to hear from you. Norma B.

I'll be the same chewbaxter - there's only one of me!

As to email - send again to: chewbaxter@hotmail.com - I don't recall receiving one though - sorry.

More info - check out my GEORGE FORMBY website here.



http://georgeformby.net

georgeformby.net

Walthew House farm was in Pemberton, not Wigan.
Atherton Road is in Hindley, not Wigan.

Chewbaxter, that site of yours says that George 'embarked on his career as an entertainer from Stockton Heath, Cheshire'?

It's true, in fact, that his first performance was in Earlestown, Newton le Willows.

It follows, then, that he is far from 'Wigan's' Ukulele Playing Entertainer.

Born in Wigan... makes him
A Wiganer - by birthright.

Enough said.

I love a good debate me. Let me know when ye've summat valid, Tonker!




Just to further befuddle, George Formby Snr. was known as "The Wigan Nightingale" - AND he wasn't a Wiganer, nor did he do bird impressions!

One more thing to support Tonker's comment that George ain't a Wiganer...

Just 'cos a dog's borh in a stable, doesn't mean it's going to be running in t' Grand National!



Hehee! Turned out nice again!

See yer on Thursday if thy're there Tonker!

Can I point something out Tonker and this may shed some light on the George Formby snr/jnr and Wigan debate .......

If you were an entertainer, especially a comedy entertainer, by saying you came from Wigan, that would enhance your image, because in one respect Wigan was a well known place, because at one time Wigan was the Capital of North West England and because Wigan was on the West Coast Mainline and the A49 Main North South Road and Wigan was also on the canal network, people in the South of England may never have heard of Warrington and St Helens, but I bet they sure as hell will have heard of Wigan, so Wigan was well known and that is without mentioning the rugby team, Warrington on the other hand was not famous for anything, it was boring, just like St Helens and the word Wigan is a 'funny' word, so by being linked to 'Wigan' rather than Warrington, that would have helped the Formby's music hall careers, it might be hard to swallow Tonker, but by being from {Wigan} rather than Warrington, that gave them great 'prestige' and I really do think that all this anti Wigan sentiment from you Tonker is based on jealousy, you are a jealous man Tonker and you really should rise above it and give Wigan the credit, which Wigan deserves

Well said Stooo!

And if folk like George and enjoy his films - then good for them.
Just because one feller seems to think folk are daft for watching, because he's 'taking the mick' out of Wigan - well, that's an opinion he's entitled too.

I'm in touch with folk across the world, and it's amazing and a great tribute to hear U.S. folk for example playing George's songs and singing on uke - I mean... halfway around the world and playing stuff by a Wigan lad from years back.

I'd be made up. I'm sure George will be.

enjoyed it and will be at the next one... Keep it going Neil

Cheers for that Darren. Nice to be sat watching one of George's films with fans eh?

Next month's film - "I See Ice". Info coming soon!

THE GEORGE FORMBY FILM CLUB

Info - a REGULAR monthly event: 1st Thursday of each month.

Next showing: "I See Ice" (1938).

Gormless photographer's assistant George Wright dreams of being a glamorous Fleet Street photographer and getting the big scoop - but his antics on board the speeding Manchester to London Express only succeed in getting him sacked, and in trouble with the law!


Also showing: the BBC3 documentary with Frank Skinner.


The venue: "The Honeysuckle Pub", Pool Street, Poolstock, Wigan WN3 5BT.

There is NO CHARGE and everyone welcome!

daddy

Nice one Mache. I've a few by George Senior. George also did 'covers' of his stuff and they're practically carbon copies - great stuff.

Here's a little summat I put together - footage of George's funeral.


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