Penson St Youth Club

I have been away for nigh on 30 years now, have had 10 trips home, but still have massive memories of the youth club in Penson st opposite the Swinley Labour Club. Operating every Tuesday and Thursday nights with special disco's on Fridays it was the best place to hang out ever. Northern soul was a prerequisite. I fell in love every week, Julie Taylor, Kath Seal, Marie Flynn, Pauline Jackson, Carol Birch, Anita Jollie, Ally Thornley, Janet Southern, Denise Melling, Bev Fowles, Wendy Bashford, Jo Holt, Gill Spencer.......etc. Greta place great times. If ya was there start naming!!

Wigan Rugby Union Club on a Saturday Night memories next

You were obviously in that place at the same time as me & my mates pal (Peter Eastham, Andy Eccles, Andy Holt, Paul Grady, Mark Halliwell, etc, etc) Probably with us! I only know Mark as being in Oz for the last 30 years though. Yes they were good times in Penson St. I could mention loads of other young ladies too. Sacred Heart Youth Club also had a brilliant disco (Sundays) for us 70s Wigan teenagers. The records they played still sound great.

Gronski is Mark Halliwell in another guise, the daft sod!

He's usually Flockhound on here mate, but he's not been on for a while.

He,he, well thanks for putting me in the picture anyway! It seems it's me who's a daft sod as well. I email him now and again. Still true about Penson St & Sacred Heart though

No worries mate, just contact Brian at the botton of the page and ask him for Mark's details or tell him to pass yours on.

I remember Susan Rynn ,Dave Lamb,Chris May, Phil Critcley, Mark Conroy, Helen Talty,Christine Boyle,Neil Telford also Jeff Westhead and ann who ran the youth club.

Penson Stret Table Tennis Team

I still see Jeff and Ann walking into Wigan.

Penson St. I used to deliver papers for the blakelocks. That was my first street, before going down Coppull lane over to whelley.... Sorry to gatecrash your subject, just brought memories flooding back.

Bennie is "Jeff Westhead" from the Westhead Sweet family, and his brother Barry?

No-One remembered me then? i was at Penson and sacred Heart Y.Clubs!! Susan Rynn?? I know 1 of you knows me... on my facebook friends too. Jeff is the Sweet shop chap... i remember most of those names... Also Peter Thompson, Kevin White, Donna White, ....

Oh Sue I'm so sorry, how could I have missed you off- I'm sure I put you on -oh look again I did.

Yes Joseph Jeff is from the Sweet family.

Joseph. I'm not so sure that Mark is Gronski in disguise!
Marks doing ok my mate had a pint with him a couple of weeks ago. The last e-mail I had off Mark he says he intends coming over here next February.

Bennie. I don't know if Geoff Westhead is related to the Westheads sweet emporium but he did have a sweet shop within a stones throw of mine and your houses when we lived in that area.

Susan Rynn. Was your mother a school teacher by any chance?

Kevin White

From Martland Mill??

Geoff Westhead had the sweetshop which was on the corner of Scarisbrick Street and opposite Cherrycroft Car Showroom. Also, the bus stop for Standish was in front of the shop's window.So!You could quickly nip in for a 'chocky bar or chewy' before catching the bus. Greeeaaat!
Also, I am very sure Geoff had a daughter and a son of similar age to the people listed above.
Geoff was 'an alright guy' and he tried to do a lot for the kids in the area. It is nice to hear he is still around.

Blakelocks' shop was next door to the launderette, standing directly between the top of Clifton Street and Scarisbrick Street.
The other paper shop in that area was Cunliffes, run by Graham and Sylvia - I think! Definitely true! Graham was an ex professional footballer. I remember him trying to persuade my mother to send my brother for football trials, he told my mother, that my brother was a natural footballer and easily had the ability to become a professional.

Wasn't M.H.'s nickname 'fireman'?

You have a good memory Ian. Your post is correct. And yes, MH's nickname was fireman! I nicknamed him that! Great person is Mark. I always look forward to seeing him on his visits home.

Ian you're right that stretch of Wigan lane had a life of its own.
The Blakelocks retired and could be seen walking their dogs in the plantations up to about or 4 years ago-time has claimed both their souls-the Mrs B will probably be in heaven -not sure about mister.
Jimmy-also sadly passed-made his mark and was a true gent.
Grahan Cunliffe also a fine man-went to Bryn with his business I think..is he still with us?
The little toffee shop next to the Fox & Goose-never much in there.
Fox & Goose , Milllstone, Saracens and Bowling Green all within spitting distance of each other.
Don't forget the laundrette either.
A true hive of activity in a few hundred square feet.

Ian you're right that stretch of Wigan lane had a life of its own.
The Blakelocks retired and could be seen walking their dogs in the plantations up to about or 4 years ago-time has claimed both their souls-the Mrs B will probably be in heaven -not sure about mister.
Jimmy-also sadly passed-made his mark and was a true gent.
Grahan Cunliffe also a fine man-went to Bryn with his business I think..is he still with us?
The little toffee shop next to the Fox & Goose-never much in there.
Fox & Goose , Milllstone, Saracens and Bowling Green all within spitting distance of each other.
Don't forget the laundrette either.
A true hive of activity in a few hundred square feet.

The toffee shop next door to the 'Fox and Goose' - seperated by a small cobbled road, which led to the gates which belonged to the pub - was owned by Mr and Mrs Parker.

Which Jimmy?

Jimmy Lowe!

By the way! It was a great area to be as a kid and a teenager - and probably, as an adult.

Jimmy from the Chinese Ian-recently passed.

Jimmy Lowe had the chippy top of Wrightington Street-sadly gone a few years now.

Extremely sorry to hear about the losses.

Unfortunately, we have reached a certain era in our lives which casts upon us unwelcomed sadness and the belief of how fragile and short life can be.

Our finest poet summed it up Ian

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Chocolate Limes.

Unfortunately, we are mere mortals on a stage of which we had no participation in the structuring and design, and starved of our choice of audience. Our roles are minor and certainly lesser than the roles we would choose due to those mortals for whom immortality is portrayed and who claim those major roles in which they can gloatingly lessen our minor roles even more than they actually are!

Liquorice Torpedoes.

Probably find Graham Cunliffe in the Brocket Arms occasionally at lunchtime..
From Wigan Lane he went to Ince.

oh my god what wonderfull memories off penson street youth club.loved it. i went with elaine monks,julie green,jill spencer,sue richards,gary hastings,baz worthington,ant moffett.& many more.great days.

Cheers Bennie it is the same Jeff I thought it was.

Howdo Granada, I think you will find that Mark and that Gronski are one and the same.

"joseph 1 (12345)

Howdo Gronski, Spot on with your post mate the place has been taken over by the neer do well's and alcho druggies! The pride has gone from this town now thanks to the savage punishment meted out by the "overseers" in't Town Hall to our buildings, markets and alike.

Stay safe Mark, and use better bait next time!

Replied: 23rd Oct 2010 at 13:23
Edit"


"Posted by: gronski (12)

Cheers Joseph, sorry for getting you mixed up in the "debate" I see we can still stir things up a bit. Hope ya keeping well and ya can still hear those beautiful bells on a Sunday Morning. I just ordered a shirt from the Warrior Clothing Company, just hoping they start to stock two tone pants. Keep safe and dont let the interlopers get ya down. Talking of dumps what about that Scholes shopping precinct.....looks like the Bronx.

Replied: 26th Oct 2010 at 00:39"

Yes to Kevin white being from Martland mill Lane his mum still lives there! Yes to my mum being a teacher... Doreen Rynn, taught at the blue coat school, and the convent... Sadly she passed in 1999.
and my Dad was headteacher at St. John's R.C.Primary. Tony Rynn,

If I remember right Jeff Westhead and his brother ran the scouts in Ince in the early seventies at the top of Widermere road opposite the bus terminus.

Hello Sammy!
How is your brother M. and your mum and dad these days?
I must pay a visit to those places. I might call into the 'Bowling Green' for a pint.
How is the beer in there?

hi ianp.the first sunday off the month swinley have a soul day event.it is chock-a block but a fabulous day,it is crazy when i go as like your self the lane was our childhood.i then finish the day off in the bowling green.at that point i find the beer ok.remember tony?from there his parents had it years ago,i was talking to him last month he has not changed 1 bit.little bro & mum n dad are great thanks.hope you are ok too. take care.

I'm okay! Thanks!
Is the place (Swinley) packed with 'Wigan Laners'?
I remember Lyons had the 'Bowling Green' for a while.Their son 'Leo',which was obviously his nickname, used to go to Penson Street and sometimes hang around with us. Leo become good friends with 'Andy Mac'. I haven't seen either of them for decades. Actually! I haven't seen most people for decades.
How many true 'Wigan Laners' are on this site and who are they?

I think Leo must hane been Tony Lyon he went into drilling and has 2 sisters Denise and Tracy. Their parents ran the Bowling Green-Eric and Phyllis.I worked there for a while about 1974/5.
Many happy memories and good times. Monty, Sid,Eileen,Denise,the Holts ,Ian Robinson,Andy Eccles, Janet and Adrian Southern,Mark Halliwell.
Ronnie the loner.
Eric snr and jnr Karen,Eddie, Billy Scouse ,Mark Phoenix,Eddie body beautiful,
Local artist Jim Isherwood used to call in and try to sellme one of his paintings for the price of half a bottle of Scotch-wish I'd obliged.
Big Dickie the copper who always drank half of bitter..

ianp,im a true wigan laner,as you are well aware and yes there are a good lot off laners in the swinley,its great for a catch up.tony murphy n his wife now have the swinley.do you remember steve galeazi? whats he up too these days? maybe granada can help on that one? another wigan laner.

I stand corrected Joseph. I did not think Flockhound and Gronski were the same person.

Sammyjade I havn't seen Steve G for a few years. I don't even know if he still lives on the manor.

Steve Galeazi-did he have long curly black hair and was a dj I think. Didn't know Tony and Pauline had the Swinley it must be in the blood.

Steve Galeazi was a dj. In the early eighties, he was the dj in Clowns Bar, Standish Lower Ground, for a while.
Also! Didn't he have a computer shop at the top of Charles Street a few years ago?
Like granada, I haven't seen him for years.
bennielechat! Steve had long black hair, which was more frizzy than curly. The last time I saw him, his hair was quite short. Obviously, time catches up with us all!

what happened to the rigbys? they lived at haigh view,there mum was such a nice lady.

We used to live in Wigan Lane next door but one to worthingtons grocery shop. ( corner of Freckleton street and Wigan lane) It was good living there then. ( 60s)

sammyjade
She is still living there Last I heard , saw her last year when I was over

aww thanks nicko.was you from the "lane"? kameras did the moffetts live in freckleton street?& was your house at the side of northern countys?

yep Scarisbrick Streetin the late 80's st johns school as an ankle biter

I used to go there and remember most of you guys

Hello Chewie230960.

Just noticed Granada is now inactive.

Cue the Vintner

Sorry how rude of me hello everyone

Hello Chewie230960. Welcome to Wiganworld.

I am surprised that Granada has gone too, such a shame he was a good poster and always up for a laugh.

Maybe pisolivadi can help

Aye come on, Billy, where's Granada gone?

Indeed, Where is Granada?

You've driven him away.

Well, somebody was going to blame you.

The great uneducated.

Granada's normal service will be resumed shortly.
No worries, just havin' a bit of trouble with his computer.

Cheers!

After completing my dozen Hail Mary's, I feel I have been absolved of any wrongdoing...All fingers point to Dustaf.

So he hasn't been driven away by the likes of Gwim Weaper and some people?


Glad to hear/read it.

hi to all i am one of the first from penson st youth club,as i remember it was couple from ashton way who asked a few of us would we be interested forming the club. it would be aprox 1957 ish .

Nuttall's Mintoes!