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150 Photos of North Ashton


133 photos round Ashton

MAP

Thanks for input on thread 25.

time for a new one eh dav .

oh yes we have to keep them happy.

If threads are kept to a reasonable length then all Ex-DG Members will access it like Bentlegs who uses his phone. There are NO scroll buttons on his phone[ I was looking at the Golborne Colliery thread and there are over 1000 posts on that thread . I can scroll from top to the end in seconds but some one using a phone would give up

I understand that peterp, as soon as people struggle the thread is updated, i try to keep it as pleasant as possible.

Bambam you are doing a good job with DG26

Been told today by an ex greener that chowey's lad is not very well, don't know the circumstances but wish him well.

which one dav ? .

I think the name was Antony Bri.

he,s the eldest dav . wots up with him ? .

Thanks Dave, I recon that 50 to 60 would be ideal for such as me, as I've,e said before ,, I am not buying a new computer coming up to 88 would be throwing money away, tha doing a good job with EX,, Downallgreeners

Just for tanker

I morning's everyone I have no trouble with mob

Anyone heard that a HiltonHotel is to built in Wigan

yes

isnt there a hilton hotel near the M6 junction at haydock island ? .

No there is a Ramada Ibis hotel near the Lime Wood

isnt there some just the other side of haydock park bridge ? .

Holiday inn Bay horse Thistle is just under the M6bridge side of Boston two sheds

Hi all!

Isn’t the ‘Mercure Hotel’ near the shed place?

Anyway, your energy bills are coming down April 1st. I’m just wondering what you gonna spend your extra money on that you’ll have! …Aren’t they so kind! Standing charges are going up though!…Robbers, the lot of em!

On (St Pats Day), on listening ‘Dirty old town’ several times during the day on my travels, I learned that the ‘Dirty old Town’ referred to in the song is actually Salford!…is there only me who didn’t know that? …I presumed it was somewhere in Ireland, maybe Belfast or Dublin. I gather Kirsty McColl wrote it growing up in Salford…I never knew! …Great song!

Gustavus I was reading some features about the (Thistle) Mercure hotel and it stated it was 20 mins drive to Camelot. Camelot shut in 2012

Ha ha yes it did!…Went to Camelot a couple of times when my daughter was young. It was an ok place. Shame it closed. Wonder if it’s still all standing, albeit as a ghost town theme park.

Was reading on another social media site earlier about there being an unexploded bomb on Garswood Rec many years ago and 2 men living across from the rec got killed investigating it. Apparently crater still there. Never knew that if it is true.

Very interesting gusto, maybe bentlegs knows summat.

1st world war i think dav ? .

I think I can remember my father talking about it Bri, but don't know the full story, very interesting piece of history though.

From BILLINGE HISTORY .......

"The dangers encountered by the Home Guard even in quiet Northwest villages are apparent in an incident in Garswood, when an unexploded bomb landed in a playing field. Since the team required to defuse the bomb could not reach the village until the following day, the bomb had to be guarded overnight and two Home Guardsmen were posted there. Unfortunately, during the night the sentries apparently heard a disturbance close to the device, and when they went nearer to investigate, the bomb exploded, killing them both."

Another bit .....

" ...... knitting circles were formed to send clothing to servicemen. It was customary to post the name and address of the knitter in with these garments so that, if possible, the serviceman who received the parcel could one day thank the sender. A lady in Garswood was very surprised after the war to answer her door to a Frenchman who said he had received her knitted socks and wanted to thank her."

I seen that gustavos bottom of field on right you probably can't see it now on left of field it was know as Kevin Atherton s Hill

Didn’t know that Dag!…May have a walk over one sunny day soon and take a look!…Why Kevin Atherton Hill?

I’m gonna have a walk up towards the filled in pit entrance up Leyland Green Road and around the disused reservoir there in next couple of weeks. Just for nostalgia and old times sake.

May try and fight my way into the pop house too, to take a look!…See if I can find an old bottle!

…Great information Tonker!

What a great story about the knitters!

Willy Ryder found one old bottle where Owd Bill Jobe kept his Lorry on boothsbrew Rd where that telephone box is gustavos I have photos of iwill send them too you

because kevin always played on that wing geoff .

What about 2nd half Bri? …Or did he play better on that wing with the hill?

Saw that picture of the bottle Dag you sent to our Mal Nice un that!
Wonder if Bill Jobe haulaged for Morgan’s maybe sometime then. Would have been handy for Morgan’s being either at the pop house or Bryn.

I wouldn't have thought so gus but there used to be houses along there so perhaps from one of those dwelling s or chippy that was there I don't remember them really but Dicky heks mam ran chippy it's all good history tho gustavos

well geoff he was the only winger to run up that hill if he played hence it was called "kevins hill" .

I see Bri
I may be wrong about some of this, but I vaguely remember watching the games on there and for some reason remember John Sheridan breaking his leg. And another time seeing the goalie break his leg, it was possibly either Tuck or Jackie Cunliffe? I’m very unsure.

Yeh Dag, there were houses and a chippy there I believe. Could possibly be from them, that bottle!

i remember the chippy very well & those houses david houghton lived in one of them .

Garswood history about the bomb that exploded on Gaswood , Jack Adamson and Jimmy Davis took a spade with the intension of digging the bomb out, Jimmy Davis was home on leave and Jack Adamson was his mate, the people watching said they only put the spade in once when the bomb blew up, regarding the crater it is not still there,

Thanks for that Bentlegs!
Not the most sensible thing to do!

I remember as a young lad going bird nesting in the small woodland at the back of where Slaters pen/land was. At the bottom of the large field facing the back gate of the graveyard. I came across a largish crater in the middle of the trees. At the time I found it unusual and wondered what this big crater shape was doing there. I had no idea bombs had been dropped in the area then, being so young. So looking back I think it could well have been a bomb crater. It’s probably well overgrown now.

I think Bells bin it wi Bomb gustavos

…Yeh, I’ve heard it’s like a bomb site!

Talking of bomb site, what’s happening with Village Club area? Are there any plans for it?

ask those who sold it geoff ? .

You won't get any information of that lot, they sold the place robbing members of their share, all that was done with a dirty underhanded deal, but there are a few people who know who these lot are, even though they think nobody knows, they should be named and shamed so the whole estate knows what they did.

i believe they got £48 grand to split between them ? .

Club

Ah, I see!… So it looks like it’s making money for whoever bought it without doing anything with it. So could be as it is now for many years!…So whoever owned it got £48k.

those who were left with the club geoff . they were the ones who got any payout .

So who actually owned it?…Was it owned by whoever was on the ‘committee’?

…I guess the S and S was sold off in a similar way?…who pocketed the sale of that land?…was that the ‘committee’?

i guess so .

Morning That's why you got keep your membership going at all costs I remember old Nev saying this don't let let your membership go even if you don't go in pay your subs thems rules ney iam not defending anyone but if those are rules David should know he was on committee way back

did,nt they sting jeff k with the membership ? .

Ha failed pay on time I think Brian

Does a committee have to register with the council/licencing dept who is on the committee and who is the bar steward .And if there is a separate owner of the building/land would they not have to be registered through company house or the land registry. Someone must have pocketed the money
Brian have you seen the thread about parking restrictions on yellow lines using a blue badge over on general

yes i have peter thanx . malc they gave grace to all the members upto a week , but not in this case . they got rid of as many members as they could .

Was searching the internet a few weeks ago and managed to come across a William Morgan ‘pop bottle’. It’s clear glass, thicker glass than normal pop bottles. It stands at 8 inches tall. On it, wrote in moulded glass, is WILLIAM MORGAN, in a curved frown shape. And below, in a curved smile shape it says BRYN NEAR WIGAN. In the middle of those two curves it says, also in moulded glass, XXXX
Does anyone know what XXXX could be? I’ve searched for XXXX pop online but no results. Anyone any idea?

the Xs are for the alcoholic content in them geoff .

Good morning I would have thought if your on time with paying your subs then they can't refuse that's my thoughts

Dagutd27 Usually most clubs have a paying in period for subs and then may extent this time by a set period . The NAVC committee set a strict time limit due to what was going to happen to the club and turned late membership down for lapsed members not just Jeff.Less amount of members less alleged pay out to said members The only time during the set time period the committee could refuse membership is if some one was barred from the club and then they do not need to renew that persons membership.

they made sure they paid theirs malc without telling anyone they were due ? .

Thanks for recent info Bri, I was shocked new all family very well.

Billy hough died other Day chaps sad RIP Billy

yes dav it was difficult to tell him on that pic i sent you .and another greener in graham austin .

I hadn't heard that graham had passed, so sad R.I.P chaps.

RIP Graham and Billy

Posted by Sylvia Shaw on Next Door website.

Rectory Road 1945

I've heard a rumour Bell being taken over by green King can't see it mi sell

I don't think they would want a pub that's doing nothing Malc, unless they spruce it up and make prices affordable.

it needs money spending on it dav but it,s the ale price that,s the problem .

Brian I saw a chap walking his dogs yesterday.It was Richard Walker . He has long white hair now . If I see him again I will tell him you were asking about him a while ago

yep peter he lives up there in stubshaw .

graham austin,s funeral today .

R.I.P. Graham.

Just seen a pic of you Bri on Facebook, posted by someone 2 days ago. . Golborne Colliery page. Five of you with a trophy. At Leigh Miners. Dicky Ecc on it as well. Good pic!

Hi bambam long time no talk So I saw this on face book and wondered what you was doing in Oz bam bams cooked kangaroo pie showing them how to make our pies ?
· BAM BAM BBQ
Smoked Kangaroo!!
Yes you read that right. I have licensed supplier for all the Kangaroo I would want. Thinking of offering it on a special night.. How you doing bambam, I talk to your sister on face book Thought I would pop in and show you this post I see you still have the thread going strong good for you.

yes geoff that pic is on here as well . i also won the individuals for the north west miners too .

Hi lanky 11, nice to hear from you, smoked kangaroo eh, can't imagine what that would taste like glad you keep in touch with my sister she is coming over here in summer, the guys on here keep thread going thanks for popping in lanky11 and the very best of luck in whatever you do.

HI LANKY 11 GLADTO SEE APOST FRM YOU1

The walking day was a wonderful event and we all remember it as jelly Sunday, the walk started at church and finished on the green outside S&S club, what route did the procession take anyone know, I walked it for over 10 years and I think I can still remember which way the walk went.

Bambam I remember one year they walked down Rectory Rd to the tarmac slip road were people from Garswood would join them. Then up Downall Green Rd to Booths brow Rd back onto Rectory rd then the green opposite the S&S Another year they covered the streets round DG and again met up at the top of Victoria Rd with people from Garswood then straight onto the green.I think over the years they had various routes to choose from and there was a different part every year

from the church then down elm ave then poplar ave down billinge rd to booths brow rd then back down rectory rd to the village green is wot i remember .

That’s how I remember it Bri.
The edge of the pavements were almost full of people all way around the circuit and some areas 2 to 3 deep. There must have been a lot of ‘outsiders’ came to watch as just the village people couldn’t have filled all those pavements. (There were only 5 of em)

Yes that's the route we took Bri for over 10yrs, I have seen same route on 50s and 60s photos on album, Peterp described another route but I have no recollection of that one, I also remember all photos from jelly Sunday in Annie Deacons shop window, good old days.

Yes Dave!…I’d forgot about the pictures in Annie Deeks window!…Nice one!
If she kept all those pictures she displayed over the years I bet they would be worth a look!…I wonder if they are all sat in a box somewhere, never to be seen again!…Such a shame!
She made a killing at walking day time with her ‘pumps’ and pump whitener! …Sold a few ‘cricket belts’ too did Annie!

Yes Geoff I remember the white pumps very well, most of photos on album probably come from her shop, I remember her stairs was full of shoes and sandals from bottom to top and she knew where everything was, I remember my mother getting wool from there as well to knit our jumpers for winter.

Back to Kevin's Hill, in the early 50s Ashton Council promised to flatten that hump but never did,

Yes Dave, everything you said there I remember well. My mum used to knit with wool from there also!…Annnie was a nice lady too!

It was awkward at times being a kid on the estate. After the ‘jumble sales’ at school I could be wearing a jumper or item of clothing you could have been wearing the week before and vice versa. We would recognise each others ex or outgrown clothes on each other.

As for ‘Kevin’s Hill’ Bentlegs, I had a walk up to the Simms on Saturday and on my way past I had a walk around that field to see if there were any remains of the crater that was there, I didn’t see anything. But I did stand on top of the hill to look around. Very little changed there over the years.

yes good times & memories for us all .

Last vicar stopped it all then years later head teacher at school said to gwynneth how come malcolm can get 60 kids on school field playing football we can't them into church and wants you lose what you had it's very hard for someone get back that's what's happened down years shopping religion today our lady's is Al always busy but there made welcome Annie deakin used say to us do you want tie ups or slip ons

they dont play football in church malc that,s why.

They do at our church ELLAND ROAD

Strangely enough, Southampton are called ‘The Saints’ because of their beginning as a Church football team. The question is Dag, will ‘The Saints’ beat Leeds at Wembley on Sunday and condemn Leeds to another season in Hell???

battle of the church,s then on sunday .

50/50 11 v11 I know 1 thing gustavos championship better bout var will see good morning all no sport on ear tho don't want upset anyone

Yeh, that’s enough footy on here!

Had a walk up where the pit used to be off Leyland Green road on Tuesday. Then walked around where the Ashton UDC Waterworks was. You could walk all around the top of it and see into it all way round when I was a kid. Just brambles a reeds at the bottom. Linnets and chaffinches nesting everywhere. Now it’s covered in trees and you can barely see anything looking in. Vastly overgrown. The old water tanks with the opening wheels and handles on are still there, fenced off.
I then walked round to the ‘pop house’. Had a walk around it as you couldn’t get in it anywhere due to it being overgrown and full of rubbish inside.
Brought back good memories of my childhood!

Not been up there in a long time gustavos you could walk in raz

You can’t now Dag. Unrecognisable from when I was a kid!

Hi all changed now gustavos for worse too in many ways I think privatisation been a massive destruction for this country

your not on your own there malc . roll on july 4th.

I see pit pony is being demolished to make room for 19 flats and 3 two bedroomed homes, there have been a lot of objections but approval has been granted.

I know they want to make use of the land but where do possibly 22 vehicles park for these properties

Morning David it always is granted no matter what it's a shame really because it's a nice club pit pony carl pilling had it at 1 time I remember it opening late 70s early 80s I think land met of belonged to Bill Radcliffe who still owns land to side of it how Mrs Lewis doing and yourself

Yes we doing fine thanks Malc, Peterp I think they will be 2 and 3 storey apartment blocks planners say there will be ample parking, I don't think they have considered the fact that the people opposite always parked on there as well.

Bambam they could stop other people from parking by making it residents only parking and have a nasty little earner by fining non residents if they park on there

Yes peterp thats what they will probably do, as you say a nasty little earner, the streets surrounding me are always full of cars with people visiting Boston House, there is no attendant at Boston so a lot of people who work in Wigan park there and walk up to town centre.

There's 2 big estates surrounding pit pony plenty space

Hi sammys, not been round there in years don't know how they are fixed for parking, I visited pit pony every weekend in late 80s early 90s.

bentlegs has passed away dav .

Oh god that's terrible news Bri, condolences to his family R.I.P Ged.

there,s a blog on general dav.

Didn’t know ‘Bentlegs’, but after what I’ve read seemed like a lovely fella…Will miss his messages. R.I.P. Ged.

bentlegs married one of the mcnullty,s who lived in the end of hawthorn ave .

I can’t remember’McNultys’ Bri.

(An observation)…

Was walking back to Downall Green on Friday, after dropping car off for MOT at Low Bank Road Garage. I decided to cut across the field and over Millys Bridge, for the memories. They have just built inside the main metal gate at Low Bank Road a new wooden inside gate with a step over aid for walkers. Then it goes down to a new wooden gate at the field. The field is now all fenced off, where once we walked in a straight line across to Millys Bridge. You now have to walk very close to the motorway fence, around a newly fenced off wood and barbed wire fence that surrounds the field. That path takes you up to the Railway lines, then you turn left and onto Millys Bridge. Once you cross the bridge you come down the steps at the other side and where once there was a dirt path across the middle of the two fields on either side, there is now no sign of any path. It is just one big ploughed field from left to right. So I walked across the big field in roughly the same line as the path used to be. At the Downall Green end there are 2 swing gates to go through. But the path at the Downall Green end is now getting very tight with vegetation and you have to push your way through to get along the path. I feel in coming years that public footpath could be lost. Especially with the dirt path across the fields being ploughed over and the path being overgrown. It’ll be such a shame if it does. Crossed that way many times with other Greeners coming home from school, was a lovely walk. Hope it survives!

you,ll not do geoff as they moved off DG before you were born . but some "older" members may remember them .

Yeh Bri, never knew that name!
The only ‘Mc’ I knew on Hawthorn was Roy McPherson, I think his name was. He taught me how to ride a bike. He put wooden blocks on each side of the pedals Coz I couldn’t reach the pedals. Bike was only about 4ft from floor to top of handlebars n,all. I was only about 5 then I guess!

it must have been a long lesson with roy,s stutter geoff .

…Glad he didn’t learn me to swim then!

It's because nobody's using public path way ney Jeff iam Andrew as took it away by ploughing it up tho its same in woods nobody goes in theer ney Jeff it was our home when we was growing up camping out racing go-cart from top on hill happy days yey

My mother tells me that Andrew had to put the fences up at dam entrances to the wood, people was fly tipping and he had to keep cleaning it up as it's his land, where the garages was situated is where vans would drive in and dump all their rubble, people don't care these days it would never have happened in our day but such a shame what owners of land have to do because of mindless inconsiderate selfish idiots who have no respect for the environment.or people's property.

dav it,s because of the exobident charges the council are asking for is the reason for fly tipping .

Yeh, happy days around and about that woodland and fields Malc. I did venture down the woods while I was there. There is a trodden pathway that goes through the woods but I only went about halfway down as path became very muddy!…Very overgrown now. Brought back great memories.

another greener gone . jimmy dean has passed away .

Very sad Bri, condolences to his family R.I.P Jimmy.

My mother informs me that Jimmy was my fathers best friend when they was growing up on estate, I didn't know that but I remember family well when they lived on island.

not many of them left dav.

RIP I remember Dean's I talking to his brother cliff at father inlaw wake 2 year ago he was police man cliff now lives up Blackpool way fondly remembering Downallgreen nice chap

Malc the policeman was Chris, cliff lived at Landgate with his daughter but don't know if he's still there or not.

Freddie dean married one of smiths girls from Elm ave, I think Johnny dean bought walkers house also in Elm Ave, Sheila their sister lives in pemberton, Cliff was in buffs with me and Blakey but not seen him since he fell and damaged his spine.

dav cliff was a special cop , jonny was a police warder & lived near the oddies at bryn .

Chris Dean and his wife Pauline live in a village near Lancaster. They were attracted to the area when they used to visit Pauline’s brother who had lived there for a long time.It’s a lovely part of the world by the side of the river Lune.

My wife Yvonne passed away on the 23rd June and was buried on the 10th July at Holy Trinity DG. We got married there in 1975 and Holy Trinity was always her family church and all her relations are buried there.She lived at 420 Downall Green Road when I 1st met her over 52 years ago. She is now at rest and out of pain

So sorry to hear that news peterp, it must be an awful experience to lose someone so attached to your heart, R.I.P Yvonne.

So sorry to read all this sad news. I dont think I knew any mentioned but so sad to read. R.I.P.

…And sorry to add to the sad news, but I’ve just heard Dennis Bailey passed last night.

R.I.P. Dennis. X

Just heard the news Geoff Dennis was a nice guy and lived in our street for many years, condolences to his family R.I.P Dennis.

i,m sorry too . i was talking to him in the post office in garswood not long ago .

Does any one know where and when Jimmy's funeral is?

Hi all!

Was talking to someone today. General chat about local things.
Two things were brought up I have no idea of.

One was that Ashton Bears rugby club badge includes a bell. I was told that it was because the rugby club somehow had origins to the Blue Bell / Downall Green.

The other was that the Stag was once called The Nelson. We wondered for what reason it would be called The Nelson.

Anyone any ideas or information on these topics?

yes they did play from the bell geoff & there was a picture to that effect which has mysteriously disappeared years ago . no-one knows where it is & was in the pool room on the wall & people like dave winstanley ( pye) john hulse ,tuck moore , ste jones ( harker) , charlie barlow etc played for them .

Thanks Bri.
Yes, now you said it I remember that picture now! It was a black n white picture I think. Which yes, would be the very early days of the rugby team. So that explains the bell on the club badge then!

Is this what Downall Green is becoming nowadays?…


https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/post/news/66a0a3c025ed22001a69386d

Gustavus’s link

Gustavus I don't think DG is any worse than any where else.Just read Wigan court cases every week and see the areas were these offenders live

Thanks Gaffer!

Yes Peter, you are right, I guess it is the same elsewhere. I’m just comparing it to the Downall Green I know and love. We had ‘mischievous’ people, but in general it was a safe and lovely place to live.

Gustavus DG did have its share of characters but got worse when St Helens council started dumping families from areas like Cement City(Parr) into their far flung places like DG.

Gustavus

How to do a link

Put this at the start [url= and this at the end ]

add a space plus a title plus a space

add this after the second space [/url]

The stag at garswood is going to be a tesco and they are building 200 houses on the field behind simms Road on garswood Road

220 new houses

Totally agree Peter!

Thanks for the link advice and info Gaffer!

Yes Sammys , went past The Stag yesterday, looks like they’re upping the pace to get it made into a Tesco, probably aiming for a Christmas time opening I reckon!

it,ll be handy geoff .

‘Every little helps’ Bri!