Remembering

Reading a book at the moment when the author is remembering when -
Butchers used to have sawdust on the floor (I remember that) and steam trains.

Which set me thinking, did there used to be a snicket off King Street somewhere and at the end there was an iron bridge which went over the railway lines at the station?

It's still there, in need of a good clean up and a lick of paint.

The iron bridge provided hours of fun to me and hundred more kids...just standing on it while the trains ran underneath covering us all with smoke..who needs ciggies to clog your lungs up.The snicket as you call it Linma was where people would queue up to get in the County cinema as well as the front entrance..and getting back to the iron bridge, that was taken down..but I don't know why..probably someone else will let us know...And yes I lived in Wallgate and Sawbridges had sawdust on his floor as I suppose all butchers did then...happy days.

My husband worked at Sawbridges in the late 60s, mojim. I used to love going over that bridge.....the smell of the stean trains lives with me to this day, and your coat used to be damp from the rising steam when you got to the other side.

linma it does,nt go all the way across to north west station its about half as long as the original but its still there .however what is in its place is the ugliest monstrosity for 100 miles,as multistorey carparks go this is the ugly sister of car parks ,as well as the most expensive.

I remember the bridge...used to get off the bus at station, cross the road and run pel mel across the bridge...couldn't wait to get to the baths.

Irene..ask your husband were Billy and Jim were still there will you love.

Yes mojim, Peter worked with Bill and Jim. He started in 1966 at the Wallgate shop, which later moved to Commercial Yard. Peter left in 1969.

Irene...I wonder if they would have known where to find that blessed vinegar bottle.

Bit late now! How did you know them, Mojim? Did you go in the shop? And do you remember Peter, the butcher's lad?

Irene..yes..I grew up just around the corner in Great George Street..And I left to get married well before late 1960's( not telling when,that would give my age away),I went in there from early childhood,and after I left no doubt my Mam would buy her beef from there.I put a photo on album under families by the name of McGovern...and you commented how attractive my Mam was..your peter might be able to recognise her unless Mam and Dad had already left..I can't think for the life of me what year they did leave...I do remember I always used to think my Mam was a bit sweet on Billy ....I can see them now as though I was still there...Jim was very tall,it was next to Mortons shop...small world isn't it Irene.

No, mojim, Peter doesn't recall your Mam, unfortunately.He only started there in 1966 and was in the back-shop,preparing the cuts of meat, so she could easily have been in the shop without him seeing her. What a shame; it would have been lovely if he'd remembered her.

It would Irene...I hope he enjoyed working with them...I had a brilliant childhood there just like you did in Ince Irene..happy days eh?.

Yes, and how lovely to see pics and share memories on this brilliant site. Happy days indeed, and happier still if we could get Margaret's vinegar bottle...I've threatened her we'll all go round for fish and chips when we find one! Goodnight, Maureen.

Some photo's of the iron bridge - taken last summer.

I remember Mark William's (where McDonald's is now) having sawdust on the floor, and it also had a "sicky" smell but that may have been the cheese

Irene..I didn't get the chance to say goodnight back last night so..good morning flower and have a lovely day(even if it's raining).

Next time I visit Wigan I will go find the iron bridge.