A Site to Behold!

Hi Wigan! I'm a newcomer to the site. Found it by accident whilst staring at the screen - fed up. Started thinking back on my childhood and teens, and casually typed in 'Wigan' Up came this. What a site! What characters!...oddballs, wits,comedians - depressives - without which a site is dull. I've nearly wet myself reading some of the 'banter' (not hard to do nowadays)
My name is David Beeny, and I've lived in Plymouth for the past 53 years. Went to St Marks infants, Newtown (after our house was flattened by the Lutwaffe in 1940 in Liverpool.) Then it was Highfieid Sec Mod. I was in the same year as Eric Lawrenson, whos brother played for Wigan. The great Ken Gee was a few classes above me..and Slevin ? also.In 1950, I started an apprenticeship in Timberlakes, as a motor mech. Mr Rogers was the shop foreman, and old Timberlake would strut around as if he owned the place! I left, and went to work in a bespoke tailors in Wallgate, Weaver to Wearer (next to Lyons Milk Bar - run by Greeks I think. The daughter was a bit of alright though!) Further up was Dunnes the Hatters...(hatters...that's a laugh) I used to go to a little cafe in a place called 'The weind' I think, and opposite that was a ladies hairdressers,and a girl called Marlene Raynor worked there, (I fell in love with her aged 11 ...happy days...
Part of me will always remain in Wigan.
I lived in Spring Bank, in Ormskirk Rd, nr the Carneigie Library.

Welcome to this fascinating site like you I have left Wigan but I realy enjoy coming to visit Wigan World
It is fun to read the banter and most of the natives are friendly I have noticed that if there is any trouble there is always a lot of support but you will be made aware if you step out of line
You wouldnt expect anything less from a straight talking Wiganer!!!!!!
I only joined in November but I have visited most days cos I am nosy HA HA

hehehe welcome doclatino, we don't bite (much) honest. It is a good site and some fantastic banter to be had.
You'll be hooked on Wigan World like rest of before you know it.

Doclatino, Did you know Les Cunliffe when you were a t Timberlakes?

She does bite, doclatino. Geoff told me!

Hi doclatino,you are very welcome on our wonderfull Wigan site,hope you have some fun with us,Help is always at hand if you need it just ask and we will do our best,we have plenty of Wigan experts also
to help,Welcome aboard but fasten your
seatbelt and hold onto your hat! No you'll love it really.

Hello Doclatino
I used to live next door but one to you on Spring Bank. My father had a grocers shop. I am not sure but didn't you live next to the chemist.

nice to hear you found us.i typed in ex wigan people 12 mths ago and found this site.its great,nearly all of the people are very nice.hope you stay with us.

Hi doclatino
You will like it on here.A variety of characters to behold.Im one of the quiet ones.

I don't believe it. Talk about being made welcome. (Well,warrelse would texpectfrom 'Wiganers') Thanks everyone.
Bentlegs - the name rings a bell - but damned if I can put a face to it...
Monumental - Yes - It's me - I did live next to Stuarts Chemist.The people in the shop a few doors down were first Parkinsons, then Masons.
(I don't object to being 'bitten' now and then...I might bite back tho' ?)

Tonker I am gonna smack your legs hahahaha!!!

I've been logging in to Wigan World for some time now and feel as though I have made loads of new friends.Keep in touch now that you have found us all it becomes a bit of an addiction!

Welcome owd fettler thal alus be be assured ov a reet gud natter on ere me owd luv so roll thi sleeves up an tell us a bit abhat were tha lives now, excuse the attempt at dialect bur ah thowt it might make thi feel very welcome.

All this talk of 'smackin' legs'. I would stay up to hear more, but am gewin bed. Sithi....

hi doclatino

Do yo have a brother called Ivan? mi other half wants to know? BTW welcome

kb10975 - Hi There!
Tell your other half 'Yes, I do have a brother called Ivan' He's 10 years younger than me. Now you've got me interested. He left Wigan in the '50s I think it was, and now lives in Brighton. We keep in touch...

aitch
Good to hear a bit of t'owd dialect' after so long. Could never use it down here in Plymouth - it's a foreign language. (They have their own of course.) It's a great city though.

Not as good as Wigan though,eh doc.
ONLY CODDING,CALM DOWN EVERYONE.

Doclatino, I will tell Him, and get him to post a reply. I think Ivan used to sing/play in a group with his brother...

kb10975...He still does...the old fart!

xrh59....Nothing is as good as Wigan.........(Don't tell the Missus though)

monumental
Do you have a brother, Brian?..and did you have twin sisters - dorothy and Anne?
I also remember going out in your Dads little van, with Brian, delivering orders.
I was in Brians class in St Marks.....Ow's about that then...Thought my memory had gone kerput - but seems it's ok..
Funny how you can dig things up when the memory gets a bit of a 'kicking'

Doclatino when you speak of Gee,Lawreson and Slevin,reminds me of when I was a kid going the 3d henpen at Central Park to whatch the greatest team In the World,they where then,I do,nt know about now.

.......and Billy Boston,Brian Nordgren,(wingers) Eric Ashton,Jim Sullivan,Cecil Mountford,...Joe Egan....great stuff!

Hiya David. Good to have you on board. I've been a member of this Wigan World Messageboard for a good while now so it's nice to welcome an owd Wigginer into the fold.

Thanks Mollie.....good to be back after 43 years. (it's too long...)

It's all thanks to technology, otherwise I wouln't be here - nor would many others. I think that there are many older folks who are afraid to get involved with 'new fangled' things, which is a pity. Don't know what they're missing.

Welcome doclatino, you'll find there are plenty of owd codgers on WW, we have moved with the times cos we're nosy sods.

The first Rugby league side to come ro Ausse after the war was full of Wiganers,the Cherry and White of those days would leave the present team for dead,do,nt forget Brian McTigue.

disco diva says says she's one of the 'quiet ones'. That's good.....I like the shy and bashful type...

HELLO DOCLATINO ! I HAVE ONLY JUST COME ACROSS YOUR MESSAGE. I CANT GET ON THE SITE VERY OFTEN TO BE HONEST COS AM ALWAYS BUSY ! BUT TRY EVERY SO OFTEN. MY DAD USED TO BE A SALESMAN AT TIMBERLAKES. BILLY FAIRHURST. HE WORKED THERE FROM BEING A BOY. ALSO OUR NEIGHBOUR JIMMY BIMPSON AND A BLOKE CALLED GEORGE HICKEY WHOM HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY WITH.
WE USED TO GO ON HOLIDAY TO BUTLINS WITH FRANK COLLIER AND HIS WIFE ILEEN, AND THERE LADS. IT WAS SAD WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.
DO YOU RECALL ANY OF THEM ??

Hi there Buzybee. I started in Timberlakes in 1949, as an apprent. motor mech - but left in 1952 to work in Weaver To Wearer, then joined the Royal Navy.
Afraid I can't recall the names - but you didn't say what years you were referring to? Probably after me I daresay...
Those were the days you could strip an engine down to the last bolt. No chance of that now.
(Probably that's a good thing, now I come to think of it...)

Hello Doclatino !! its taken me ages to find you again on this site !! am a bit of a novice myself !!!
My dad would have been there in 1949 and a long time before that.He passed away a long time ago, on my 21st birthday to be exact !! not a good birthday. he was always in the salesroom in library st. dressed to kill !! proper salesman !! as i recall the workshop was on the opposite side of the road.when you left in 1952 i hadnt been born !!! think i was a mistake !!!! cos they were getting on a bit then !!! think they had been celebrating the coranation or summat !!