Places (Help with places, streets and buildings in Wigan.)
Hi Dougie, as a schoolboy in the 40s, my best mate was Gerald Hodgkinson who lived at 190 Wigan Rd. I also mated with Graham Critchley who lived at 160 Wigan Rd. it was a shop owned by his Grandmother Mrs. Smith, but now converted back to a house. I used to help to deliver milk for Mr. Fairhurst the dairyman who lived at 166 Wigan Rd, the dairy was an extension built on the back of the house. He had the land behind his house where he kept chickens and pigs, also his son Eric had a large pigeon loft as he bred and raced pigeons. As regards the shop before the Star pub, it was Nathan Wrights grocery, known by the locals as Tanny Wrights. The entry by the shop led to the haulage yard and business which was owned by Doctor Fulton and traded under the name of A & D Motors, (Andrew & Dorothy). Further down Wigan Rd toward Ashton was Cansfield Grove, wherein the 40s the Eaves family, founders of Eavesway Coaches lived in a house opposite the school, they had two small coaches, one parked on the driveway and the other on the road. My knowledge is limited from Bryn Cross down to A-in-M. As for Bryn Cross, the butchers there in my time was Ben Turners and managed by the Croft family, two sons Derek & Donald, both deceased. I hope this explains a bit about the 40s era but at 86 years old it's surprising that I can still remember.
Replied: 15th Dec 2020 at 15:30