Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 14th November, 2009)

There an article in todays Wigan evening post about this field and a group who have got together to try and save it.

This view seems to bring back a recollection, is the the building at the back of the field the Grammar School ? The Market Hall was at the back or the left hand side...or am I completely wrong ?

I remember the last time I went through these gates in 1956.The event was a lunchtime snowball fight between the Grammar School and Thomas Linacre.The Grammar were ready assembled at the far side and gave us a hammering.

This used to be our school field for Mesnes High, football,rugby,cricket etc, the building on the left with the green door used to be the groundsmans.

The last time I went through these gates was the Winter of 56/57.A lunchtime snowball fight had been arranged between The Grammar School and Thomas Linacre.The Grammar School were lined up across the field as we entered and we were given a severe hammering.Belated congratulations to any Grammar boys who were there.

Very nice photo, Brian. Brings back memories of classrooms and sports days.

surprised there arent apartments on here by now.
such a lovely spot in the heart of Wigan

The building on the far left of the field used to be the surgery, and home of Dr Talwyrn Jones. The waiting room was always spotlessly clean, and the linoleum floor was highly polished. Medicines were dispensed there, and as children, we always had either the red medicine or the brown medicine. Either way, it did the trick!!

remember doing sports on that field when the school was then mesnes high.

hockey. athletics, javelin discus etc were all done on that field

I, too remember this area as the Grammar School and Field. Helen, I think the Market Hall would have been at my back if I were standing there.Please correct me if I'm wrong,some things are a little cloudy at the distance of over 40yrs.absence!

We trained on here for our inaugral Touch Rugby season. We named it "The Field of Dreams" I remember Sam Panapa walking over giving us a training session one time. I see to remember we had a good season, but i might be wrong ;-)

You don't need correcting Ellen, it's as you say! I was running around Mesnes field in 1953! I can't recall Dave's snowball fight, but can remember others,throwing from TLS to the Grammar school gates. Also at the rear of TLS against All Saints.

We must keep that, as what other town anywhere has a cricket (as I remember) pitch in the centre of town, as Convent girls we used to line the railings and pick who we thought was the best looker , never mind the player

I spent many a happy hour running round that field,as a school lad at Tommy Linacre.The long jump sand pits were out of sight to the left and I think the squash court was just ot of sight to the right.When I took my motorbike test, the road down the side of the G/S was where the instructor used to jump out for your emergency STOP !!.
If you could turn 180* that's where the bus station was and we used to catch the bus home to Owfen.
I too can remember lobbing sods over the road at the G/s lads while waiting for the bus to take us down to Chrisopher park and Woodhouse stadium. Oh happy days

It`s a very great pity that the view from there today isn`t the same.