Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 7th March, 2015)

That School must have been StJohn's, at about 50 Wigan Rd, There was a good chippie a bit further down at the Boundary.

I love this pic , the plaque, that is. My owld fella was born in the same vicinity in 1904, and later lived at 208 Wigan Road. He liked Frank Randle. Thank you for the photo Mick Byrne.

Who or what was Frank Randle ?

cant think of a better place to be born.

Alan it say's it on the plaque

Ted Ray another comedian was born in Wigan but brought up in Liverpool.
Any more you readers can remember?

alan,Frank was a comedian,in the 40s and 50s he was one of the highest paid stars,headlining at blackpool he used to moor his yacht at the end of one of the piers,famously lending it out to frank sinatra.

Giovanni, Ted Ray used to live in UpHolland as a child, his family had the old Bull's Head Inn that used to be in School Lane, long since demolished.

I've learned of Frank Randle through WW mentions - a great photo, Mick, thanks :)

The Open Plaque website has a photo of Frank Randle's commemorative plaque on Blackpool's North Pier, but is awaiting a picture of this one.
http://openplaques.org/people/4922
You might be able to submit yours here:
http://openplaques.org/plaques/7438/photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50996541@N00/15507730670/

this one is on North pier blackpool

See:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Randle
Extract:-
"Frank Randle (born Arthur Hughes, also known as Arthur McEvoy or Arthur Twist; 30 January 1901 - 7 July 1957) was an English comedian. A contemporary of fellow Lancastrians George Formby and Gracie Fields, he was regarded as more subversive, perhaps explaining why the immense popularity he enjoyed during his lifetime has not survived him."
I saw many shows at Wigan Hippodrome and remember Albert Modley (1901, Liverpool - 23 February 1979, Morecambe, a variety entertainer and comedian) but didn`t see Frank Randle.
Extract from Stuff, Memories of Wigan:-
"I remember Frank Randle playing at the Hippodrome.Now he was really funny .He was born on Wigan Road New Springs but lived just off Greenough St for a while.He would find it hard to make a living now because Wigan's full of comedians. boo boo, costa del sandside, uk 10th Aug 2008"
Giovanni; See:- Stuff, Famous Wiganers, Stage and Screen.

I thought my memory wasn't playing tricks. Just looked on Google and found he featured in a comic called FILM FUN during the fifties.

ONE OF FRANKS SCENES THAT RANG A BELL WITH ME WAS WHERE HE IS STANDING AT A BAR AND THE WAITER IS IGNORING HIM AND FRANK SAYS" TWO WINKLES. WE HAVE OUR OWN PINS !"

anne happy memories there was a comic called radio fun I think.

JoAnne Ive just sent the photo into openplaques.

I was at this unveiling of the plaque at the school opposite cale lane ( now closed) the plaque is still visible from the road. Colin Bean ( private Sponge from dads army) along with two children who were direct descendants of Frank Randle pulled the ribbon to unveil it, the children, were also related to Sean Long the rugby player so I suppose he is related to Frank Randle too!

Nobody mentioned George Formby Thought he was born in Wigan??

He was JeanF
Do you know that his stage name FORMBY came when he saw a coal train go past with the destination FORMBY on the side!