Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 26th July, 2017)

Neil Cain,Tommy Walsh and the rest of the WHAMM gang will be over the moon when they see this.

This is a dream come true, or should I say coming true . WHAMM is fund raising if anyone wishes to contribute ,go onto the web site Wigan WHAMM you can donate by Just Giving , or you can send a cheque to WHAMM ,22 Milton Grove Wigan. We as a group feel that a monument is overdue , we have raised a substantial amount but we are a long way short of the amount needed . There are many fund raising events in the pipeline including a Brass Band concert with Hot Pot Supper ,please look at our web site for details . It will be an enjoyable evening ,with an auction etc.

Brilliant sculptures!
Awt family's in work - dunt young 'un favver his mam?

Would love to see it full size, it will be impressive. My familys history features mining in a big way, in the cotton mills too. Well done WHAMM !

What a brilliant sculpture, how I wish I could do work like this....Veronica..I think little 'un favvers his Dad,but I think we both agree that it's brilliant anyway.

wonderful!

It's time we had something like this in Wigan instead of The Face That Sunk a Thousand Shops in Millgate. That little lad, (I think 'e favvers t'milkmon!), reminds me of my Dad Bob who was down The Maypole Pit in Abram at twelve years old....these are the men,women children who should be remembered. Well done WHAMM; I wish you every success.

Now ,now Irene tittle ,tattle . we moved house six times when I was a boy and we still had the same milk man , wonder why.excelent detail can't wait to see the reel thing.

A modern day equivalent of that trio on their way to work down't pit would be a a similar group rushing through the airport with their hand luggage and smart phones! Just a thought! It's the faces looking up at an imaginary screen - made me think! But God luv 'em for what they did - our ancestors.

The mother would have been going to work on the pit brow, or broo, as it was pronounced. There is a lovely pic of my auntie Sally leaving her shift at the pit on Album , under 'people' (Griffiths), but I don't know how to transfer it onto p-a-d .

One way of raising money would be to make replicas of this, for sale.

An excellent statue,the full size one should be great,there were women working on the screens in 1954 at Nook Pit when I started.

I'd hate to have got a clout off the mum! She's got hands like shovels!!!!

This is more like it! Much better than those so called pit tubs.
What is the disc thingy behind the basket? A family pie perhaps.

The lady would be going to work on the pit brow (broo). There is a pic of my auntie Sally leaving the pit brow on Album "People" (Griffiths), but I don't know how to transfer it to p-a-d.

Excellent fundraising idea, Pauline! I would certainly purchase one. Apologies for two comments re my auntie's photo, everyone.....I thought the first one hadn't been successfully sent.

We have plans to do just what you suggest Pauline. The statue should be very impressive when completed and WHAMM is delighted that the people of Wigan seem to be getting behind this.

I would love one.

What a refreshing change to some of the grotesque amateurish caricatures that we see. Fred Dibnah, Les Dawson etc. Well done all concerned.

Brilliant - Well done to Sculptor Steve Winterburn, WHAMM, Wigan Council and another quality photo by OY.

A brilliant depiction and totally without any elements of caricature. A worthy tribute.

Anne, I have been struggling to think what the disc behind the Mother is, and I think it may be a riddle for sorting the coal on the pit-brow....the coal-dust would fall through the holes leaving the cobs of coal in the riddle; it is nearest to the Mother which would suggest she is the one who is going to use it. I love her basket, which would have contained her "jack-bit"...I still use one every day for my shopping and never fail to get a comment on it!

This will be a wonderful addition for keeping Wigan's Heritage in the public eye. My Mum was a pit brow lass and is coming up to 91yrs old. She loves to tell us all tales of working in the mines and her grandchildren and great grandchildren get a great education in their family history from her.

Just love it

Truly a great memorial,and also, in my opinion,a great and pleasing sculpture.
As the daughter,niece,granddaughter, great-granddaughter and daughter-in-law of mining folks,can only say thanks to WHAMM.

Irene... I think you could be right, expanding the picture it is just possible to make out a mesh.

Yes it is a riddle but she can also have a spade in her hand. The final form is still up in the air.

That's wonderful.
What a lovely touch in that little lad is the spit of his Mam.
That family 'draws you in' and makes you think, imagine, and remember.

Could have done with making there faces a bit more gaunt ,don't think there faces looked so round back then , but a very good sculpture.

Kenny, Are you the same Kenny that laid the pathway that I discovered overlooking the dam below Coppull Lane. If so I would like to contact you. H.

Sorry Harry, not me.
You take a good photograph though.Keep it up.

O.K. Kenny thanks. H.

I keep coming to look and the more I see the 'mam' it seems to me she's poised to give somebody a clout with her right hand! But it is a fabulous tribute.

I keep coming back to it too, Veronica....it's haunting! xx

It's brilliant - I don't think I have ever seen such a thought provoking monument Irene! I look forward to seeing it completed and placed in a prominent position. Perhaps a seating area with a few flowers in tubs wouldn't go amiss. They could melt the 'face' down and make some nice tubs out of it! Getting into the realms of fantasy here! By Jove!