Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 27th October, 2020)

Another good image of a solid, red brick, northern building Dennis.

Again Dennis, municipal architecture - found all over the industrial boroughs in the north of England. Not so much evident in county towns.

Here I go again with my memories! Hindley used to have a lovely tradition where the children of Hindley and their families gathered outside the council offices on a night near Christmas to sing carols and for the children to receive a gift from Father Christmas. I lived in Ince but went to Hindley Grammar School and when I was in my final year, I and another girl were sent down to the council offices one morning to put fruit into brown paper bags for Father Christmas to give out to the children. We put one apple and one orange in each bag and I attended the evening festivities with my boyfriend Peter, (now my husband), as he lived in Hindley. I was 15 and he was 17 and I can still recall standing there in the frosty night singing carols, just in front of the door shown on the photo. (I will only tell Peter after I have submitted this that I have told everyone on Wigan World that he is 70 next month!) It was such a lovely tradition. I have always liked Hindley, ever since going to Hindley Market with my Mam every Friday. I was only a very small child and used to think we were going to "Ingley" as that was how my Mam pronounced it. Gradually, I learned to read and I can actually remember the day the bus turned up at Ince Bar I saw the destination board on the front and realised it was "HINDLEY"! Thankyou, Dennis, for these lovely photos.

Another good photo Dennis, some good bricklayers back in them days , no rushing about on price work , like today throwing houses and buildings up , they had pride in their work and took their time, this is a fine example.

This building just oozes civic pride. From the flagpole on the corner to the majestic front door you just know that this is an important building. In its time it was not only a functional building but also a statement of what the town of Hindley was about.

I remember in the 50's going to see Father Christmas who was sat up on the steps up on the left hand side.You got a ticket from school and you had to queue in front of the town hall.You did get a brown paper bag with an apple,orange,a few toffee and some little paper games and puzzles which usually were advertisements for things.One year I got a little book about Saxa salt.What memories a photo brings.

Thats a really nice memory to have Irene. I suspect you could tell us many more!

Irene watch out for a package. When I handed it over in the Post Office, the woman looked at me suspiciously asking me what was inside! I said " Don't worry it's Lavender - not Marijuana!" As if! But she did see the funny side..;o))

I put a childhood memory on yesterday's p-a-d. Helen, about libraries. Don't know if you saw it. I could go on and on when something triggers a memory. I have to rein myself in! Thankyou in advance for the lavender bag, Veronica....how kind! When the post office lady asked you what was inside you should have said, "Leesen carefully....I shall say zees only once"! They always ask me what's in the box when I send Seabrook Crisps to my daughter, (she can't get them in the Hebrides), and I feel such a fool saying "a bag of crisps"!

You would think Hindley would have Deer somewhere on this important building, after all Hindley was named after the HIND on the LEY

Only Deer I see in Hindley is the basket one on Hindley station

Good point, Mick. We had one on our school badge and school exercise books. Maybe there is something INSIDE the building with a deer on. I haven't been in there since I left school when the Careers Office was situated there and can't remember.

As far as I have travelled,
and when I speak to folk,
They ask about my accent ,
As if a kind of joke .
I tell them I’m from Wigan,
Wigan born and bred,
They look at me kind of odd,
As if something I’ve said
Is that place near Manchester
they ask with knowledge nil,
I once went near Preston
when dropping off a fill
Never heard of Wigan though
but I’m a London lad ,
Isn’t Blackpool on that road
You see how this is sad
To us on here this picture tells
some history of our town ,
The buildings now left standing ,
replaced or now brought down
But to folk outside our Wigan place
might not as well exist
So remember if you talk to them
I urge you think of this

Hindley has plenty of deer in Borsdane Wood,also over near golf club,seen plenty this year.Great memories Irene of Hindley, I too loved Hindley market ,fab variety of stalls.

My dad was father Christmas one year giving each child the brown paper bag filled with tangerine & a small gift
I queued up with everyone else & was thrilled to tell my mum that father Christmas had said hello to me.oh the innocence of youth.

To the poet above, I'm sure this building is in Hindley, so why write a poem about Wigan?

lovley memories again Irene, I loved Hindley market, although I lived in Wigan.So sad when it closed.But in our later yrs.We used to go to the car boot were the market was.

When driving down to Hindley from Westhoughton there is a sign before Castlehill that says ' Welcome to Wigan' ? In fact I feel nearer to Wigan than Bolton living in the 'South' of Westhoughton! Puzzled !

Veronica, I have a friend in Sandy Lane, and her address is Hindley,Wigan.xx

Sandy Lane is Wigan, Westhoughton / Bolton starts at the dog track now a new housing development.

Arthur, sorry but Sandy Lane is Hindley.