Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 31st August, 2021)

Well rub my foot! That’s a good photo Mike.

It IS a very good photo, Dennis...Well composed shot, Mike.

A pleasure to see first thing in a morning.

Cheers.

Good photo, Mike! My Dad lifted me up to rub that shoe in the 1950s. I lifted my children up to rub it in the 1970s and 80s, and my son lifted my grandchildren up to rub it a few years ago. Whenever I go in the park I see the latest generation of Wigan children following this old tradition and I stand and smile and hope all their wishes come true.

Sir Francis Sharp Powell, a Tory Yorkshire Man. Land of the best Fish & Chips.

This brings back some memories of me and me mam, she would lift me up so that I could rub his shiny shoe with my tiny hand.
A couple of years ago I went to Dublin with Shearings and saw a statue of Mollie Malone, everybody had rubbed her bust that much they had become shiny.

Known as 'The Mon in't park wit stone belly' .... notice it's the 'reet' shoe that gets a rub.

Have you ever seen that statue of “The Thinker” Veronica? You Know, the one where he looks like he’s sat on the loo suffering a severe bout of constipation? I wonder which part of him that people rub!

Well Dtease I think I would caress his fevered brow and put an ice pack on his head. I would tell him too much thinking can give him a headache....
Actually he's worried because he represents Dante author of 'The Divine Comedy' and he's looking into the circle of hell. He's thinking up a few more one liners for his next matinee at the Apollo....

Thats a great angle to take a photo of a much photographed statue....really, really good !

Good photo Mike, so many memories has Wigan Park, and Mr Powell.

DTease, you and Veronica are a comedy duo.....you both never fail to cheer me up! I too always suspect people who look as if they're studying The meaning of The Universe.....I always suspect they're just wondering what to have for their tea. And these men you see getting on trains carrying briefcases and looking intellectual..I think they just have their butties and a copy of The Beano inside the briefcase!

I'm sure you're 'reet' Irene, or maybe what bet to put on Lazy Donkey at 2 30 at the Derby. ;o)

Funny the "WOKE" brigade have not come up with an excuse to pull it down

Dare I say it's a good job Mr Powell isn't wearing a kilt ..
' up skirting' is a crime nowadays, I saw a notice on the train the other day, I was shocked! I nearly always wear a skirt.....and I go on the train quite a lot.

The WOKE brigade would be fighting a losing battle in Wigan, PeterP.....we love our statue in the park. It is part of all our lives.

A "Tory Yorkshireman", Mick?
Tory maybe, but he was born in Wigan on 29th June 1827.
His dad was Vicar of St George's, Rev. Benjamin Powell.

Sir Francis Sharp Powell, 1st Baronet was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1863 and 1910. Powell was the son of the Rev. Benjamin Powell of Wigan and his wife Anne Wade, daughter of the Rev. T. Wade. Wikipedia
Born: 29 June 1827
Died: 24 December 1911, Yorkshire
Partner: Annie Gregson (1858–)
Education: St John's College
Parents: Ann Wade, Benjamin Powell
Grandparents: Elizabeth Bridges, Thomas Wade
Great-grandparents: Francis Bridges, Elizabeth Stapleton

A Yorkshireman just like Dave( Mr Wigan) Whelan

PeterP.....What exactly is The Woke Brigade ?> Ray.

In April this year I walked through Mesnes Park for the first time, despite
having lived in this town since 1966, having emigrated from Liverpool.
Although I was born in Liverpool during world War 2, I dont class myself
as a Scouser, I am a bit of a " Dolly Mixture ", On my fathers side, his
origins are Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland and Isle Of Man,
My mother is from Bath in Somerset, so I am a bit of a " Half Breed ".

Ray if you Google 'woke' generation you will soon understand. (If you haven't already done so.)
I can't believe you've lived in Wigan all that time and not been through the park...;o)