Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 22nd July, 2022)

That's the only usefull thing I have ever seen in a church.

I saw a photo on here last year of the church cafe that Mick showed us so I went with a friend who could drive, we both had tea and Victoria sponge
I also bought a book of stamps from the post office

This church is heaven sent. The way it has opened up its doors to support the local area, and having a post office within the church. Just brilliant.

Comments like that are best unsaid.

It’s a beautiful church that looks as if it’s defied time. I would love to visit and sample the homemade fare on offer. I can visualise scones, sandwiches and toasted tea cakes and jam and cream cake to make the mouth water. But to me a cafe should be screened off, I’m sure the kitchen is…. The church isn’t a museum no matter how old. I may be old fashioned but I would have thought there must be rooms off the main part. Just my opinion, as I’m not a parishioner it doesn’t really matter.

What a lovely church, just to sit and have a coffee, and be at peace. The peace which passes all understanding, and to say a silent prayer for someone.Thank you Dennis, the photo has made my day.

St James church in Poolstock also has a cafe, but they serve up food that was going to be chucked away but is still edible, they don't have a price list, they just ask you to make a donation.

Veronica, the cafe is exactly has you visualised it in your comment. To me it didn’t seem at all out of place and there were quite a few people in there enjoying the fare on offer.
Around the church there was a display of art work from various local schools which I found very interesting.
The churchyard and surroundings were clean, tidy and a pleasure to wander round.
Presumably, all this is done by volunteers and, in a time when churches are struggling to make themselves relevant I think it is a brilliant effort by all concerned.
Catch the infamous Southport Bus from Wigan and pay a visit!

St.Lawrence's Church in Chorley does this too,just pay by donation for what you have.However,like Veronica I think a separate area would be better still.

I think that looks lovely. It is better to be used and loved by the community than to stand empty. I used to go to a church in Bolton for my dinner in the days when Bolton was worth visiting, and it was lovely. As well as the cafe they had craft stalls. Churches will never be used as they once were, but why should they stand empty and allowed to go damp and rot? They can still be used for their original purpose on Sundays and for weddings and christenings. Surely they were built to bring the people of the town or village in which they are situated together? Let them still do that. Good Luck to St. Thomas's and all such multi-use churches.

I might do that Dennis, it would be interesting to look around the graveyard, plus sample what’s on offer with a nice pot of tea.
I wonder if I can get on the train to it from Daisy Hill, the one that goes through Pemberton. I’ve always thought to myself I would like a wander around that area.

Veronica, The nearest railway station to St Thomas church is at Orrell,
but is a long way from the church. Take the advice of Dennis and catch
the Arriva ( Formerly Ribble ) Southport bus and get off about 150 yards
past St Thomas church. Cheers, Ray.

I’ll do that Ray. The next nice Summery day when it’s not too hot. Although I did swear I would never get on that Southport bus ever again! It can’t be that far though … can it?!!

Does the Wigan/Southport bus stop at every lamp post and takes for ever to get to Southport?

Veronica, The Southport bus is a very pleasant ride up to Upholland where you want to go.....it's when it gets to Skelmersdale that it becomes a nightmare....it seems to go on and on forever through places that all look exactly the same....my daughter Ashley and I did it once when the trains were on strike....never again! My nephew lives in Skem and is a driver on the Wigan/Southport bus but I suppose he's just used to the journey!

Veronica, The journey on the Southport bus from Wigan bus station to
Upholland Church is no longer than 15 minutes, whereas the complete
journey from Wigan to Southport is 1 hour 25 minutes. You can also
catch the Arriva bus showing " Skelmersdale ". Cheers, Ray.

Thank you Irene /Ray if that’s all it takes just 15 minutes I’ll go as soon as I can. It will be a nice change. I shall look forward to it … the next nice day will see me there, planning bus times and train times. Hooray for Google! …..

Exactly far better to be open through the week and be welcoming to all the community, rather than be shut up and open only on Sundays.

The man looks like he didn't want his photo taken Dennis, probably told the wife he was going for a stroll and shouldn't have been there scoffing cakes.

No Cyril, better to think his wife’s in hospital. He popped in to say a prayer noticed greeting cards and decided to write a get well one there and then.

Wycombe chairs in the cafe - the rear legs are separate from the back. Used to be expensive. Can be picked up now for a fiver apiece.

Them's Windsor chairs. They could, in all possibility, be Wycombe chairs as well. But not necessarily.

The mans wife is sat opposite him her hats on the table, you can see a bit of leg and the tip of her red shoe.

Windsor chairs have spindles at the back without the middle piece shown on those chairs. They don’t look like Windsor chairs. I have four Windsor chairs made by Ercol.
Here begins an argument on Windsor chairs - come in Mr Hanson.

Beg pardon the above could be Wheelback Windsor chairs, just looked up on Google.
There is a difference.

The hang of time ,
The grasp to never leave it,
hoping it’s not gone
it’s dust a treasured space
Forever within, the space we each are needing
My hands I reach , but know they are not mine

The hang of time ,
The grasp to never leave it,
hoping it’s not gone
it’s dust a treasured space
Forever within, the space we each are needing
My hands I reach , but know they are not mine

Ray, I would dispute your time of one hour and twenty five minutes for the whole trip to Southport, the last time I did it I'm sure that it was no less than one day, one hour and twenty five minutes.
Mind you, I'm no expert on these things, I'm just going by the amount of rigor mortis in my rear end by the time we got there.

Ercol came to my mind too when I saw them Veronica, I also remembered Priory which made chairs like these too, I worked in the furniture part of the Co-op in the late 1960s and both makers furniture was sold and which was very expensive to buy then, but like Gary says they can be picked up cheap as chips nowadays - until they come back into fashion that is.

He may also have been saying a prayer whilst picking the numbers on his euro millions lottery slip Anne

Windsor chairs have the back legs morticed into the bottom of the seat and the chair back morticed into the top of the seat.
Wycombe chairs are chairs made in High Wycombe, whether they're Windsor chairs or not.

I like the tables and chairs in the church they don’t look out of place Cyril. My furniture is not as dark though. You are right I have seen Priory furniture in charity shops, probably from house clearances. So well made and unappreciated these days.

Dennis...When I was a Ribble bus driver in the late 1960s, the official
timing on Running Sheet was actually 1 hour & 29 minutes, I will have
a look to see what the Arriva timetable shows.

Veronica/Cyril, I have a Priory Corner Cupboard which I have had for nearly 50 years. It was bought second-hand and is one of the original ones with individual leaded diamond panes in the glass doors, (I know because one fell out years ago and I have never got round to putting it back!).. It is just about falling to bits but I still love it. Last year we found a modern replica, (still Priory), but with the glass doors just made from one piece of glass and the leaded "diamonds"applied on top of the glass. . It was in a Charity Shop in Clitheroe and was only £10 but we had no way of getting it home.

Lovely old furniture Irene. Mine has individual pieces of glass with lead over the top but it’s ‘Old Charm’ just as good as Priory, it will probably end up in a charity shop.! But not just yet I hope…..

If Ray is looking in,I went on the train to Upholland as the buses were on strike. I got a lift from the station fortunately to the Church. I found it very interesting and the ladies who volunteer behind the Cafe counter were fabulous. We were having a nice chat and one of the ladies drew me a map to get to Orrell Station which was nearer. I walked a mile to catch the train but it was worth it. I discovered George Lyon is buried with his mother according to the literature at the back of the Church which is beautiful. Thank you for putting the idea in my mind, both the photo and the comments.

Veronica, I am pleased that your visit to St Thomas church went
fairly well. With regard to Upholland railway station, it is hardly
in Upholland, it is nearer to Crawford and Skelmersdale. Ray.

So glad you went to see the church and cafe, Veronica, and that you enjoyed it, (I couldn't resist having a "toot" when you said you had added further comments!).

You can ‘toot’ anytime Laura dear.
I was told by the ladies that UpHolland Station shouldn’t be called that! It’s much nearer to Orrell. The tunnel towards the end seemed endless as well in complete darkness. I thought blimey when is it going to come out of this. Even so it was a mile and a half (approx) or it seemed from Orrell station. It meant I couldn’t stop as long as I would have liked, the trains are only one an hour. I know now if I go again.