I remember

I Remember Wigan Growing up in Wigan, was a delightful thing, everything about the place was just home, everywhere I went with Mam and Dad, I just loved, I belonged there, and the saddest thing of all for me personally was when we left to move to another town about 20 or so miles away when I was just 7 years of age and I never felt I belonged there somehow, Wigan was my home, Me aunty Mary never moved from WIgan.... so I looked so forward when we went to visit her as a family except me dad, who had to work, I was going home again, how the rest of my family felt I don't know, but I just loved the place, even as a child, and I was the only one to be born at home........There was always something comforting about that, and gave me a sense of belonging somehow...I even went to visit the house I was born in a couple of weeks ago, and stood right outside the door....I so wanted to go in, and look around,......maybe one day, I be brave enough to ask, it was some kind of office now for some caring organization....... the rest of the family live all over the place, and I am the only one to stay close by just a few miles, from that place where I was born. I remember me granny and going regular when I was younger, she always made a good potato pie, with a crust on top, if we wanted after's...... it was custard butties, now that was yuck, even today the very thought of bread and custard just puts you off, sometimes for breakfast we used to have pobs, bread and milk, that tasted a bit better with a bit of sugar on. Me granddad was a gentleman, and I am glad I am able to remember him, with the affection that I do, people just loved one another somehow, and we were together....... whatever happened to that age of caring for one another bewilders me even today, but I loved my Wigan and still do, Folk seem to forget us older ones had people we loved so very much, and leaves us somehow empty when they are gone, everybody can relate to that, no matter who they are, I miss my family so much, I miss having them all together in one place,, just as it were in happier times, I miss going to me mam and dads, I miss my sister who always stuck up for us in younger day's, and who died at just 37 year's old, I miss my brother's,....... and most of all I miss the Me ... of How i used to be when I was with them, I miss the Mike I was when I loved my Wigan so much, the Wigan I felt so much a part of. I miss my school pals I grew up with, that were just as much family,, and many of them no longer here with us, I miss the places we lived while in Wigan, and neighbours we became friends with, and loved. So many many things I miss, but one thing I miss, was the spirit of the age we grew up in, times were hard for everyone, but we were happy, I loved the older people, who were always kind, and had a story to tell , there doesn't seem to be as much respect for older ones at all today, even on buses and trains, younger ones sit..... older ones stand......except for the occasional mindful youngster who will give up his or her seat, which always touches me somehow, and makes me remember, what it was really like in days gone by, but i do with all honesty miss so much the Mike I used to be, and try to get back too, I know I'm never far away from that, I do try so hard not to let the spirit of this age get to me, but have to say those arrows get through sometimes, , more so these days, and I don't want to react in anger towards anyone, I just want to be Mike, and just want to Love in the way I used to do.....I have come a long way, like most people on our Journey through life, to realize, money, arguments, fight's etc etc, are not the answer, Love and forgiveness is......Yea Wigan instilled something good in me, in a lot of us, and was proud to be a Wigan lad, Norley Hall was so home, the white houses are pulled down now, and just a field with tree,s. The School St Cuthbert's has still the same water tower top on it, and it's as though time stood still for Wigan in a lot of way's....Our teacher's we so respected, Headmaster a Real Gent Mr Murphy, I remember him with thanks and a lot of love, He was kind and always helped us as a family as well as other's...he is still alive, but in not so good health now....Yes ! Wigan is a Grand place, and will always be to me, ...... It's HOME........... ( Mike )

i lived at 18 farmer st it was a happy st mostlywhen when we were skint akind neighbor would dip their joint inour gravy and if we had to much coal in our bunker someone would kindly pop round in the night and remove a spadeful and not stop for thanks only joking the neighbors were tops

i lived at 18 farmer st it was a happy st mostlywhen when we were skint akind neighbor would dip their joint inour gravy and if we had to much coal in our bunker someone would kindly pop round in the night and remove a spadeful and not stop for thanks only joking the neighbors were tops

i lived at 18 farmer st it was a happy st mostlywhen when we were skint akind neighbor would dip their joint inour gravy and if we had to much coal in our bunker someone would kindly pop round in the night and remove a spadeful and not stop for thanks only joking the neighbors were tops

I remember "Auntie Dolly and Uncle Nat" Ellison who we lived next door to in Holt Street in the 1960`s.I was a little girl, we lived at 67 and they were at 69. They were lovely, lovely people who I remember to this day.They ha d a daughter called Dorothy who I remember lying on the couch with a big rug over her. She died at age 26- don`t know why.I was only about 8 when we mooved to Standish but I remember "Auntie Dolly" giving me a FRYS chocolate bar before we left.Isn`t it amaizing what you remember!!! I am 48 now and visited their grave last Christmas. Very emotional.Happy days.

i rember the viaducts well as iusedto play there as alittle girl with all my cousins my grandma lived near therethey where happy days.

I too remember The Viaducts, Norma. We called them The Viredocks. My friend lived in Raven Street and had relatives in Farmer Street and it DID seem Dickensian, especially at dusk as the nights drew in. I recall a lot of the children wore black wellies to play out in, even if it was cracking the flags, and one child had one leg much thinner than the other. My family was far from well-off, but the poverty down the Viredocks seemed out of another age, but the community was very close-knit. Do you remember a lady known as "Persil"?

we had great neighbours, in First Avenue, Hindley, and in summer most of the mums would take a chair out side after pots done after tea, and chat while we played, Happy Days

i was born in the Grove, Hr Ince, Xmas 1944.Iwas often taken to visit people in the Viaducts. It was akin to stepping into a Dickens novel.To me these people were poverty stricken but there always seemed a strong community spirit.There was one family, and I am sure they "took in" someone elses young child.I think that this child had, what would be termed these days,as, having learning difficulties. I would be interested to hear of anyone elses memories of the Viaducts, or indeed any memories of old Ince. Norma (Caswell)

we had smashing neighbours in Rylands st in the forties Harry Hughes a miner who used to give buckets of coal to neighbours who had none and bell arkwright who helped to deliver me on the kitchen table happy days

I actually have lovely 'proper' neighbours at the moment, but i know what you mean, when i was 'little' we all just went in and out of each others houses as if we lived in all of them!

i remember the mantel we used to light at night i can remember them being very delacte and not being able to aford anew one

Years ago it was "the norm' for neighbours to help out in a crisis. My own personal experience was of our good next-door neighbour Mrs. Cheetham who looked after us until my dad got home from work when my mam was suddenly taken to hospital when she was expecting my youngest sister. My dad worked in the mine and when on day-turn (had to turn out at 4.30 am) Mrs. Cheetham would get us up for school, take us into her house and give us breakfast and make sure we got to school ok.

I remeber in the 50's my mother and a neighbour mrs. turton taking us over the westwood with water to drink and jam butties to eat.they used to tell us " don't tell all the other kids we were going" but without fail when they turned round half way almost all the kids in the street were following. everyone was friends with everyone in those days,not much money but would help anyone out.we all had soon very happy times as kids then.

I remember all my neighbours in Wigan. In the 40,s and 50,s there was a general unspoken neighbourly caring which I suppose existed because The houses were a community which went back several generations.The shopkeepers especially were always very kind and considerate especially with children.Every street had several shops and they were places were neighbours met and passed on gossip and information.

The kindest neighbour I will never forget was the lady who lived around the corner from us. My mam had to go in hospital and she came round with a great big basin of beef broth. My dad's cooking wasn't up to much - so this treat was delicious. This kind neighbour often took cooked dinners to elderly people who lived on their own. I very often saw her with plates covered over with a tea towel and tripping across the road. There were some big hearted neighbours in the Scholes of old!