Greenough Street

Me and the other snipes used to have a great time in Greenough Street. We would play Cocky Rusty and British Bulldog in the side streets. There were no cars parked those days. Girls played 2 ball or 3 ball on the walls or skipped with the rope. We would chuck a couple of ganzies down as the try line and play tick rugby. Summer would be orchading usually up Wigan Lane in the posh houses gardens. In winter we'd make slides on the ice down Primrose Hill. When we were really fed up we would ring doorbells and run off. Not many had doorbells. It was your fault for trying to be posh.

Hello Yatsey.So Joe Mac Punch was to blame and we thought you were just crap footballers.

Neh then Jen! behave, No I wasn,t there silly, I was only 3yrs old had to stay home doin the washin.

Neh Unzie. Bet none of you men were as good as Rob Ockleshaw. 20 pints? 20 pints of nats p. Try drinking 10 pints of Joe Mac punch at the Para. So called cos if it hit you Friday night you didn't wake up till Monday morn – unless, that is, you were a St Georges man and could take it.

Right on Cliff. I see you are not only a rock singer, sage, wit and groom to be, but also a bit of a scholar. Where you present at the ceremony when Julius named Coccium?

Dear Yatesy You obviously never played the Cats when the Stockley brothers played.They would have had you for breakfast.As for the drinking bit we didn"t start counting till we had twenty./

Kath,I cant hold it back, I got to tell our old friends of our intentions, the wedding is on yep She won my heart when she metioned her spuds lobbin ok I may me lofty challenged an Kath tother road but I was always used to standin on 3 bricks in the entry to sneak a kiss or two, we have promised to fix a date when I get my parole. We,re not planning on kids just yet but we,ve decided to call the first born 'Green ' next one 'ough' would be kewl if they were twins. anyroad up the ceremony will be at St Georges 'where else', alls welcome, no flowers please, donations would be gladly appreciated, we accept all credit cards an switch, A sumptious reception will take place in St Georges School, all residents presently staying there will be flown to Florida to sleep in the sun for the day 'bless' Entertainment will provided , inc The Minx Beat boys Vaqueros Status Quo Madonna Bruce Springsteen last but not least David Beckham and Victoria playin a duet on bagpipes. You will enjoy Leave your diaries free on that day, we have,nt fixed a date yet but it will be on the Friday the 13th of which ever month it occurs. 'We shall gather at the river'

yeh same one Jen, ok you have the eggs I,ll have the broth ell ! did I say that. Jenny, answer my earlier Question did you live in Turner street? answer or no eggs.

I read the earlier postings on this page and noticed there is a Cliff H. from Coccium. I thought that this was a different Cliff and wondered where Coccium is. The following is what came up from the web search: The Roman name for Wigan or "Coccium - The Cookhouse? ... or was it a Brothel?". Mines eggs over easy Cliff.

Sol Reed I think you meant Norman Liptrop sang for the Vaqueros. The Ventures were a famous group.

Listen Unsworth yer talkin rubbish. St Georges still won the cup more times than St Catherines. Open age - so what - bunch of bums. I played soccer Satday mornings for BICC, RU for Wigan Satday afternoons and RL for the Royal Oak in the Sunday league. Cr..at everyone but still downed 10 pints on Friday and Satday nights at the Paradise Club, Vegas and King. St Catherines open age - bunch o' puffs.

I just recalled, I put on the 100th posting of greenough St and won a bottle of whiskey, guess what! I did it again This one 200th.post Thats another bottle I have to buy, its worth it readin the memories, Iv,e been too busy lately,I was diggin hole in the garden to bury a dead bird and struck coal,( black diamonds) I,m down 30ft now, shorin up the sides, yeah I,m a pit owner now, I employ two miners, they dont work mondays and they,re always on strike, so the wife,s workin on the face, she,s got her own designer pick and pink coloured helmet I just had some high heel clogs made for her, shes happy ,she,s worth it, W e filled our first sack last friday, next year we will be millionaires. Cheers yawl!!

while we are on about sport.Greenough St and surrounding area turned out more than its fair share of sportsmen.Jacky Edwards and his son sean to mention just two.I Also represented the town athletics team.The 100 yards relay team were David Bolton .Keith Holden.All Saints.Jim Berry.Grammer School.and my good self Whelley Sec Mod.To qualify we had to run the 100 yards in 11 seconds.Not bad for 14 year olds.Been living on my memories ever since.Wonder what happened to the other 3 by the way.

I should have mentioned i meant the open age sunday school league not the under elevens.

Hey - Unsworth. I'll have you know that St Georges won the Smith Cup more than any other school before Billy Spencer, the Headmaster withdrew us. And further more if we had entered a team for the rugby, as St Georges did inth'owd days we would have done in St Marys. So there.

I like it Degs, I like it. Coincidentally, someone mentioned Ronnie Carr to me the other day and then I bumped into Norman Liptrop who I think sang with the Ventures often at the Owd Hall. Mick Jagger looks in a lot better state. I saw the film on Brian Jones recently on freeview. Brought back memories especially as I had just downloaded about 40 Stones tracks - the old ones. I wonder what condition Sam Bass is in. probably more like Norman than Mick Jagger. Maybe I need a fireplace!!!!!!!!

Great idea Sol,the band now called +The Greenough Street 5 get together and play in the newly rebuilt Transport Club backed up by the 'Beat Boys" who now are older than Mick Jagger .It's a charity event and the money goes to Cliff and Kath's wedding.What a story better than Corrie. What do you think Cliff set the date and I'll be there

To change the subject I lived in greenough st for over twenty years but played football for St Catherines.St Georges always struggled against us.Must be something in the water.

Been catching up on the postings. Peregrin Peabody mentions a picture of George and the Dragon. I remember one on the wall in one of the halls at St Georges. Does any of you St Georges buffs know what hapened to the picture.

So the story of Greenough St moves on. Sam the Fireplace Man has a shop in Darlington Street or Warrington Lane and played in a band called the Minx. What next? Has the love affair with Cliff H and Kath B cooled off. Or will the love match of the year be announced and St Georges see the biggest wedding in its living memory. Will Degs the Wigan Canadian return triumphant from the wilds of the Empire – reform a his Band – Sam on bass, Degs on lead, Kath H on rhythm and vocals by the one – the only – Elvis Higham – and Red Sales on drums. Will Bernard aka Ernie Dowdall – now outed as the kid so kind to poor St Mary’s kids – be made a freeman of the town. Watch this space …….it gets no better than this!

Jenny, did you live in Turner St, on the right hand side coming up from Greenough St and the same girl who worked in the Wigan infirmary about 12yrs ago? I remember the name.

Thanks Jenny. That is a picture of the little devil I recall.

Jenny did you live off Vaughan st back in the 50s and 60s Iam the tall girl stood near to Cliff I wonder if he still looks the same.

If George Black wants to know what Cliff Higham looked like as a little lad he can see a picture of him on this site. Go to the home page and follow the links: Photos of Wigan, Album, Schools, St Georges C E School. Cliff is on the photo “St. Georges class of 1957 going to Liverpool Cathedral to be confirmed”. He is the first blond lad on the front row with socks rolled down and Cheshire cat grin.

Re P. Heaton. No not me. You mean Dave Sherrington twin brother of John. Came out of Darlington Street and went to St Catherines. Knew em though. Good lads. Like me moved about a bit. Don't know where they are now. Not seen em in usual local pubs when I visit Wigan.

Dave Sherrington did you go to St. Catherines school in the 50s?

Been reading this site with interest. Not from Greenough Street but knocked about there as a lad. I'm an old timer now and we are prone to nostalgia. Cliff Higham I'm sure I know you. Did you have a pretty blond older sister. You used to annoy us, showing off singing Tommy Steele songs, Singing The Blues if I remember right. At least you could sing in tune.

This is for Degs. Sams fireplace shop is in Darlington Street East opposite the Silverwell pub and near Chinese Jimmy's take away.

Hi all you Greenough Streeters. Do any of you remember me David Sherrington. I stood in Greenough Street during the 70s preaching the message of the Socialist Workers. I never worked a day in my life up to then but I am now a reformed character. Do you remember Bernard Dowdall we had meetings at the Dog and Partridge.

Here's the scoop on sam Bass,He runs a fireplace shop on Warrington lane.In the 60's we had aband called The Minx.I was lead, Terry rimmer rhythm,Darrell(bird) Finch on drums and Bev was singer.We played Room at the Top quite alot .Remember Wince he was with us for a while.

Jennifer! I represent that, I was not with me mates that day, I was cocklin with my grandad in Morcambe, so there.

I remember being in the cloggers shop with my mam. My dad was a miner and we were taking his cloggs for mending. The door opened and Cliff and his mates chucked in a stink bomb. They were little glass balls with a smelly yellow liquid inside. You could buy them from the joke shop in the market hall. We all had to stand outside till the smell went. Harry the clogger was going mad. Cliff and his mates were stood on the corner of Turner St laughing at us.

Sunday morning. Walking down Windsor st. oh dear on the way to church. Ladies there donkey stoning their steps. Hello mrs Forshaw bit raw this morning. “is it ever”. Morning mrs Arkwright. “feel rough love – good neet last neet – bin up since 4. cant recall how I found me way wom”. Just another Sunday morn. Nowt like that now.

Father was a rum sort of a chap. No profession, no trade. A gentleman adventurer you might say. As a boy I travelled with father and Dubber to Greenough Street many years ago. Father had a slim brown paper package in his possession. Dubber was his army name, he drove the Rolls, Tommy Henderson was his real name. Father insisted I call him Henderson but I called him Dubber when my father wasn’t around. Visiting St Georges School I was struck by a picture on the wall of St George slaying the dragon. Father instructed me to visit the toilet – an awful smelly urinal at the bottom of the school yard. Returning the boys stared at me with their hard faces but Dubber always said in adversity keep your eyes to the front and maintain a steady jaw. We called to see a lady in a street nearby and had tea. Her name was Jean. I managed to peep in the package. It was a picture of St George and the Dragon. Yet the other picture was on the wall when we left. Searching for the Wigan artist Isherwood drew me to this site and revived memories. Does anyone recall an Isherwood canvas with a prominent eye. Contact the curator British Museum and mention me.

The man from Wigan Canada and I. Mcann, who is Sam Bass? When I was a little lad my Dad said he was an outlaw from the wild west. Its like the film the Usual Suspects. Who is Kaiser Soezer? Does he exist? This is facinating. For goodness sake someone put us out of our mysery. Does Sam Bass even exist? Can't wait for the next episode.

W. Halliwell I think your mistaken. You probably mean the Trolls. The Troggs were big and release3d Wild Thing before Hendrix. Mr. Diggs is Cliff H. correct. Did you play with Sam Bass. Remember Sam don't remember you. Best local band was The Kind from St Helens and the Night Train from Leigh. There was another band who were good I think from St Helens. I forget their original name but they covered a song by the Boxtops - Excuse Me baby - they changed their name to the Magic Lanterns and had a top 10 hit.

lil move to ince bar when the cafe closed give the cafe up when tervor died is carl n barbra still living in wigan any one know?

lil moved to greenough st when standish one shut in 1970 janet winstanley nee cartwright

Degs, Sam Bass was in ur band wasn,t he? did u play in Room at the Top and was one of your songs 'here comes the night' a 'Them' song, who? them. After Deg,s band (of course) The Beat Boys,was my fav, I used to watch them in the Transport Club Sunday afternoons, was next to the Court Hall,I used to get kATH up dancin round her handbag.

Ref. Digs Canada & J. Dainty. I think Sam Bass played in either the Shims or the Troggs. I think he played bass guitar.

Yea Lil's Cafe was in standish down Preston Rd. next to it was the Seven Stars pub which was owned by my Aunt and uncle (Wilson) Jack and Bessie.remember Carl waters his parents had the cafe.

digsy from canada. you mentioned sam bass. did he play in a local wigan rock band in the 60s. where is he now. why call him the fireplace man.

Janet!! gotchya now, the Cartwright name got me bit confused. Hi how,s things ? nice to hear from ya, post some memories on here, lets hear em. cliff x

There was no Lils caf at the of Greenough St. Lils bykers gaf was in Standish.

bet roper granddaugher from no;5 lils cafe was a bikers cafe .hope you no now cliff xx

Hi Janet,yeah its me,Windsor st, I cant recall the name Janet, give ma clue where did you live? I cant remember a Lil,s cafe at the top of Greenough st, memory must be goin, did you go to St GEORGES ?

does any one remeber lils cafe at the top and is that cliff higham from windsor st janet winstanley nee cartwright

Is That Jim Seddon?? Youre right Chris Glass went to St Marys ..Not the Grammar School.Happy days in Nobbys Dog And Partridge.Arthur horrocks ,Ken Cowap ,Syd hitchen,Jackie Phillips ,Ernie Lawes (The Lawman) The Admiral..and many many more

There was a Chris Glass who went to St Marys.

Curly, who,s Chris Glass ??