Greenough Street

He's still around Babs. I drove past him walking up Mesnes Road a few days ago.

Does any one know if Cliffy Higham is still around?

Hello Betty, thanks for asking but thankfully BU is doing ok. Hes out of hospital now and slowly but surely getting better.

Hello Mrs Johnstone. Sorry to hear Brian isnt well. How is he doing now. Hope he's up and about.

Yeah I remember Tucker. What you up to these days.

My dad bought my first tranny from Lenningans. It ran on this big block of a battery. I used to take it into Lewises Ice Scream bar and play radio luxemburg. I remember getting Hilda up and bopping to Dont Be Cruel. Fantastic days.

Same here Tez. We always whupped St Catherines good at St Georges. Later at the Grammar School we stuffed the same numpties when they went to Whelley School.

I went to St Georges School and do you know we won the Smith Cup more times than any other school. The headmaster, Billy Spencer, kicked soccer into touch during the 50s so none of the kids could play footy for the school after that. Fortunately I managed to play. I used to like playing against St Catherines who we always used to trounce, because I knew a lot of the lads.

As a newcomer to this site, I have been reading over some past comments to bring me up to date and give me an insight into what topics are discussed. I was surprised that people seem to be using this site to be critical of other adults . . . Namely B.U. I know B.U. and his lovely family, and think you might not know that B.U. has been in hospital since March of last year, so when someone posted a message and everyone thought it was him, they were all very mistaken because he was still very poorly in hospital, and actually is still too poorly be commenting on this or any other site. Well, I hope that I will find further messages of more use and am able to chat to people who have something of interest to say, instead of their useless, childish comments. Especially Mr Yates, who still has some kind of interest in continuing with childish talk.

Remember that geezer wh used to boast that he had a barge of some sort on Lake Windermere. Well a watched a programme Michael Portillo in the Lake District. He was on a smashing looking, well preserved owd boat. The owner was complaining about the tatty vessels cluttering the lake now days. I thought yeah that bragging geezer on Wigan World is probably polluting an otherwise picturesque lake with his owd wreck. Something should be done about it.

Oh oh Mona..tell you Mona what I’m gonna do…build a house next door to you.. Happy New Year Mona ... and everone else. Get with it man!

appy noo yeer clif an too everibody.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL

Happy xmas Cliffy luv. Hope to see you at next St Georges reunion. Much luv XXX.

Ah! The sweet fragrance of Mona Spring. Glad to hear from you again Mona. Hope you are well. Wonder how the Beatnik Fly from Aspull and the rest are getting on.

Hi Guys. Have a wonderful Xmas and dont break the New Year resolutions.

Hi Fats. Merry Christmas and to one and all.

Here's wishing everyone who contributes to the page a merry Christmas. Tez Dainty, the Dowdalls, Mona, Stan .... everybody, the Highams and Eggsy.. one and all and even Bu Bu Sandside. Peace and good will to all.

Right on fats. Filled in for Blue Diamonds a couple of times. Remember them,,there were thousands of em.

Eggsy - did you ever play at the Paradise Club?

Chris. As you know your cuz Clint Higham was rhythm guitar and vocals, Tommy Rimmer on drums, Jesse James on bass and me on lead and vocals. catcha son.

Hi Eggsi, how you doing. Remember seeing you play at the Wellfield and that pub in Norley that Keith Holden ran. Great version of Memphis Tennessee. Remind me of the other lads in the group.

I used to play in a group called the Beech Hillbillies.

I used to sell the Lancashire Evening Post and Manchester Evening Chronicle in the streets around Greenough Street.

Hi Becci, I'm not Cliff Highams brother - honest. In fact I dont know him and he probably doesnt know me. There are loads of Highams in Wigan. Cliffs probably younger than me. I knew Bu Bu though, a little brat. We'd clip his luggs and he run off scrikeing for his mam. You're dead reet though - its time we forgave and forgot. So here's to Mr. B.U. and lets hope he behaves himself in future. Like you say Becci - theres a place for his poems and if thats not good enough Im sure the Council have a place. Seriously though, I can not speak for the other Higham but as far as I am concerned Bu is forgiven.

I think that it is awfully sad when grown men participate in this silly baiting. Having had grandparents who lived in the Greenough Street area I have read the comments above extensively. It seems the nub of the issue is that a former resident of Greenough St who wishes to be known as B.U. from Sandside (Cumbria) was chastised by a number of contributors for his bad “poetry” and being mistakenly responsible for posting a filthy limerick. The limerick had actually been posted by a regular contributor, Cliff Higham. Although it is true that B.U. had a tendency to boast on various subjects including owning some sort of canal craft, a subject of derision by his detractors. He also seemed to have an unhealthy obsessive dislike of Grammar School boys. This site is meant for pleasantries so lets all try to make life a better place for each other. I suggest that the brothers Higham cease to abuse B.U. and keep their comments pertinent to the Greenough Street area and keep them pleasant. I suggest that B.U. ceases to boast about what he perceives to be personal achievements and comes to terms with his phobia about Grammar School boys. With regard to – lets call it his “prose” rather than poetry is kept to the page on this site which makes provision for literary “wanna be’s”. Mr Higham should apologise to B.U. for posting the filthy limerick although I do appreciate that B.U. did nothing to protest his own innocence. It would be a nice conciliatory gesture on the part of Mr Higham. Hope you can all be friends. Rebecca.

Are you a brother, brother as in "monk" or another brother of say Bu Bu. Or are you a brother as in "soul brother". Oh brother! So many brothers. Why bother. P.S. message for Bu Bu. Hello sailor. Sale, shocking pink sailor suits in your local Debenhams. Free sailors cap with every suit purchase before December 10th. Hurry. Hurry whilst stocks last.

Bu Bu is a better man than either chris or cliff higham (probably related) will ever be. dont bother replying with your childish comments

remember dicky plums barbers, hildas ice cream parlour, harry fairhursts cloggers, unsworths grocers and that brat of kid brian who lived there. broughs cleaners, church o christ church, lennigans, stans radio shop. derek halsall, marie higham, laurence nevin, barabara and grham culshaw, loads o tarbucks, brian appleton, margret smith, jennifer gardner, derek holcroft. I could go on and on...

WAWaw! thats strange, my guess he,s stayin out out your way.

Degs I went to Canada last month but I didnt see you.

Yea thanks Cliff it's good to keep in touch.Hi Liz , yes I remember you very well how are you ?(after 40 years or so)When i talk to Jean I'll mention you .And Hi to you too Norman (45 years or so later) we sure got up to a lot of stuff didn't we it's a wonder we survived.Good to hear from you .Bye for now.

Degs, no probs, I know I just been sendin funnies but I,ll let you know whats goin down, here. regards to your gang. rock on catchya C

Degs n' Cliff. Remember when we dressed up as Guy Fawks and sat on corner of Turner Street to get a few coppers. Penny for the guy and all that. Dennis Smith used to sit on our heads and we couldnt say owt cos the punters would realise it wasnt a proper guy but me or Cliff or Degs.

Jean was my best friend from the first day at st.George,s then all saints,then after leaving school,we use to go out drinking.I remember you,I once went with Jean baby sitting at your house,that was just past the boars head.And the home brew you once did.I remember your mum and dad,they were very nice people.Not seen Jean for a few years now.

liz, yes that's me, lived right at the bottom of the street .Good days great memories .Liz let me know who you are.Hi Cliff keep the e-mails coming.

Where have all the guys gone? Penny for the guy an things.

Look out for his poetry - tin helmet time - Bu Bu Sandside is back!!

Degs do you have a sister called Jean and did you live in burlington st.

sam Mellings bike shop ogling at the claud butler bikes with Campagnolo gears but could never afford one.Lets meet half way Saskatchewan maybe.

Pull yourself together Bu Bu Sandside. Stop being so mard. If you want to write rubbish you call poetry ,, then write it. If the readers have to suffer they will have to fend for themselves. Are you a man or a mouse?

was Joan, Charlie Fairhurst's daughter?

iwas born and bred in scholes neville st off scholefied lane lived in brook house st went to st catherines whelley school remember dr garry drjohnson in greeenough st my aunty joan fairhurst worked at the wallpapershop in greenough st opposite maidwells

i worked at maidwells they made overalls blouses for marks and spencers in the 1980s

Strange thing this diatribe by A.N. Other. Starts in the 3rd person and finishes in the first. Whatever the MA is in it certainly isn’t English Language. Probably an MA in scrounging from the Platt Bridge Institute of Stumblebums.

I gather your a happy bunny then BU.

The new picture of Greenough Street, claiming to be taken in 1972 is worth a look. Half a picture.......

I address this to the vile pack of wolves (you know who you are), who saw fit to persecute B.U. from Sandside - and for what i ask ?! A few patriotic poems !! I ask each and every one of you, what actual harm did any of those poems do?? BU was born in Wigan and worked all his life in his home town, and from sheer hard work, after 62 years of living in Wigan, was fortunate enough to retire to the beautiful Lake District. Does that make him any less loyal to his home town? Of course not!! Yet, a set of people continued to hurl abusive remarks to this individual, just because he had pride in his retirement to the Lake District. I have to offer thanks to the gentleman who kindly corrected Mona (completely and utterly aptly named) when she wrongly criticised BU for a phrase that wasn't even maded by him. Mona you may have apologised - but too little, too late I feel!!! I ask you Mona, why you saw it necessary to state on several occasions, that you was a teacher - why? Does this make you a better citizen? Your teaching requirements and ability wouldn't come anywhere close to the teachers we have today and their academic ability. Did you think that by being a teacher stood you on a pedestal setting you apart from BU because he had proudly stated that he didn't attend grammar school? Oh how naive you are Mona !!! I am proud to say that I have a masters degree, but i am more proud to say that i am able to recognise true value of people regardless of academic ability and qualifications. I shall close my comments now and i ask each and everyone of you are you able to sleep at night with a clear conscience? I can stand tall and answer that question with an unreserved YES !!!!! I wake up every morning and i am grateful for everything myself and my family have - a wealth not of material goods but a wealth of the more important aspects of life - good health and happiness. Every day my number 1 aim is to help somebody and make people around me smile. I suggest that the pack of wolves take a leaf out of my book and try to be nice to others for once, and value what you all have and most importantly use this site to show consideration to the people that take time to type their inoffensive words - whatever they may be I feel nothing other that utter disgust for each and every one of you . . . .

hello everyone, I enjoy reading the memories of this street, my wifes granmama was born in this street in 1948 she often tells me stories of the times she had in her younger days and of many of her friends she had, I have seen some names on here she has mentioned, I read them to her and she smiles much. I was born in France but I have had work over in UK for many years, I will ask her more about her friends she remembers later.

Yes Margaret. Cliff was always a a good looking charming lad with a mischevious sense of humour. I remember him on the Bowling Green opposite St Georges. Always singing the latest pop songs.