Your right my dad was derek hughes,My aunty Maggie lived at 196 and I knew the Roberts.If you look on ww albums and go to street scenes the bolton road flood pic has my aunty Maggie stood outsice and next door you can see a horable women called Kitty Garston and her son Barry Jones.What is your parents names,and how do you know my dad? Have to log of for a couple of day as away working,will answer owt when I get back.

Town: Ashton

I'm tempted to say my name's Garston...I have heard that name but don't remember those people, thankfully!

But it's Owen, and my grandma and grandad, Johnnie and Margaret Owen, are also on that flood pic, standing at the door of 198.

My dad is John, and he knew all of the people mentioned, of course. I remember Mr (Hughie?) and Mrs Hughes at 196. You can see their house name plate on the photo, which I think was Cae Gerrig or something like that.

Cheers,
Phil

I knew your grand parents.Hughie was the brother of my Taid(Moe hughes)and he was into electrics.The plaque said cae cerrig as that was the name of the family house in Wales when they all moved over in about 1902-4.I will always remember Annie Tuder Who was Thomas Bowlands gran punching ****ty Kitty Garston over the garden wall when I was about 5-6.Do you know any of my relatives,Arthur Fearnley still lives 50 yards up the rd,and his brother John Walks round Ashton with a camera.Helen who married Ray (live on Bryn rd.Keridwen Thomas,
By the way ive had to pop back for a couple of hours.

Town: Ashton

My grandparents were both wonderful people, fairly quiet but always kind to everybody. Next door at 200 was Barbara Roberts, a well-known singer and musician around all the local churches, Welsh and English.
At number 196, 'Nepi' was Hughie's nickname, and he once made a special electric machine. He got some of the local kids to hold on to two ends of wire while he turned a handle, and, of course, generated a shock for the unsuspecting kids. Do you know what Nepi meant, I don't?
I have heard of the Fearnleys, but don't know them personally, but I do remember the bloke walking round with a camera round his neck. I think one of the Fearnleys used to go in the Cally, and was mates with one of the Popes, from the garage, when I was a young lad in the late 60s.
My sister is friends with Deb Hughes, who is the daughter of your dad's cousin Richard, I think.
Among my early playmates was Michael Lyons, now successful as the boss of the local 'bouncers'. We were never off the 'YM' in those days.
Cheers,
Phil

It is Arther Fearnley who was mates with John Pope,My dad told me that uncle Hughie was called Nepy because he was small and nippy on his feet when playing football.Ive never met Debs Hughes but my dad spoke of Richard Hughes on many occasion.We were always on the YM,Do you know Thomas Bowland and Alan Prior (now landlord of Callidonian)or Phil kurner,The Tithers lived over the road.By the way phil how old are you?

Town: Ashton

A youthful 55! But don't know any of the people mentioned. We moved out of Bolton Road when I was 10 and I have lived in various parts of Ashton and Wigan (and elsewhere) since then. I think my dad knows you, though, and he said your dad was a very good footballer, played professional, Bradford he thinks?

Your right my dad was at Bradford,My mum opened the chippy 204 Bolton rd ,I think it was jusy before you moved away,do you remember the pig stys right behind your house,I rememer riding a pig when I was 5,There was also pig stys at the top end of the YM,They backed onto the high wall onto I think its Orchard st.

Town: Ashton

It was Orchard st I just looked at Google maps,I have a sister who is 1 year older than you called Pauline,she went to Evans school then to the central,did you not know her?

Town: Ashton

I do vaguely remember the pigsties, but we lived at 137, opposite the Cally, so they weren't behind us, but behind my grandparents house I think, where there were also some pens.
Sorry, don't think I know your sister either. I went to St Ozzies then John Rigby. Next door to us were the Houltons, who had three kids, an older lad and the twins, Ann and Ben, who I used to play with.
There were some good shops in the area back then. Wright's was near us, as was Johnson's, and further up was the Mrs Cunliffe's sweet shop, a butchers and the chemist, Turton's. At the junction with Bryn Rd was Cottam's, later Picton's I think. On the even side of the road past my grandparents house was Mrs Byrom's and further up another butcher's, where my mum used to send me for stuff. Famous was Annie Harrison, who lived on Bryn Rd South and used to cut all the kids' hair, with hand-operated clippers, ouch.