Years Ago.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to buy a big (about the size of a flagstone) bound volume containing every issue of a short lived Wigan newspaper - the Wigan Star, which ran from about 1890 to 1895.
At a distance of 130 years, many of the news articles can cause a raised eyebrow or a chuckle.
One such, below.

Only the windows?

I hope you will be contributing more of your booty

Lolly wrote:
I hope you will be contributing more of your booty

Will do, Lolly.

Sounds good Mickrick.

That sounds like a very interesting 'book'...

When I was a teenager going to Pem Senior, I had some cardboard boxes containing glass negatives of people and places around Wigan in the early 20th century. Long story short, my little brother took them into the history teacher, one Mr Bradbury / Bradburn who asked to keep them and my brother said yes. I was too young to fight for them to be returned to me. I lost them for which I am still upset.

Those images would have been priceless today as your newspapers must be.

Admin wrote: I lost them for which I am still upset.

Those images would have been priceless today as your newspapers must be.

A terrible thing to happen, Admin.
I bought the book from a friend who was a book dealer (now retired), who lives in Blackpool, and who contacted me when he got it in stock, as he knew of my interest in local history.

Where there's a will there's a row . . .
Wigan Star 7th July 1893.

I take it that a pigcot is a pigpen. I vaguely remember a tale about a pig ont' wall in orrell

Lolly wrote: I vaguely remember a tale about a pig ont' wall in orrell

Lomra Green Lolly, wheer they put t'pig o' t'wa', fer t'watch t'band gooin' past.

(Similar tales used to be told about other small communities around the country.)

"Before a large bench of magistrates."
I bet there was, given the nature of the offences!
Wigan Star 25th May 1894.

Curiosity prompted me to do a bit of digging.
The principal offender Matilda Marsden evaded justice by hightailing it over the border into Yorkshire, where she died only six months later, in Sowerby Bridge.

"he followed the cab on foot"
One presume the cab was a horse drawn carriage. Still he must have had to run
to keep up

Lolly wrote:"he followed the cab on foot"
One presume the cab was a horse drawn carriage.  Still he must have had to run
to keep up

Might have commandeered a horse and cart - "follow that cab!"

beltin

One born every minute . . .
Wigan Star, 25th May 1894.

Maybe she should have moved to Blackpool, rich pickings off the holiday makers

"Neighbours, Everybody needs good neighbours . . ."
Wigan Star, 17th March 1893.

A likely tale.
Wigan Star, 28th July 1893.

Probably still goes on to this day

Lolly wrote:Probably still goes on to this day

Lolly - some years ago, I remember a couple of licensees who used to make their holiday spending money by selling 'own brand' (Co-op or similar) whisky as recognised brand blended whisky (Bells, Grants, White Horse, etc.).

I bet he felt the draught!
Wigan Star, 15th December 1893.

2/6 Twenty pounds roughly in todays money. Wages in 1890
common laborers 3s. 9d.
excavators wearing their own "long water boots" 4s. 6d.
bricklayers, carpenters, masons, smiths 6s. 6d.
engineers 7/6 (= £110 pounds/year)

Too much of a good thing.
Wigan Star, 17th February 1893.

It's enough to put Fred off his tipple

Watch it, you...I've got me beady eye on thee.....

A summary of the week's events.
Wigan Star, 2nd December 1892.