Marsh's Pie Shop

A Memory of Haydock.

Marsh's pork pie shop was opposite Labour Club Number One, at the end of Old Whint Road. The pies were known as the best in the world and we kids at Jagger's (Richard Evans Junior School, West End Road) used to sing 'Marsh's, they make the best meat pies' to the tune of Colonel Bogey. I can't remember the other words. The pies were baked in a commercial oven at the back of the shop and there was always a queue waiting when the oven doors were opened and the tray of hot pies was brought in to be sold. The jelly on the top of the pastry was hot and liquid so you had to be careful carrying one home. There was always a cat sitting in the shop window, next to the cakes (the pies never got into the window, they sold immediately). The cat put my mum off buying anything there but it didn't bother me! You could also buy sweets, my favourite being Holland toffee, banana flavour. Those were the days!