Memories Of Little Wigan

A Memory of South Kirkby.

I grew up on the estate near Kirkby pit known to locals as Little Wigan. It was a great place to live where everyone knew each other and I know peaple say you didn't have to lock your door in days gone by, but down Little Wigan you realy didn't. Virtually all my family worked at the pit, either down it or on the pit top this is where me and my mates spent most of our spare time and, I've got to say, usually up to no good. I can still remember laying in bed as a kid and the noise from the coal washers used to echo up the estate, I loved that noise. We also spent a lot of time on what we called the pit tips, sliding down them on an old conveyor belt and making dens. Nobody had much in them days but what a fantastic place to grow up it was, Little Wigan and its surroundings.