Local Life - Wigan - January 2021

15
Bickershaw Festival, 1972
“I also remember that we didn’t have a
television in those days but the Hilton family,
who lived opposite us at Coach House Farm,
did and would let me and my sisters watch
Children’s Hour. I would spend most of the time
asking who were the goodies and who were
the baddies as the Lone Ranger, Cisco Kid and
Range Rider rode across the screen.”
Frank attended St. Marie’s Catholic Primary School on
Almond Brook Road in Standish and was taught by the
nuns there. He says, “After passing my 11 plus I went to
Blessed John Rigby Grammar School on Gathurst Road,
which was run by the Christian Brothers order. I’m afraid
to say I wasn’t as happy here as I was at primary school,
the so-called Christian Brothers could be quite cruel and
sadistic.”
On leaving grammar school, Frank had big aspirations of
becoming a professional footballer, but football’s loss has
been photography’s gain. He tells me, “Funnily enough
I was never that interested in photography but my dad
was a fairly keen amateur and because I’d no idea what
I wanted to do after leaving school he suggested writing
to the local papers to see if there was a vacancy for a
photographer. They wrote back saying that there were no
positions available at the time but would keep my name
on file.”
Frank’s first job was a far cry from the craft he eventually
made into his long-term career, “My first job was at
Bradley’s menswear shop in Market Street, when I was
sixteen. I went along to enquire about a job and the
manager, appropriately named Mr. Wigan, was happy
to take me on. Duties included sweeping the step in
the morning, lighting the coal fire, and dusting the shirt
boxes. I was never much good at selling socks, underpants
and cardigans and after two years of measuring bellies
and inside legs, I got a letter from the Post and Chronicle
newspaper on Leyland Mill Lane, inviting me for an
interview for a photographic printer.”
Frank underwent four years of training, including printing
pictures in the darkroom and occasionally going out
with photographers on assignments, he added, “I was
promoted to photographer and given my first camera,
which was a Yashica twin lens reflex. I grew to absolutely
love the job and I have covered everything from news and
sport to leisure events.”
Some of Frank’s proudest moments have come from
his time behind the camera but his proudest moment
came as a Dad, he tells me, “I won several newspaper
photography awards but my proudest moments concern
being able to get two spare photographer passes for
my sons, Danny and Mike, for the 1992 rugby league
Challenge Cup Final between Wigan and Castleford at
Wembley. This was during Wigan’s eight-year dominance
of Challenge Cup wins in a row from 1988 to 1995, the