Kristin's Blog-Wild Times @ Wigan

Yes, as Dan mentioned, I did the blog on thursday and it was lost due to internet failure. But I would like to take the opportunity to add a few comments to that days travel that Dan didn't mention....

Wednesday morning, we left "Master The Tempest Is Raging" behind us in Sunderland. The sky was clear, the air bitter cold, and the waves pounding against the jetty and lighthouse near the B&B where we had stayed. We learned that Dan would much rather be caught in the middle of a raging storm, than lounge on a beautiful sunny beach, any day. Dean was being chased by the surf as he tried to capture the perfect photo of the waves reaching the top of the lighthouse and crashing over the jetty.... the waves were huge. Dan was in 'tempest heaven' and Dean was having a 'photo hayday'. Linda and I had to pretty much drag the guys away.

The drive east to the Lakes District and Windemere Lake was beautiful! I've been in awe this entire trip with the absolute beauty of the countryside everywhere we've been. I hope the photo's we've taken do justice to what we've actually seen in person.

We only had part of a day in Wigan/Hindley/Ince, so we decided we would try to trace some of the footsteps of my grandfather (Robert Rigby Hull) and grandmother as documented in his book, and get familiar with the area. We started looking for Victoria Hotel were they had stayed in Wigan. It is now Burnell's Pub/Bed & Breakfast, but still has "Victoria Hotel" written on the top of the side wall of the building. We took some photo's of the Wigan Parish Church which is actually a different church then the one grandpa has pictured in his book. We then went to the History Library/Store there in Wigan. It's a lovely old building with shelves and shelves of old books, records, and maps. Dan said it "smelled like bones"... he was salivating at just the thought of the hours he could spend there doing research....well, next time. There were two very nice gents there who pulled out some maps to show us the area and direct us to the local cemetaries. The cemetaries were large and wonderful. Grandpa has written that Elizabeth Hesketh (Grace Liptrot's mother) was buried in Hindley. We didn't come across her grave marker, but many other Rigby's, Hesketh's, and Liptrot's. Many of the grave stones were dated in the 1800's... so it was a good day! Grandpa has found the address where John Rigby lived in 1851, and we actually drove by the little street while looking for cemetaries and churches. Of course, there are modern homes there now. But we learned that Rigby's had continued to live on the street, and just up the street on Hilltop Farm, until just recently. Anyway, we have alot to look forward to doing in that part of England on our next visit.

I am so grateful for this opportunity I've had to "walk where my ancestors walked"! I had an absolutely wonderful time! Many thanks to Dan and Linda for inviting us to go with them. And thanks to my husband, Dean, for going along with me and being the photographer. I'm already looking forward our next trip there.