VICKY Taylor contacted me to see if I had a copy of an old photo of The Abbey on Hard Lane.

She wrote: “There is a picture in The Abbey, the Joseph Holt pub on Hard Lane that I cannot find anywhere on the internet or in the library. I am not sure if you ever go in The Abbey but it is in the first room just as you walk in on the left-hand side.

“It is a stunning picture with the words ‘near Windle Hall’ written at the bottom, but I think it was taken on Abbey Road. It appears to be a Victorian image, black and white, with a lady pushing a pram away from the camera and children on both sides of the picture who are staring at the photographer and Windle Hall is in the background.

“It appears that one little girl has two faces (obviously she moved her head just as the picture was being taken) but it makes the picture rather eerie and interesting. It is a great picture that captures those hard times so well and if you are at all familiar with it you could email me a copy then I would be ever so grateful.”

Actually I don’t have it and I cannot ever recall ever seeing it. I have only been in the Abbey once as it isn’t on my usual routes but it was an excellent pint of Joe Holt’s beer, it was a taste i acquired working in the centre of Manchester not so far away from Joseph Holt’s Brewery.

Can anyone tell us more about this picture?

  • Contact Chris on chrispcoffey@gmail.com or 01744 817130. Alternatively write to 37 Holbrook Close, St Helens, WA9 3XH.