Billinge Hospital was always in Wigan.
As someone who was born and still lives there here are the facts. Proper Billingers supported Wigan at a ratio of about5 2:1 until the "settlers" started to arrived in the 1960's when the first of the new housing estates were built. Many of these were were either scousers or "townies" looking for a better lifestyle!!! This has carried on for quite a few years so now I would estimate a swing to Saints of around 60:40, but in truth the majority are more football biassed. The actual boundaries were moved closer to St. Helens quite a few years back, but Wigan starts on Upholland Road and Wigan Road, just after Makins corner.
My address is Billinge, Nr. Wigan, Lancs WN5. And there the lesson endeth.
So to answer the original post, anyone born in Billinge Hospital was born in WIGAN.
I thought the. Divisions were purely Administrative not Geographical. Wigan is in West Lancashire as far as I'm concerned So are Warrington and Widnes and St Helens. When I went up to Coniston (Cumbria) speaking to an old local who told me as far as he were concerned he still lived in Lancashire ( "Meds" may able to throw light on this if he's of a mind to. Living here,Dartmoor) no problems but to those effected by the change it must have felt that your identity was stolen.
I was born in Billinge hospital but lived in Wigan until I got married and moved to Billinge in 1964,definitely a Billinge/Wiganer.The St Helens border sign is just before Makins corner.At the chapel end there was always a good mix of Wigan and Saints fans.I never use Gtr Manchester in my address only Lancashire and my post code.I remember the St Helens Reporter starting a campaign and giving out car bumper stickers saying "Back to Lancashire" after their "move" to Merseyside.Incidentally I have a mate from Barrow,born and bred,and you don't call him a Cumbrian.
All very true jao711 but you can't have some vacuous bimbo in an office deciding that she can withdraw your heritage at the stroke of a pencil on a map.
The Billinge Southern boundary was a stream under the road beyond Lyme Vale Farm (Last buildings on the left on Birchley Road)and there is still an old iron signpost there welcoming you to 'Billinge and Winstanley Urban District Council'. Alas, no more, sucked up by the Town Hall Mandarins out to make life easier for us all.
As others have said, the hospital was always in the Wigan part of Billnge. Any Saints fans born their are Pie eaters.
Moving upto Billinge shortly so we'll be upping the ratio of Wigan fans in that area. First house we looked at, the next door neighbours had a Saints flag flying on a massive flag pole in their garden.
Jimmy Birts wrote:As others have said, the hospital was always in the Wigan part of Billnge. Any Saints fans born their are Pie eaters.
Moving upto Billinge shortly so we'll be upping the ratio of Wigan fans in that area. First house we looked at, the next door neighbours had a Saints flag flying on a massive flag pole in their garden.
