An Illustrated History of Old Sutton in St.Helens

Part 27 (of 58)  -  Pudding Bag in Sutton (St.Helens)

Researched & Written by S.R.Wainwright ©MMXI      Contact Me       Bookmark and Share
Header image: A tram at St.Helens Junction station, near Pudding Bag
The 'Pudding Bag' district by St.Helens Junction was a close-knit, thriving community that's now long-gone. The origin of the name is that puddings, such as jam roly-poly, used to be made in narrow-necked muslin bags and the Pudding Bag houses were enclosed in a triangle composed of two sides of railway lines. It was a cul-de-sac containing Woodcock Street and Railway Terrace that had a single opening that served both as a means of ingress and exit; like a pudding bag with an opening at just one end.

Map of Pudding Bag in Sutton, St.Helens
1881 map of the 'Pudding Bag' district of east Sutton by St.Helens Junction

As many as two hundred people lived within Pudding Bag and their houses were built exclusively for railwaymen and their families. Originally Woodcock Street was known as Church Street, but its name was changed in 1902 to prevent confusion with the St.Helens town centre road of the same name.

The Golden Cross pub in Woodcock Street, 'Pudding Bag', Sutton
The Golden Cross pub in Woodcock Street, 'Pudding Bag', Sutton - contributed by Sutton Historic Society


Pudding Baggers had their own pub, the Golden Cross, which was originally known as the Golden Ball (also possibly Church Inn). The first landlord was William Woodcock and the street was later said to have been re-named after him. It's also claimed that the derivation of the pub's name was that it was the first port of call for worshippers after leaving the morning mass at St.Anne's Church nearby.

Also close by was the Providence Foundry and many workers would quench their thirsts with a pint at the pub, which in the late nineteenth century would cost them a tanner
(2.5p). On 28/6/1889 in the St.Helens Lantern a correspondent referred to the Golden Cross as:

Pasted Graphic 1   ...the home of sixpenny for the isolated denizens of Pudding Bag   Pasted Graphic 3

Woodcock Street, Pudding Bag, Sutton, St.Helens
Woodcock Street opposite The Golden Cross pub in Pudding Bag - contributed by Geoffrey Moore


In its early years with much railway traffic, life in Pudding Bag could be quite chaotic. Getting in and out meant lengthy waits at a level crossing by the Golden Cross and often residents would have to thread their way between heavy wagons to get to their homes. William Crooks (1795 - 1861) was a gateman at the level crossing and on May 20th, 1861 was killed whilst attempting to move some wagons off the line. An engine was shunting some other wagons into a siding and a collision took place and Crooks was knocked down and killed.

His inquest took place at the Golden Cross pub on the following day which was reported in the St.Helens Weekly News of 25th May 1861:

Pasted Graphic 1  On view of the body and after hearing the evidence several members of the jury expressed an opinion that the crossing was extremely dangerous and that at least an over footbridge ought to be constructed for the safety and convenience of the public, frequently the crossing was blocked up with wagons   Pasted Graphic 3
Click Here for a Newspaper Transcript of the Inquest (courtesy Frank Jones / Barbara Shelton)
As a result of these recommendations, a bridge was built over the track from Woodcock Street into Penlake Lane by the Sheeting Sheds, creating a second route into Pudding Bag. The main means of access was under an arched railway bridge which was locked nightly at 11pm and all day Sunday.

Woodcock Street, Pudding Bag, Sutton, St.Helens
The bridge that led from Woodcock Street into Penlake Lane - contributed by Geoffrey Moore


The above photograph was taken from Pudding Bag and shows the footbridge into Penlake Lane. In the background is Penlake House which used to be the home of John Perry who writes:

Pasted Graphic 1  I spent all my early life from 1942 living in Penlake House with my grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Doorbar, until just before its demolition. I knew nearly all the people in Woodcock Street and Railway Terrace such as the Longs, Williams, Roberts, Marsh's, Billingtons and many more. My grandfather was a foreman at the Sheeting Sheds and my father and mother also worked there. My other grandparents lived in Pavillion Cottage at the other end of Penlake Lane. If you were not known, walking through Pudding Bag felt like an ambush in the early days!   Pasted Graphic 3
Almond family in the Golden Cross pub in Woodcock Street, 'Pudding Bag', Sutton
There were at least two shops in Pudding Bag. During the early years of the twentieth century years a Mrs. Caulfield ran a grocer's shop and a Mrs. Chisnall sold clothing, workmen's shirts, towels etc. Many of the 45 or so houses were occupied by families and each evening the field in front of Railway Terrace was full of children enjoying themselves playing hop-scotch, piggy, rounders, top-and-whip or happily skipping.

It's said that you could alway tell when the coalman had been. The rear cobbled entries in Pudding Bag were so narrow that it was impossible to get a horse and cart to the coal-holes in the back yards of houses. So the coal man had to carry his sacks from the front door to the back, leaving black dust all over the furniture, carpets and kitchen shelves. Some houses shared one small brick wash-house and there was a washing rota between neighbours.

There were many characters in Pudding Pag with one known as
'Piggy' Brown, because he kept pigs on the bit of land behind his house. The houses, owned by the railway company, were maintained by local builder (and undertaker) Albert Hawley, who could often be seen in his overalls undertaking repairs.

The houses were demolished in the 1960s and the Golden Cross pub closed on September 30th, 1963.

What life was like for some in Pudding Bag can best be described by this marvellous poem which was written in 1975 by a former 'Puddin' Bagger' who styled themself 'Foxy':
A story I will tell you of the folks of Pudding Bag,
They were not folks to grumble, nor were they folks to brag,
They were railwaymen and women, borne to serve the iron-road,
They worked both long and cheerfully whilst bearing life's hard load,
They lived close by the railways which enclosed their village space,
Sounds of shunting and of whistles were a feature of the place,
The gradient of the railway on the Wigan - Widnes run,
Was hard for locomotives and for drivers was no fun.
At Sutton Oak, long coal trains were by a second engine pushed,
But still the haul was long and slow, it never could be rushed,
In the dark, when trains were toiling up the long, long weary hill,
The bonny lads of Pudding Bag would board it at their will,
Then from the loaded wagons, to the side of the metal road,
The lads would throw some of the coal, just a fraction of the load,
Other trains would pass beside, the lads would take enough,
To keep the village well supplied with tea and flour and such-like stuff.
All in all, in Pudding Bag, folks lived quite middling fair,
It was a place of peace and plenty, folks were happy there.
They were sort of modern Robin Hoods, though in motive not so pure,
They robbed the rich, one may well say, to stop themselves being poor.
But now that railway is not used; the houses are knocked down,
The folks who lived in Pudding Bag are spread throughout the town,
But the story of their exploits is a classic of our age,
It tells how people used their wits, to help out their meagre wage.
                                               'Foxy' 1975
If you're a former 'Puddin' Bagger', do please contact me with your memories. Thank you!
Next:   Part 28)  Sutton Crime Part 1;    |    Research Sources
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Stephen Wainwright
This website has been written and researched and many images photographed by the Sutton Beauty & Heritage site owner, Stephen Wainwright. All rights are reserved but my pictures and text content can be re-used for non-commercial use. High resolution versions of my own photographs can be supplied at no charge. Other images are used for heritage and educational purposes and are believed to be in the public domain. This site takes a responsible attitude to copyright and, where appropriate, I endeavour to obtain permission from rights holders. This is not always possible and you are encouraged to contact me via the contact page if you require accreditation for the use of any photograph or to discuss any issue.

Sutton Beauty & Heritage strives for factual accuracy at all times. Please do also get in touch if you believe that there are any errors, with details of any corrections contained within the site's update history page, which also details the regular updates. Many individuals from all over the world have kindly contributed Sutton information and photographs. If you would like to participate in this project, I would be delighted to hear from you and this website always credits any assistance given. Do also consider contributing any recollections of old Sutton that you might have for the Sutton Memories pages, which are proving very popular. I respond quickly to emails and if you haven't received a response within 12 hours, do check your junk mail folder or send your message again. Thank you!  SRW