Wigan Album
PUBS
11 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 33991
Appears that succesive Wigan Council's have a history of eradicating Wigan's History
How long did it last as a building? It says it was to be used as a store for a local furniture company. I assume this is the building I had queried from an earlier photo showing the cobbled street going up from St. John's Church on Water St with an array of good looking character buildings.
The cobbles are still there today, buildings demolished for road widening leaving nothing but a grass verge...
Andy this was a opposite M&S. Next to the entry into Hope Street
Ahh another mock tudor building. Thanks Ron.
Andy if you look at this image dated 1980 you can see the upper part of the facade is still there. So it would appear that the building wasn't demolished into later.
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=1870&gallery=Standishgate&page=1
So it didn't get to be demolished in the 1950s then, so a pity it wasn't incorporated into but got demolished to make way for The Galleries in the 1980s, I do remember the building but never knew that it was over 200 years old, the alleyway at the side was always a popular cut through too from Standishgate to Woodcock Street and the market hall, there was also some shops down there and the only one I remember is Liz Laztic because it had a catchy name.
I remember a Dress shop in that area called Wilson’s in the sixties and the mock Tudor rendering above the plate glass windows. The black and white decor seemed to disappear by stealth looking back.
Timpson’s shoe shop was on that side as well. I think it was by the side of the entry to Hope St.
There was a shoe shop, which I think was Timpson's, on the right as you entered the alley from the Standishgate end. I'm sure that the shoe shop (Timpson's) had a reasonably large glass section where shoes were displayed and you could walk around this. The glass doors to the shop were set back (behind this display section). Also, I'm sure that Timpson's was next door to British Home Stores and so it was the building between BHS and the alley or the above building, which became Freeman Hardy Willis.
I remember that there was a small shop, about half way down, on the left as you walked towards the Market Hall. The shop had about two steps up to the door, which was on the corner of the building, and sold wool, material etc. At the side, there was a large gate and there was a yard.
I remember that the alley never really got any sun due to the height of the walls and the narrowness of the alley; many times it was wet or damp. But, it was great for cutting through to the Market Hall from that area of Standishgate.
Ian, in this discussion about the Three Crowns Yard (the cut through) the fabric shop was Kanes, also in the link if you scroll down there is a photo of BHS and Timpsons with the central display window as you describe in your comments.
https://wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f2&msd=185175&page=65&subject=alley
You can also see it in this photo which shows Timpsons and The Three Crowns: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=33005&gallery=Standishgate&page=6
I agree Cyril - Kanes was the original name that I remember. Lizzy Lastic must have taken over in later years.
Veronica, I got the name spelling wrong as it was Liz Elastic, here's a photo of the shop from the Album. There's a different spelling of Kaine's, in the comments, but I think Kane's was right correct.
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=1275&gallery=Hope+Street%252C+Wigan&offset=0