Wigan Album

Magical photo Frank. One for the artists.

Brilliant just how I remember!

I didn't know Whelley very well, but what a brilliant photo of days gone by! You have posted some smashers, Frank.

I remember when all the shops starting with the Post Office were different departments of the Co-op. The one which is shown here as the Post Office was the cloggers and they also recharged wet batteries which were used to power radios at a time when so many houses in the area didn't have electricity.

I seem to recall one of those shops near the pub was a very good fish and chip shop.

The shop opposite the George & Dragon used to used to be John Clark's Grocers shop before it was a chippy

Webb's chip shop used to be on the section of Whelley between Eckersley St. and Ellis St. where the new houses have been built on the site of the former used car lot.

The best chippy was actually on the opposite side of the road on the corner if Bedford Street. It was run by my mate Brian Williamson's mum and I think owned by his uncle who also owned the petrol station opposite, that became AP Cole car sales.
I lived at 84 Whelley at the time. We'd be about 14/15 (1965/66) and because Brian had to peel the spuds for the chips for his pocket money we used to go hang out in the cellar of the chippy and play cards. The spuds were peeled in a 'rumbler'. We used to take it in turns to take the eyes out of them and put them in a big enamel bath filled with water to which was added an obnoxious smelling liquid called 'dry White' which stopped the spuds from browning. On a good night the chippy would go through at least three full bathtubs of spuds.
What memories.

The chip pie on the corner of Bedford Street was owned by Bill Smith in the late 1950s to early 1960s.He was my wife's uncle.After selling that shop he bought another at Hall Green Upholland

I went to whelley school close to these shops. Used to call for yeast from the shop for cooking bread at school.