Wigan Album

Can we go back to then now please !!!. Thanks Frank for the memories, love it !.

It makes me cry, our beloved Wigan destroyed and they call it progress!

I suspect there's nothing here left...is the?

Thanks for these Frank. The books you've recently published are fascinating ?

Its as if bombs were dropped to destroy everything-what a shame. These pictures are wonderful and I will get a copy just to remember it all.

Another great photo Frank. For the first couple of years of my life we lived in Jordans Entry, which was literally an alley-way at the side of the Chapel you see in the photo. The wall which runs along the side of the church formed the right hand passageway wall, abutting which were our outside loo's. (You can see the outline of the whitewashed internal walls of them on the photo). from memory there were three houses in the alley and an entrance into a yard which served the properties on Chapel lane and the street which ran at right angles, down to Harrogate street.There is an old photo looking in the same direction somewhere else on this site, showing all the buildings as they were at the turn of the century.

Frank. Isn't that bit shown still Chapel Lane, and Rodney Street further up on the right as you turn right into King Street?. The old fire station was on the right opposite the church, and just after the fire station, the side entrance to the parade room of the police statio.

Thanks to everybody for the comments. Veronica these four pictures are not in any of the books that I have out at the moment but will be in a future book with lots of photos from the late 1800s to 1971.

Frank , if I remember rightly around this area when I was growing up in 1950s-60s there was a few warehouses developed from old houses that sold children's and adults clothing my mother called them scotch men,she used to get what were called provident clothing checks,as there were five of we had it in turns to go along for clothing for school which she then had to pay back weekly,hard but happy times, bless her.

I look forward to the book coming out then Frank ...and thank you!

The Methodist church was in chapel lane,fire station was on the opposite side [today its a car park].at the junction with darlington st & king st was the derby arms

The opposite corner to the Derby Arms was the Brewer's Arms.

Brought tears to my eyes I grew up as kid in Poolstock , had best years of my life there fond memories can just make out where the baths were on to the right as someone said what have this shambles of a council done to Wigan ? I moved away 87 I still return now and again I hardly recognise places on every visit hate what’s happening now

I must confess that this picture initially had me baffled and still a little confused.
I speculate that the picture was taken from the top of the multi story car park at the bottom of Millgate, the building on the right with the two pools in front is the new International Swimming Pool. The two pools themselves did not last long and were filled in, neither did the 'International' as I believe the swimming pool width fell a few inches short to host international events!!!!!
The road along which the bus is travelling is Rodney Street, with the roads in the foreground being Millgate to the right of the bollard and left to Station Road. The road cutting across and side onto the chapel would have cut through where the top of Douglas Street and Wigan Printing building would have been, all re-designated as Harrogate Street. What baffles me is the lower Millgate road (or lack of) going down to Scholes Bridge and accessing Douglas House? I should remember this well as I had worked at Wigan Printing before it was demolished and lived in Douglas House at the time.
The Chapel I do remember well, nice stone frontage and beautiful interior, in the basement I remember a large wooden case with narrow sliding draws which housed a collection of butterfly's.
The building to the left of the Chapel with two windows visible had in the past been a school, it was accessed up a side road off Harrogate Street, and the playground off Atherton Street. I would be about five when the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place and there was a party held in the upstairs assembly hall for local children, I am sure there was a group picture in the one of the local papers at the time as my parents had a copy but long since lost.