Wigan Album

when I first lived in Abram on my marriage in 1974, this off-licence was owned by Muriel and Bill Houghton, and was always packed out with customers.....you had to wait ages to be served, but no-one minded because Muriel and Bill had everyone in fits of laughter.....it was better than watching the telly.....a real taste of corner shops as they used to be! Neighbours gossiped,children dashed in and out and Muriel banged on the window at little lads "actin' t'mick" outside!

Hi Dennis,can't seem to remember where this was on Warrington.I moved to 277 warrington road when i was about eight so it must have been on the same side nearer the school,or was it the one just past the school?

Hmmmm... it is certainly on the same side as the school, and I *think* just before the school if you were coming from Platt Bridge. If memory serves the next opening to the right was a small alleyway that led to the new library.

I am pretty certain Irene can put me right on that, she used to live close by.

It stands between Dootson Street,(which leads up to the library)and School Street,(with the phone-box on the corner).It is now a private house.

Can any one remember the offlicence opposite Park Lane,this one is uncanilly like that one.

Bill Houghton used to own this shop - His brother owned a shop down Abram just past Kingsdown Road. Bill was a character- he had a great sense of humour,

Although the Houghtons owned the shop in the 7os, this earlier photo shows the name of the previous owner over the door....."Sharrat". The off-licence on the corner of Kingsdown RD./Warrington RD. was also ,(many years before), Sharrats, and was reputed to be haunted.

I have great memories of going to 'The Outdoor' every Friday with my friend Catherine, each clutching 10p given to us by her Nan, to spend on the penny tray. Mrs Houghton was terrific with us, even though we must have driven her mad with the time we took making our selections!!

Actually Bill Houghton was my father-in-law and it wasn't his brother who owned the off licence near Park Road. His cousin had one just on the left hand side of the bend at the top of Abram. He was Kenneth Houghton but he was Bill Houghton's cousin, not brother. Muriel is now nearly 86 and is alive and well, although she suffers from dementia and is in a care home. Although she does not remember a lot of recent times, like living next door to Willow Lodge after she sold the Off Licence after Bill's death, she does remember the Off Licence and having to go down into the cellar to change barrels over because they sold draught beer which customers brought their own bottles to fill. The good old days.

Hi, I'm Philip (Muriel & Bill's grandson), I live in Australia now but I remember the shop very well. Me and my sister Jayne as kids used to serve a glass of sherry to everyone at Christmas and it was always Harveys Bristol Cream - which I love now (LOL) can't get in Oz though. It used to have a big DOUBLE DIAMOND sign at the front and had beer on tap. I have many memories of this place and I'm sure many other kids remember the PENNY TRAY and getting shout at by Muriel if they took too long to decide what to buy. When Grandad (Bill) died we spent many hours there helping Nana to run the shop.

mum was friends with Bill n Muriel i remember going home from school for my dinner mum would say drop bill his dinner on yer way back he always had a fish with nno batter .muriel would always shout at us but it wer only a bit o banter two great charsacters indeed..

Hi, as a matter of curiosity, can anyone please give me any information on the old Willow Lodge in Abram, i now live in willow lodge and would love to find out about the original lodge that was here, thank you in advance.

Paul, Pat Houghton (my sister see above post) might have some info on Willow Lodge, she worked for Ellis Wood who lived there for many years, and his office was in the house. Im sure though the lodge fronted onto Warrington Road though and where your street would have been the back garden. It was a large house, and I remember loads of trees in the front garden so you could hardly see the house, sort of spooky!

Thank you Jennifer for the information, i will have to see if i can somehow get in touch with your mom Pat and see if she can shed some light on my request, any more info you can give me would be appreciated. Once again thank you.

Hi again Paul,
Pat is my sister, dont get me in the dog house! If you look at her post, you will see her name, the date of her post, and the an icon, looks like a sheet of paper and an envelope, if you click on that it will put her email address in automatically. HTH

I USED TO DELIVER HARVEYS BREAD TO MURIEL AND MOST OF THE OTHER SHOPS IN THE YEARS 1963 TO 1970 I REMEMBER PAT AND YOUNG BILL AND AM GLAD TO KNOW MURIEL IS STILL AROUND GIVE HER MY BEST WISHES

i am the proud owner of george shaw & co ltd x leigh brewery i love the house but only me and dog here would make a real family home for right cple

We lived across the road at116 Warrington road in the 1950s. My mother would send me over to the off licence with a jug to be filled with walkers brown Peter beer. What a smell.memories