Wigan Album

The building that stood on this site before this one (or before the facade was totally refurbished), at 46 Market Place, was also a jewellers and was owned by Thomas Milner, a master watch maker and jeweller. When Thomas became too ill to run the business, probably in the late 1870's, his son Thomas took over. When Thomas the elder died in 1888, he left the business to his sons Thomas and Arthur Henry, who had both been apprentices to their father.

The original bay/bow window which was very old was removed and taken for display at the Central Library in Library Street. I remember seeing it in the Rodney Street entrance many years ago. I wonder if it is still there?

I took a picture of the same scene yesterday.
Over the first floor, four paned window to the right of the bay window is now what looks to be a original oval plaque which states Est..1843.
Strange that it does not feature on the picture above, anyone have any ideas?

Is this the same building as appears in earlier photos of Market Place, only with a new timbered frontage? I'm not a Wigan native so am not familiar with the history of the place. I do know that Thomas Milner, who had a jeweller's shop at 46 Market Place, was established in 1843 - though originally at Queen Street - and I wonder if the plaque was his, though why it should appear on a later photo and not on an earlier one is anyone's guess.