Wigan Album

I remember being taken to the Hippodrome in about 1949/50 by my Grandpa Bryson. Betty Driver alias Betty Turpin in Corrie appeared, she was very glamourous blonde, wearing a shocking pink tulle dress, she sang & played a white grand piano and was accompanied on stage by a white poodle. There was also a harmonica player, forget his name but he threw minature harmonicas into the audience...nobody got hurt or died !
No shows like that anymore....

I remember being taken by my Dad. On the show were Ted & Barbara Andrews one played the grand piano and the other one sang. The highlight for me was when they introduced their little daughter who was very similar in age to myself, about 11 years old with plaits. Her name ----- Julie Andrews

Hiya Freda

I saw her on TV recently and she is singing again I think.
I went to the Hippodrome a lot with my mum and always went to the Pantos.... oh I wanted to be on that stage...and one year they threw out a lot of tiny mouth organs into the audience. I did not get one but can you imagine the 'elf' and safety brigade today lol ...speak to you soon x

When I was a little 'un,my Dad took me to see Jane eyre at the hipp,all I remember is crying when I got home and my Mam telling my Dad off for taking me there.

I remember something similar, Maureen. I was only young when my mum took me to see the Musical 'Carousel' there.

Mum and Auntie Doris took me to see Hylda Baker, and of course Cynthia, at the Hipp. As we came out to get the bus the police were unloading a young man out of a black maria into I presume the police station nearby. I was greatly upset by this as he was shouting and struggling and that memory was the stronger of the night out.

Took my girlfriend (now my wife of 51 years) we were 16 and David Whitfield was on what a night all girls screaming/

My great grandfather Henry France Lyon was one of the carpenters employed on the building of The Hippodrome in 1903. He was killed by falling from the Circle in December 1903. A report of the inquest was in the Wigan Examiner.

I Remember my dad taking me to see the play "Jane Eyre" In 1945.I was ten years old.my Mother was in Wigan Infirmary at the time.Halfway through the second half, the Manager came on the stage,stopped the play and told us the war was over,the place erupted with shoutng and cheering,then the play continued.I did`nt think at the time that I would one day sing on the stage in a talent contest when I was about 21 years old and win.The manager put me on the week after which he paid me a large white £5 note.It felt like he was giving me the hip.Soon after it burned down,some said sarcasticly "They were putting too many hot shows on"that`s how it finished up after all the years of great entertainment.

My grandfather, Stephen Adams was in a troupe of acrobats who performed at The Hippodrome called 'The Gladiators' in the early 1930s. Does anybody remember, or remember hearing of their performances?

A relative of mine, Jack (John Burns) used to have a ventriloquist act at the Hippodrome. Know no more details apart from the fact that his music scores for the act and a book to teaching how to be a ventriloquist was passed on to us through the famly He died in 1957. Does anyone have any information about him or the act. Not found any billboards with him on yet during research but do not know the actual name of the act.