Wigan Album

There was also a sweet wholesaler near the end of the bloack to the left.

The dairy was Grimshaws & Culshaws

Am I looking at this the right way? Mesnes St would be behind the far buildings the tall building would have been where, in my day, a Dancing School....so where is the Congregational Church ? Help !

Hi Helen, I think this photo is a little later than 1971, two of the cars in the foreground appear to have 1973/74 'M' registrations, which would put it after the church was demolished.
Similarly, the photo of Market Place dated 1971, has the Centre Arcade monstrosity on it, and this only opened circa 1974. The Old Arcade was still on that site in 1971.

Was the sweet wholesaler Fortune's?

hello Helen, the Church had sadly been demolished by this time it was directly to the right (as you're looking at the photo) of the row of buildings that you see above the cars and the single storey bus statin and toilets.

I think this photo might have been a bit later than 1971, I'm certain Hope Street church was still there then.

On reflection, these photos would have been taken in 1973/74 which was the year I started my thesis on Market Halls as part of my University Finals which I sat in the spring of 1975. My apologies for misleading people.

Fortune's rings a bell,Mick.I can remember collecting an order from there of sweets for the camp Boy Scout shop at Bispham Hall.

looks like the floodlights of Central Park in the background

is that the park hotel to the left of the flooodlights?

No the Park Hotel was more to the right off picture. That building looks like the building before what became Smiths new shop. Now a charity shop. I think it was 'Scotch Bakers' a bakers /resteraunt? I can remember going there in the early 60's for the 'Buissnes Mens Lunch' 3 course 3/6. Thought I was the Bees Knees<g>

The Scotch Bakers shop was on a corner of a cobbled back alley on Mesnes St, opposite the back of the Congregational Church. Back then I lived with my Aunt Greta & Uncle George Bryson in Diccinson St. I used to get off the bus from Ormskirk at the bus station & walk over to the baker's to buy a round of parkin before going home. They made lovely meat & potato pies. Why were there so many Scots in Wigan in those days?

The buildings that can be seen are on Hope St, and Helen the dance school was Tommy and Hida Moss.

I remember the Scotch bakery on Mesnes Street, the front of the shop used to stick out a bit more than the rest of the shops, think it was pulled down in the early 70s.

I remember the Bakery as Baillies; I remember going there after the rationing of WW2 was eased.On Saturday mornings,you had to get there early,and queue up.When they opened,you went into the shop and placed your order;then went up to the restaurant for coffee,etc. When you were done it was down to pick up your order--Lovely fancy cakes and pastries,with fresh cream,(which we hadn't been able to get during the war years).Then,I remember always getting a Ginger cake for an aunt who lived in Westhead! That,I felt very grown up to take to her all by myself in the afternoon!! I must have been all of nine years old!!

This photo was taken from the corner of the Market Square, with the old Gas showrooms to the left on the other side of the road, you are overlooking the Ribble bus station,and wasn't Whelans supermarket in one of the buildings opposite the bus staion later to be Morrisons? to the left of the supermarket was the old church.

would the floodlights not be Springfield Park?

No the floodlights are Central Park. Springfield Park is in the other direction .

Helen
the church stood at the right hand side of the buildings in the background. the building next to it was the Savoy chippy.

I remember the Savoy chippy very well. I had damaged my hand down the pit in 1962, and was attending a rehabilitation centre in Kihg Street. At the end of each session we were allowed to go to the baths for a swim and given a voucher for 2/6 (12.5p)for the Savoy. You could have pie,peas, chips, pudding peas and chips, or any other permutation involving the chip shop menu. They always tasted fantastic!!

Brian, Whelan's was in those buildings later taken over by Morrison's. Morrison's moved to temporary buildings on Station road when the redevelopment started in the mid/late 80s before moving to their present premises when the Galleries opened.

I wonder what happened to all those coblestones?

God! Dave. This brings back memories. We moved to London about this date. I've never been back to Wigan so really appreciate this photo's. Tugs at the old heart strings..

Can anyone remember what there was in the building Dave Whelan started his 1st Supermarket in Hope St. It was near to, if not next to the Savoy Chippie.

There is only one thing that looks the same in this picture and that is the sky it was even grey then

New Market Street had trees, it's a shame they were removed. An early Ford Escort, possibly KTB433F, is flanked by two Mk3 Cortinas, L and M reg (the one on the right a higher specification with vinyl roof). Two Ribble Leyland National buses from the PTF717-766L or NTC601-640M batches can be seen, so this photograph is later than 1971, maybe 1973/4/5?