Wigan Album

There are enough vicars in view to start a holy war! The chimneys behind are those of The Hall, Wigan Rectory - it looks as if it was taken from where the Deanery High School is now. The Rectory was built in 1875, and the Infirmary was opened in 1873 - so it's not a gathering at the former for the opening of the latter. Someone with access to a rogue's gallery of local nineteenth century clergy might be able to give an approximate year.

At least one gentleman seems to be wearing gaiters(front row, next to Mayor)a Bishop perhaps?

Archdeacons wore gaiters as formal dress into the 1960s. Bishop Martin of Liverpool regularly wore them around town in the mid-60s. But then he used to write letters to me starting "Dear Long, ...."

I would certainly like to know more about this pic. Is it really c1870s do you think?. Could well be one or more of my ancestors in this if the pic includes clerics and perhaps those in education of the era? I googled but nothing was of any help.

Going off the style of clothes I would say this was about the 1890s, no idea what was going on though.

I agree with Al C.
The style of dress looks very much like the 1890s, possibly even the early Edwardian era.

I've counted around 50 clergymen - which leads me to think it's probably a photograph of all the Clergy of Wigan Deanery - about 30 Vicars, and around 20 Curates. It's probable that the central figure is the Rector - Roland Matthew became Rector in 1896 - so someone with the 'rogues' gallery' of portraits of Wigan Rectors will be able to check whether that is him. He was in post until 1922... so it doesn't narrow the date down much. The presence of the Mayor may indicate that those men without dog collars are Councillors.

Anyone who knew him would swear that the first clergyman in from the left was Kip Crooks, the Vicar of Christ Church Ince from 1993.