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40 Comments

The old town centre
The old town centre
Photo: Mr Aubrey Fairclough
Views: 5,327
Item #: 25094
Circa 1962 Traffic was then allowed to travel up Market Street.

Comment by: Albert. on 5th April 2014 at 15:15

An excellent set of photographs Aubrey. Do you know who is on point duty?

Comment by: Mr Aubrey Fairclough on 5th April 2014 at 15:39

It certainly doesn't look like you Albert, but it could be me. The photo was taken by my brother in law,I cannot recall him telling me about it.

Comment by: Barbara Davies on 5th April 2014 at 23:27

Is that Aubrey Fairclough who was PC with my brother Tony Bate, don't think that was him on point duty, not tall enough.

Comment by: Ellen on 6th April 2014 at 04:13

Now this is really as I remember it! Even the policeman on point duty....It just occurred to me;is it called point duty because he points the way for the traffic to go???

Comment by: walt (North Yorkshire) on 6th April 2014 at 08:41

Aubrey, thanks for posting these pics, so many happy memories of how things used to be, it looks like a quiet time on duty - but I can remember seeing queues waiting for their "proceed" wave from the policeman on duty. I visited this very spot last week only the second time in 30 years, hasn't it changed ?.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 6th April 2014 at 08:52

I am the same one.At school with Tony and in the Wigan Borough Police with him.

Comment by: Albert. on 6th April 2014 at 10:12

Aubrey, if you haven't seen this video, it is worth looking at "Wigan, before,& after."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmtvbAyy_dE

Comment by: JohnAlan on 6th April 2014 at 11:31

Great photo, evokes so many happy memories of the town center has it used to be. Wasn't Wigan town center such a nicer and more friendlier place before it changed for ever? Maybe this was taken on a Sunday as it's so quiet. It would be in the late 60s on a Sunday afternoon while living in Beech Hill (Born and bred in Scholes) that I was first in the queue at the top of Market St in my Triumph Herald 1250 waiting for the point duty policeman to signal for me to proceed (down Library St). True to form as he waved me through the car died, it run out of petrol! Fortunately the Triumph Heralds had a reserve section of the petrol tank operated by a lever. Being about 19 years old I was concerned the policeman would loose his patience and give me a warning. Well he didn't he just had an encouraging word when he walked to me and asked what the problem was. Of course as soon as I had switched the lever over the engine fired and I was on my way. Somehow I don't think the response would have been quite the same today. Great days.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 6th April 2014 at 11:41

Ellen, The explanation you suggest is not quite right, traffic did not always go the way you pointed, honest. The 'point' referred to a place or junction. That particular one was point 3. The P.C. covered point duty for 1 hour then patrolled Market Place whilst another P.C. took point duty. 1 hour on , 1 hour off.
Walt, Yes it was a quiet day, probably a Sunday.

Comment by: tuddy on 6th April 2014 at 19:10

Which other junctions in Wigan were controlled by a police man on point duty?

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 6th April 2014 at 19:47

Hello Tuddy,
I joined Wigan Police in 1960 just after traffic lights had been placed at the top of King Street. That had been point 4. I cannot recall other point numbers but the Saddle junction had been one.

Comment by: Albert. on 6th April 2014 at 20:03

Tuddy. There had also been one at Scholes Crossing, before the traffic lights were placed there.

Comment by: Ben on 6th April 2014 at 20:03

I certainly have memories of the policemen being on point duty here but the only one I can recall is Mike Hughes, sadly no longer with us.

Comment by: tuddy on 6th April 2014 at 20:05

Hello Aubrey. The reason that I was asking is that I had an uncle who was on the police in Wigan and I'm sure that I can remember him speaking about being on point duty at Scholes crossing.

Comment by: Albert. on 6th April 2014 at 20:56

tuddy. Do you mind telling us your uncle's name, Aubrey, and I, may remember him. Depending on what period of time he served.

Comment by: Lizzie down under on 7th April 2014 at 04:25

Ah the memories....a number 5 bus to Graham Farm....this was taken a year before I emigrated....thank you Aubrey....cheers!!!

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 7th April 2014 at 10:01

Ben,
I cannot remember a Mike Hughes, have you got the name right? There was Mike Higham.

Comment by: DerekB on 7th April 2014 at 13:30

My father was a policeman in the old Wigan Borough police force and for a brief period when they were merged into the Lancashire force. When we lived in Whelley he regularly did point duty at Scholes crossing, but became one of the permanent Beech Hill beat bobbies when we moved there.

Comment by: tuddy on 7th April 2014 at 14:09

Albert, My uncles name was Norman Hilton,he retired from the police in the 1970s, I think he was a sergeant.

Comment by: Albert. on 7th April 2014 at 15:11

Hi tuddy. Thank you for including your uncle's name. Knew him well, whilst I was serving in the Wigan Borough Police', although we were on different sections. Aubrey will also know him, probably better than I do. I transferred to the Kent Police, in July, 1964. Having served at, Pemberton sub division, since September, 1962.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 7th April 2014 at 16:12

Tuddy,
Yes, I knew Norman very well, he was a sergeant. I often come across his son, Ray, who lives in Blackrod and is a keen bowler.
DavidB,
I am trying to remember a P.C. who moved from Whelley to Beech Hill. Please give us his name.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 7th April 2014 at 16:22

DerekB,
Sorry I meant you when I typed DavidB

Comment by: Garry on 7th April 2014 at 20:39

Not much pointing, not much traffic...could be Sunday. Did point duty officers work Sundays??

Comment by: DerekB on 7th April 2014 at 21:27

Aubrey, my dad's name was Thomas Bond but was always better known as 'Tommy'. He was originally a War Reserve but stayed with Police when WWII ended. He had to retire prematurely in the early 60s on health grounds.

tuddy, I also remember your uncle, Norman Hilton, very well. He and my dad were friends and fellow policemen.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 7th April 2014 at 22:11

DerekB,
Thank you, yes I did know Tommy for a few years, but he was at the end of his service when I commenced mine. If I remember correctly his last few years service was in the enquiry office.

Comment by: Albert. on 8th April 2014 at 11:06

You are correct Aubrey. In his last years of service, Tommy did work in the front office. Danny Lowe was the, reserve man, in the front office, on my section. I believe he was also a war reservist, always knocked the ash off his cigarette, by tapping his forearm. Ted Thompson was our section inspector.

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 8th April 2014 at 13:27

Albert; Extract from my comment on 26th Sept. 2012 Photo-a-Day :-
"In the forties I walked from Queensway to Wigan Tech., now the Town Hall, but one day I went on my bike. Cycled up Library St.at lunch time and the bobby motioned me to come to him. He said "Do you know that you`ve just come up a one-way street the wrong way?" I pleaded ignorance and he let me go!"
Would you have done the same?

Comment by: Ben on 8th April 2014 at 15:01

Many apologies Aubrey - the old grey cells are simply wearing out - it was of course Mike Higham, an ex-Policeman, Wigan RU player, bon viveur and sadly no longer with us, he passed away far too early. Great photo - looks like a Kodachrome, superb colour.

Comment by: Albert. on 8th April 2014 at 15:25

Ernest. Quite a number of Wigan Borough bobbies had a lot of common sense, but never cross them, only at your peril.

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 8th April 2014 at 15:33

Ben,
Mike was a very good friend of mine. I worked with him during the short spell he was in the police, and we played rugby together.

Comment by: Ben on 8th April 2014 at 17:04

Good to hear that Aubrey, I was an acquaintance of Mikes never a great friend - he courted my sister for a number of years (quite a ladies man) - he left us good memories.

Comment by: Albert. on 9th April 2014 at 12:12

Aubrey. Did you manage to see that video. If so, what did you think of it?. Here is another one, also very good.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OIiCzamwRY

Comment by: Aubrey Fairclough on 9th April 2014 at 15:53

Albert,
Have seen Bygone Wigan, not sure if that is the same one you referred to. I do not have quite as much time to browse now, bowling season has started.

Comment by: John B on 9th April 2014 at 19:31

Aubrey, are you still bowling for my dad's trophy - the Bill Barton Memorial?
Pleased to hear that you are still going strong, and have a good season!!

Comment by: Albert. on 9th April 2014 at 20:11

Thank you for the reply Aubrey. I wish you, a good bowling season, also wishing that the weather is kind to you, and to your colleagues.

Comment by: Tommy on 10th April 2014 at 03:01

was there every a policewomen on point duty?;i seem to recall a Margery Molyneaux

Comment by: Peter Schofield on 11th April 2014 at 09:33

As far as I can remember point one was the junction of Standishgate and Powell Street, point two junction of Standishgate and Mesnes Street/Crompton Street Points 3 and 4 as previously mentioned. I believe that Warrington Lane junction Darlington Street East was point five. The junction of Mesnes Street and New Market Street was known as GRIMSHAWS and CULSHAWS this being a dairy on the corner and junction and Market Street and New Market Street BATTYES CORNER. Remember Norman Hilton he was a Sgt in the old Information Room when I started as a Cadet in 1967 and P.C. Alan WOODS his reserve man who wrote in copperplate writing in the old M.O.B. Also worked with Bill BARTON when he was on traffic. Both were lovely men

Comment by: Chris Moss on 2nd July 2014 at 20:29

my dad harold moss also was an ex wigan bobbie and met my mum while on duty at the top of market street she was a clippy on the buses

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