Wigan Album

was kays army supplies around that area

Kays army surplus shop was about 20 yards to the left of the photo. obviously it had been demolished when this photograph was taken as had TICKLES shop. I think the first shop in the row left standing was a picture framers.

The white wall of the demolished building appears to have been the inside of Websters coach garage in the forties . it had domed roof

Would this photo have been taken in the 1980's?

Wasn't the Wigan Borough Police garage somewhere in this location?.

There was a Army Navy Store there at one time, but can't remember the ladies name.

The Army and Navy stores was Kays... what the first poster was inquiring about?

Albert, to get to the old police garage you would turn right at the top of the street, where the car is.I think.

Tuddy. On the opposite side of the road from where the photograph shows, wasn't there a passageway that took you into Harrogate street?. If that is so, then opposite there,was the police garage, and wasn't there a chemist shop, or a camera shop, on the corner of the passageway?

Garry. Kays was always known just as Kays. The only Army Surplus Store is Wigan I can remember was in Millgate opposite the Ship pub. There is a great photo from the Street scenes Millgate site no 16345 from the 1960'2 showing it. Bought my first rucksack and cagoule in there in 1965.

I can't remember the passageway or the shops Albert. Was the police garage housed in the old fire station?

Tuddy. Whether the garage was moved there when the fire service moved to Newtown, I am not aware, but when I served at central, it wasn't there then. If the portion of Darling Street shown would continue down to Sovereign Road, then that is where the police garage was positioned. John Knipe was the motor fitter. In that small portion of Chapel Lane, that led down to Millgate, was the fire station, at the side of it was a door that led into the police parade room, opposite that was a church, a pawn shop, and an alleyway into Harrogate Street. That is how I remember it. If I am wrong I apologize, but I really don't think I am. The fire fighters' canteen was across from the police station, in King Street, after the Magistrates' Clerk's office. Mr Horsman, was the magistrates' clerk, I believe that is/was his name. Best wishes to you Tuddy.

Albert I think You are right about the Police garage, Did it have Green sliding doors, The chemist I think was Slaters.

Cindy. The sliding doors, maybe, but I can't really remember. I do recall there was a shop that sold pictures, close by. I bought a picture from them.

Thanks for the information Albert, I remember the pawn shop now that you've mentioned it.

Albert. There was indeed a shop that sold paintings. i can see the window display now in my minds eye, but I can't remeber the location. In terms of the photograph. if you went down to the left, past where Kays was towards Sovereign road, there was a Post Office and a very good bakers/cake shop. Opposite them across Darlington street going towards Pepper Mill (I Think there is a Lidls there now) there was I think a toy shop?, there certainly was a pet shop /fishing tackle shop run by an Irishman, The pet shop used to have a mynah brid in acage out don the street iduring the day. There was also a herbalist near the Koh-i-Noor Indian Restaurant which I think was the first in Wigan. Talking of Pepper Mill does anyone know the story behind that sailing boat which stood outside for years and if it was ever launched somewhere?

My dad told me that the St Johns ambulance had there office there 1950s? Dose any one remember it.

Carolean. I think the cake shop was Mcandalish, I may have spelt it wrong. Opposite was Norman Leather's record shop, if my memory serves me right. I am definitely right, regarding the police garage. I am talking about the fifties, and very early sixties.

Albert

McCandlishes - That's the one. I also recall that there was an extremely good fish and chip shop in Sovereign Road, That we went to occasionally as we lived further along towards Ince and mainly went to the one at the corner of Darlington Street East and Spring Street (all now gone) which I think everyone called Annies ?

Carolaen. Somewhere in my noggin, I seem to remember, the chip shop became a snack bar. So much has changed in Wigan since those heady days which we all enjoyed.

I took this picture for the Post and Chronicle in October 1980 of the demolition of shops on Darlington Street including the one above which George Orwell is said to have stayed whilst researching his "The Road to Wigan Pier" book. At the end of the row is the Derby Arms pub at the junction with Chapel Lane.

Though George Orwell lived in sovereign road.

When my parents were alive and I visited Wigan in the 1980's/90's, I'm sure I remember seeing a plaque on some grassland between Darlington Street and Sovereign Road (opposite where Lidls now is) marking the site if where George Orwell lodged. Has it gone?

Albert, after the Co-operative motor garage on Foy Street off Harrogate Street was to be demolished in the early 1970s it moved to a garage that was on Darlington Street, the entrance to this was a gateway in the row of shops between Ellen Street and the river Douglas bridge and was behind these, McCandlish being the first shop in this row after the bridge. I heard that it was once a police motor garage having been stables previously.

Carolaen, Re the concrete plinth and bronze plaque that represented the shop on Darlington Street opposite Pepper Mill, now Lidl. That was George Orwell's second lodgings, his first being above the tripe and trotters shop that's shown in this photo. No idea if the plaque is still there, the last time I saw it was some thirty or so years ago and it was looking worse for wear, maybe it did get to be repaired as I'm sure it was mentioned in one of those pamphlets of guided walks to town centre places of interest, and was nearby to what is now the Sovereign Road car park.

Me Dad had the frozen food shop number 10 next door to the charity shop. Me mother always stuck a back in five mins sign on the door. She was always over at reenie's clothes shop. Nope we never became millionairs.