Wigan Album

An exciting moment, but what exactly would it have been that encouraged the group of several dozen Woodcock Street shoppers to have become drawn to the pot seller's display. Would it simply have been the opportunity of picking up a bargain, theatre, or even the pot seller's quick-fire delivery. Maybe it would be better if we really didn't know at all. Whatever, I have a £10 note which says the gentleman - shown here at bottom-left, would eventually have joined the crush.

Mr. Walder appears to have included the ghostly image of a fellow in shirt sleeves in several of his paintings.

Correct Ozy, i looked at the town centre one with the bobby at the top of Library Street, i thought at first it was the usual light shining down on him, but looked for a lamp strung across the top of Wallgate how it used to be, but couldn't see one.

See what you mean Ozzy. Wigan World gets more mysterious everyday. But if the paintings were photographed behind glass it could well be the reflection of Ron's manly biceps.

GW, is most likely correct in his comment. Was the pot stalls only assembled when Wigan Fair was present on the Market Square?. I don't seem to remember them being there generally. I recollect there also being oil cloth stalls, folk buying them, and the chaps walking off, with a big roll of oil cloth on their shoulders, but only when the fair was on.

Speaking of oilcloth, is oilcloth not the symbol for a 17th wedding anniversary?..... " there you are my dear, a roll of oilcloth, happy anniversary ".......I'm pretty sure bradish is the symbol for the 16th, and if I'm not mistaken, wriggly tin and Bakelite are in there among them somewhere.

The frequency of the visits made by the pot seller, to Woodcock street, could well have been as frequent as those made by the pot seller whom I also witnessed on St Helen's Market during the 1950's/60's; regular but not with any 'great' frequency. In either case, just one visit per year by the seller would also have been worthwhile, as an entranced crowd of shoppers would have eventually been smitten by that moment of expectancy as the seller had begun to open the doors of his giant container, revealing not only his wares, but also something which resembled a giant Gavioli Fair Organ. Wow! "Step a little closer, Madam."

room at the top, in the background over the top of Lennons supermarket a great venue.

Brian, wrong location