Wigan Album

it looks like millgate to me.

I think you are right about Standishgate Ron. The slope and the building just in shot to the right are familiar, somewhere behind would be Central Park. I'm guessing - but - I'd put 10 bob on it !.

JJP. The passageway may be the one opposite Powell Street, that led to St John's Infant, and Junior school. Just guessing.

I agree about Standishgate somewhere in the vicinity of St. Mary's Church?

Is that the Royal Oak to the right?

I agree re Standishgate. The slope of the road indicates it must be the right hand side of the road, as you travel out of Wigan.
The building on the extreme right could well be the Royal Oak. The 25 inch OS map from the 1890s shows there were buildings just across the alleyway from the pub, as those in the photo are, they would have been in front of St Mary's presbytery.

Ron, the white sign looks like it says Gas Fitting and Plumbing.

I agree,I think it's on Standishgate right facing our Dentist...Florence House.

Just checked on a larger scan of the photo and could make out the following:-
The shop with the blinds down has ? MUNROE above the window. The Electrical shop has "ELECTRICAL STORES" CLEPHAN. and the wooden sign on the wall has the following written on it:- T.E.SMITH. LOCKSMITH. BELL HANGER. GAS FITTER. ELECTRIC BELLS. TELEPHONES. PLUMBING. Been looking at some old photos of Standishgate, in the area suggested, and the buildings don't match up? Perhaps a look in an old trade directory could help.

There was a Walter Sayer Clephan (1873-1951), who was an electrical engineer, and seemed to have connections to the Standishgate/Dicconson St areas, but the only address I can find for him was in Avondale Road.

I think the Royal Oak lies on a steeper incline, for what it's worth could the recess be an entrance to the Notre Dame Convent with the main building on the right of this photo?

I also thought the right end building was the pub! I couldn't remember the name of it... The Royal Oak!

The Wigan Directory for 1889 has, Clephan, Thomas J S, ironmonger, whitesmith, bell hanger and gas fitter - 22 Standishgate, whereas the Royal Oak's address is - 111 -113 Standishgate.

Clephan Thomas J. S., ironmonger, whitesmith, bellhanger, and gas fitter, 22 Standishgate.

IF, the shop(s) are at 22 Standishgate then to the right of this photo should be a letter box (according to maps) and where Mesnes Street and Crompton Street meet Standishgate. The shops would have faced Pendleburys opposite - my best guess.

You can see the location clearly on the 1907 map. It's directly opposite where Wilkinson's is now, the other side of the building on the right is the Royal Arcade.

If you put "Clephan ironmonger" in the search box at the top of the page, you'll get an advert that says the firm is situated at 22, Standishgate, opposite Crawford House. Unfortunately, I don't know what year the advert is from.
I followed up THOMAS JAMES SEDDON CLEPHAN on ancestry. Born in 1846, he was listed in the 1869 directory as a bookkeeper at 31, Wallgate, where he still is, still single in 1871. In 1881, he is at 22 Standishgate with a wife and children (among them Walter Sayer Clephan mentioned below). The baptisms of the childrn show that in 1873, the family was still in Wallgate, but by 1878 at the latest in Standishgate. In 1881, Thomas is now an ironmonger and deals particularly in "hurricane lamps". I looked at the 1881 census, but could find none of the other names mentioned on the buildings in the photograph at 18, 20 and 24 Standishgate. Does this mean that this is NOT a photograph of 22, Standishgate??? In 1891, Thomas Jas. Clephan was living at 201, Ormskirk Road, Pemberton. It doesn't ncessarily mean that he also moved his shop, but it's possible. In 1901 he is at 99 Dicconson street, an ironmonger and electrician and an employer; in 1911 at Dicconson Street West. He died in Southport in 1920 and left over £10,000! So wherever the shop was, it obviously made him a lot of money.

22 standishgate is now b and m bargains

This must be a very rare photograph -the end building looks like its stone to me.

Just checked this photograph against some more photos of Standishgate on the site, and it is where has been suggested i.e. opposite Wilkinsons where B&M Bargains is today. You can see the sign and the gas lamp. Problem solved.

This fascinating photo and the comments about it, with Wiganers putting forward their views and their memories, is what Wigan World is all about. Thankyou Ron, for posting it.

If this is as thought and opposite what was Debenhams, then is that the alley we all used as a short cut to get to the Market Hall?