Wigan Album

The church on the left, St. John's, opened for business in 1903. If the same shot from the same place was taken today, the only noticeable difference would be the lack of tram lines, overhead cables.

Yes, this area definitely hasn't changed much at all.My best friend when I was at H.A.G.S.lived in the light-coloured house on the right-hand side,going towards Hindley after the row of garden terraces.

The only other changes are Langfords & Mcolls,the area was locally known as The Top o Sands.

I was born at number 683 Atherton rd which was at the far end of the photo.The house was demolished and new houses built.

These tram lines on Atherton Road have become part of the folklore of our family. My Great Grandad, Robert Jones of Long Lane lost sight in one eye due to an accident in the pit. Unable to work underground he took a job on the surface, sawing pit props. Sadly his good eye was seriously injured by a large splinter of wood whilst using a circular saw. There was little local doctors could do, and the expectation was he would become blind, with all that meant for him, and his family. At this point his daughter Ellen, born in 1895, and then aged about ten, said that she had heard there was an eye hospital in Manchester, and perhaps they might save her Dad’s sight. She didn’t know where Manchester was, having never been, but she knew the tram lines went to Manchester. Unable to afford the tram fare, she set off walking, leading her Father by the hand, towards the Manchester Eye Hospital. Eventually they reached the hospital, I have no idea how long it must have taken; the treatment was successful, and my Great Grandfather retained some vision in his recently injured eye, enough to be able to return to work. They might have had no money, but that little girl had more than enough gumption to avert what would have been a disaster for the family.

Very interesting and heartwarming Keith.

I wonder if you've seen this, copy and paste.

https://goo.gl/FCxvn4

I remember the trolley buses outside the church me and my sister would catch the bus there and one day they changed from electric trolley buses and went to petrol we stood at the bus stop and wouldn’t get on because we couldn’t see any electrical connection
The conductor had to convince us that it was new type of bus and was ok we were about 6 or 7 years old then