Wigan Album

He's captured the beautiful architecture of the building superbly, the interior was just as grand too, why ever was the pub demolished to make way for a concrete car park ramp and a greasy Greggs.

Brilliant

This one is even better , so much work and detail, just superb, and to own the originals, how lucky!

There was nothing better than a Friday morning wander around the Market and Market Hall, and then calling in the Park Hotel for a few pints of Mrs Brown's superlative Draught Bass.

Brilliant Graham
What an artist
Did he exhibit ?

Absolutely brilliant,no one could do better.

Johnny, no he didn't ever exhibit in fact I don't think any of his work was ever framed. He is completely self taught. He lived in Douglas House flats and drew what he could see from his windows. A bachelor all his life he used to travel on the bus up to the Lake District and draw the scenery there. His pencil skills, in my opinion,were even better than his pen and ink. He served in the RAF during the war and in what spare time he had he would draw portraits of people whose photos appeared in the newspapers. Even though they are not strictly 'Wigan' focussed I'll submit one and see if it will be accepted so you can see the standard of his work

That's a very good one Graham, thanks for sharing.

Brilliant again !

Footnote:
Manys the time I've supped a beer in there. I remember when Tom Brown was the landlord and no-nonsense Mrs Brown.
They kept a good inn.
Me and mates would be in there every Thursday watching Top Of Pops before heading to Rugby club !
Such happy and wonderful days !

Remember going upstairs to a Folk Club in the mid-sixties. Great times.

The Park hotel right next to the old market hall and bus station was demolished in 1986 to make way for the Galleries shopping centre. Warburtons furniture shop was next door. I think the landlady looked a bit like Annie Walker from Coronation Street. There used to be a shabbily dressed old woman born about 1910 who drank there and went rummaging in the market hall bins looking for vegetables, I'm sure her name was Edna and lived in Pemberton.

Brendell
I remember the folk club but never went myself.
Remember the pub around the corner that sold Tartin Bitter.
Was it The Market Hotel ?