Wigan Album

It’s Hodson st . evidently Veronica … or at least that’s where the Timepix caption says it is , but full marks for locating the area without cheating .

This photo would have been taken in either 1949 or 1950 , so that little lad’ll be around 77 or 78 by now .

The lads aunt may have given him a sixpence, so he could be off to the local shop for a chocolate bar, though was the sugar rationing affecting sweets production still in force at that time or had it been lifted.

I can remember when I was 15 or so the youth employment sent me to a basket makers down Hodson Street. The place was awful, dark and Victorian like, and the interview wasn't any better with the bosses son not much older than me and looking every part of Flashman, was barking orders as to what would be expected of me, needless to say as I'd had enough of that at the school I'd just left I didn't turn up to start the job.
I'd no idea as to where this place was and had been told it was off Caroline Street and it may well have been up that dark foreboding alley, though I'd asked folks around that area of Wallgate where it was and they were very helpful, so that works didn't reflect all it was around there.

Cyril, I believe it was 1954 when sweet rationing ended but I would have been only two years old in the October of that year so obviously don't recall it. I don't blame you for not turning up to start the job. I went after a job just before I got on at Boots, and the place, a fabric shop, was down an alley off Wallgate, and the man who interviewed me, whilst not like your "Flashman", wasn't very pleasant! I wasn't quick enough at reckoning up in my head and didn't get the job, but I don't think I'd have turned up either! Civility costs nothing.

I can just remember when sweets came off rationing Cyril I think it was about 1954. Mam gave me some ‘points’ to get some toffees from Sally’s at the end of Higham St. I think this photo was earlier.

Thanks Irene and Veronica, 1954 was a long time for goods to have still been rationed, though I too with being one wouldn't have been aware of it.
You're right about civility too Irene, and some business owners wondered why they couldn't get the staff or as to why their businesses failed.