Wigan Album

How sad to see this, Maureen. I never went in there but for people like yourself, who did, it must be heart-breaking.

It's terrible how such a beautiful church has been left to rot. It doesn't even look safe. Is there a plan for what is going to happen to it? It must be years since it closed.

Yes Irene it was very sad to see..it sure brought a lump to my throat..it still does looking at these photos..to think my Mam and Dad stood in front of that altar when they got married..as did my Grandparents..the choir where I used to sing every week still looks untouched..these photos bring back so many memories I'd be here all night if I told you just how many there were.

Veronica,your guess is as good as mine..I heard at on point that they were going to make it into a night club but was told that there was a hue and cry about that decision..it certainly isn't safe..there are holes in the roof where all the pigeons come through..it's very sad.

This is one of those pictures where words fail, all you want to do is weep..

My son Laurence was baptized in this church, fifty three years ago.

How very sad to see such a beautiful church in such a state I belonged to st joesphs i could weep

Glad its not been turned into a nightclub! I remember every Whit Monday walking past the church. One year Archbishop Heenan was sat amongst the crowds -it may have been when St Joseph's 'led out'. We were all told to smile at him!!! I can see him now in my mind's eye sat on a large chair. Happy days Maureen.

V interesting photo Maureen and I agree very sad to see. It seems the usual pattern of things is to allow such magnificent buildings to slowly rot, become unsafe, or fall to arson. Then of course the justification is there to bulldoze them and replace them with another "tin can" building, the likes of which are to be found all over Wigan.

The statue of St Joseph that is set on the front wall is still as white as ever..with the amount of traffic that now passes the church,you would think it would have been very grimy by now...but there it is,as I say still as clean looking as I remember it as a child.

I've just noticed the Crucifix is still attached to the wall.....how sad.

Maureen, it's so sad to see this happening to our churches today,I am 66 now but still remember many happy times when our church and Sunday school was the hub of the community at st nathaniels platt bridge,in the choir we attended church morning,Sunday school in the afternoon ,then even song at 6.30pm.there was very little tv in the 50s our pleasures were taken with the church and Sunday school and trips taken out with them on various occasions,a lost era sadly to children today

It is very sad to see but I think it is probably owned by the Diocese not the council. I lived in the area as a child and had a lot of friends who attended there, I went to St. Thomas' C of E which was across the road but after the houses in the area were demolished our beautiful church was pulled down, so very sad, it is said we shouldn't get attached to buildings but we all do.

We were married in this Church almost 59 years ago,it's terrible to see it like this,but the Churches get little use compared to years ago.

Why did st josephs shut down.

Remember the church collecting for repairs to the beam at the top right of the photo in the early 70s, think the total was about £1500 which at the time was a small fortune.

Veronica,I hadn't noticed that..I'm surprised that no-one has taken that by now.

what a sad site. I belonged to that church when I was growing up. I also went to St. Joseph's school.Used to go to church every sunday .My Mum was married in the church as was my Grandma. We have such lovely memories, we used to go to Bingo in the church hall, lovely community and people. What a shame to see it now

I remember going into this church in 1971 with my boyfriend,seeing the lifesize statues at the back of the church (in the days when churches could be left open for visitors.) I also attended the last Mass ever held there in October 1995.

Ed..I suppose the reason was that there's no community there at all now.

Maurice. The other day I spoke to an old school friend of mine, who now lives in one of the large cities in South Africa. He is R.C. and he told me that the main R.C. church there will seat a couple of thousand people. At each of the three Masses on a Sunday, the church is full to capacity. He was married at St William's, in Higher Ince. He was astounded when I told him that I had been told that,that church was now closed. How true it is, I do not know.

I have noticed when on holiday in Italy, Spain and France that the churches are full compared to here at home.

Hi Albert,it's true about St.Williams closing,this was the church my wife my wife used to go to.

On my first Holy Communion at St Josephs we were each given a cross
and a prayer book. The cross above reminds me of it, it glowed in the dark on my bedroom wall ( luminous) and always gave me reassurance. I put both inside my mothers coffin when she passed away. Thanks Maureen for posting a picture holding so many memories for many.

You're more than welcome Mary..do you remember the statue on the right hand side altar..St Francis of Assisi..and on the other side at Cristmas there would be the crib..how I loved looking at that...and the candles were just in front of there where anyone could light one for a few pence etc
I remember working at John England's when I got a phone call that my Brother had had a very bad accident..all I could think of was to light a candle..I ran all the way from work to light one..doing the stations of the cross I didn't like..I was too fidgety..but all the memories I have of that church. are so dear to me..my first communion,walking days etc..can never be taken away.

Ed. St Josephs shut down because all the parishioners were moved out to new housing estates to make way for Wigan Councils new development. Were they sucessfull?.

Apparently St Williams closure is only temporary until a new priest is appointed in September.

I believe it was Father Tobin, who was the parish priest, at St Joseph's, in the 1960s. I don't know who was the last parish priest. The R.C. Church of St Judes, at Goose Green, was built in the 1960s.

My gran lived opposite the church...my dad did many a repair to the church roof many, many years ago....gran use to hate seeing him so high up there!

I lived across the road from St Joseph's. It's such a shame to see it in such a state. It closed because they built a new church St Jude's at Worsley Mesnes. The community moved because they were pulling the houses down. Father Cronin was the last parish priest, he also moved to St Jude's. They also built a new school St Jude's which my younger brother went to.

Marie,
I remember Father Cronin always being at my Gran's whenever we visited!!

Is it correct, as Elizabeth states, that the last Mass at St Joseph's was in 1995. If so, both St Joseph's, and St Jude's, existed together for many years.

Yes, St.Joseph's was still open until 1995, after St. Jude's was opened in about 1965. St Joseph's was then known as a 'Chapel of Ease'.

Albert, if you search St Jude's Wigan, then click on archives, there's some information on both St Joseph's, and St Jude's parishes. I think that there is also a video of the last mass at St Joseph's on you tube some where.

Thank you tuddy. Information as this is, is always useful to others, for them to be made aware of.