Wigan Album

Douglas Isle of Man. In the background are the Crescent Pavilion and Cinema.

thanks Nigb, I should have guessed the place: Wigan, summer hol = Isle of Man.

These 3 links show the scene exactly:
https://tinyurl.com/ydc68b77
https://tinyurl.com/y9b8qdwt
https://tinyurl.com/y8k6qexm

Now, if it was wakes week holiday, if I knew the year, I could get the week! Also, if they did not go with these girls, they would probably be from Wigan too!

I seem to remember Wigan Holidays in the first weeks of July...it was always 'dead' then if you were at home in Wigan..

What strikes me about this photo is how modern they look facially. Also I can't help thinking in another 2 years from then the young men would have been called up for war and in uniform. The girls also, or at work in the Munition's factory's or even ending up as Land Girls. Whatever, they look to be having a grand old time on holiday.

yes Veronica, top right my dad Ken Orrell was married in 1940 (not to any of the ladies here) in his RAF uniform (the most important job he said, the pay clerk) spending time in the Orkneys and after the war an "emergency trained" teacher.

No idea who the others were, or if they survived the war.

Every picture tells a story, also hides many more.

JIM,swept back hair and centre partings seemed the in thing then according to the group, apart from the lad with his arms around the lad front left, that hairstyle would be 'in' today.
1936 Wigan wakes began on Sat 4th July.
1937 3rd July
1938 2nd July

Veronica. Always remember Wakes week. All the suitcases packed under the stairs, at the rear of the Wigan Corporation bus, their owners’ off to catch their train.

Jim Orrell: Jim I found your two photos intriguing about Ken Orrell, especially the last line, every picture tells a story, also hides many more.
Then you mentioned your teacher how he was posted to the Orkneys, You see when my fatheri in law died part of my task was to sort out his personal papers, he was in the Navy and he got posted to the Orkneys, for about six months.
As I progressed further I found he had photos of Men and himself on X Boats, (Small submarines) now he was classed as a chef.
Which brings me back to Ken And your teacher, why would you have pay clerks up there, who are they paying Sheep?
Just a thought Jim!

John G: Orkneys was just one of the places he was posted to. He was RAF and I think there was an RAF presence at Lyness, probably to protect the ships at Scapa Flow, home of the British Home Fleet.

Before the war he was an office clerk for agricultural sales (fertilizers I think), waiting for a "travelling salesman" job to become available (like his brother), so pay clerk might have been a good fit after all. It was only after the war he became an "emergency trained" teacher.

Yes Albert , it was a very strange atmosphere when the shops were shut apart from a very few in the holidays. Newsagents too if I recall, there might be a paper man selling a few on a street corner...it reminds me of today in a way., with the empty streets.

The man second from left wouldn't look out of place today with his buzz cut hairstyle.

John G. There were a number of RAF airfields in the Orkneys during WWII, and numerous squadrons flew out of them. They played an extremely important part in the war. All the aircrews, mechanical staff, admin staff, and other ground staff would have needed paying.

There were also Royal Naval Air Service bases on the Orkneys.

Jim&Tony: Thank you for your comments and information.