Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 1st January, 2023)

What a grand building that is Dennis. Thanks for picking it out for us to see.
Happy New Year to you & everybody who contributes to PAD !

These old fashioned buildings must have looked at the time to the average Wiganers, who were living in very poor houses in Scholes, to be showing off by having all that fancy brickwork.

What a beautiful building! Better than the Lego building further down the street! Happy New Year to all the regulars and newcomers on photo-a-day.

I recall the phrase 'The Man from the Pru' , from a TV advert though I'm struggling exactly to visualise it . There was one where a bank manager lived in a cupboard in your house and could be summoned to give advice at the drop of a bowler hat . I'm also getting images of John Cleese at the Ministry of Silly Walks . A bit of a muggle really .
All the best to all .

Where did you live Syd that you were born with a silver spoon in your gob… ??? Scholes was no different to all the areas around Wigan. Just more Irish living there and I am proud to be descended from the Irish and Welsh! Your name is just plain Smith can’t get plainer than that can you..
Beautiful building Dennis you sure know how to pick them out.
Happy New Year everyone..

I spent 4 years working from that building 69 / 73, brilliant inside as well as out.

Happy New Year everyone, may it be better than 2022, having said that, it couldn't be much worse !!

Another prime example, in my often quoted opinion on this site, of hideous edwardian/victorian architecture. Sorry folks!!!

One must be blind not to see the craftsmanship in that and other buildings of the same ilk. Sorry Derek. ..at least they have lasted over a hundred years at least - unlike the 30 odd years of the ‘new’ buildings in the town centre.

What is the difference between life insurance and life assurance?
These terms are now typically used interchangeably, meaning the same thing. However, they have been used to describe two different types of life cover plan.

Assurance is something which is 'assured' (or guaranteed) to happen, in this case when you pass away. A life assurance plan therefore pays out 'when' you die, rather than 'if' you die.

Insurance is based on something which might happen (again you passing away), during a specific time period (or term). Life insurance is for a fixed time period, and will pay out should you pass away within that time frame. If you haven't passed away within that time frame, the policy comes to an end and you are no longer covered. 

I agree Irene and Veronica, it is a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing building with character and full of architectural charm. The saying 'they can't build 'em like they used too.' certainly rings true when looking at the modern twist of a terracotta building further down Library Street and whilst serving the purpose of housing a swimming pool and offices, there's no way of hiding the fact that it does, has Irene said resemble a building made from Lego tiles.

I like this sentiment from ExPat about Library Street.**
"Great picture DTease . It’s hard to believe this was once Wigan. Those who built these wonderful buildings clearly had confidence in its future. Something or someone along the line did not share that same confidence, as we now see. It’s like that word progress just washed this all away, like it never existed at all. We are just left with pictures of how it once was."

If the likes of some were to be left in charge (don't worry folks there's no chance of that ever happening) they would even try to destroy all the photos of old Wigan on here, and we'd be left with buildings around town that looked all the same, and made from plastic 'Lego' or 'Duplo' type prefabricated boxes that would last around twenty years, (if lucky.)
** see 24th August 2019 at 18:23
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=31471&gallery=Library+Street%2C+Wigan&page=1

A Rolls Royce of a building in my opinion - majestic! May I wish everyone a peaceful, happy and healthy 2030. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.

Just look at the quality brickwork and design in that beautiful building.
Now, it's time for a sherry, cheers and happy new year x

buildings rapidly get out of date for their intended use, it is more economical to erect buildings with a limited lifetime than those that will last forever but become unusable. the buildings should have an aesthetic value no matter how long they intended to last, many new buildings in wigan look to be designed by a group of 5yo's

These buildings are nice. But, they are far from 'architecture' and closer to 'artwork'. This is because these facades were made and built elsewhere, then taken apart like a jigsaw, brought to site and fixed to the front of the building which was designed by an architect. Remove all the facades and you are left, in most cases, with a box of squares holding up a triangulated canopy which is the roof. That's why a lot of facades are 'listed' without the actual building it's fastened to.

Has Mick swallowed an encyclopaedia? It’s not his usual creative way of writing…

These Victorian and Edwardian buildings were not built on green fields - most replaced earlier, probably much-loved, buildings. The renewal process they were part of was just as liable to get folk in a flap about the beautiful old buildings which went before as changes taking place today.

Hi Pat, Thank you for your wishes, but 2030 is a long way away.
Best wishes to you and everyone on Wigan Album for 2023. Ray.

Aye Veronica, I was thinking along the same lines, is it a resolution you've made for 2023 Mick, or have you been reading through your policies.

Well said Veronica about Scholes. Who do these people think they are? Always pulling Scholes to pieces. A lot of people who lived in Scholes, was the Salt of the Earth.Miners etc. I wonder were Mr Smith was brought up? Just curious.

Probably next door to Mick in La La Land Edna..

Thanks Ray - the 'senior moments'
have kicked in early!