Wigan Album

Wasn't the Focus shop originally Joan Barrie's?

Irene Roberts, going back a few months, johnsons was Starrs bookshop and printers

Irene, I think it was Joan Barries... I only can remember places up to Dec 75.. that's when I left for the US...

I don't think we'll go into all that again, Alan! Yes, that shop WAS Starr's at one time, but in my 1950s/60s childhood it was Wilding's, and Starr's was across the road by then.

Irene..Joan Barries was on the very corner as you turn into Market Street..just before the opening to turn into the Parish Church.

irene i think Joan barrie,s was what used to be bradford and Bingley building society but i,m sure someone will put us right if not

Thanks, everyone.

Irene, I gather you are fed up with this but I'll just throw my two pennorth in. At one time in the late forties/early to mid fifties I remember the shop shown as Focus being a branch of a national chain of mens tailors known as The Fifty Shilling Tailors. Also , at some stage after this, it became a shop selling baby prams and pushchairs etc.

No, derekb, I LOVE talking about old Wigan, but there was a thread some time ago concerning Starr's stationers which caused much difference of opinion, and I just meant in my remark to Alan H that it was no use going into the same thing all over again. Thanks for the information, and while we're discussing that spot in Wallgate, didn't Makinson's Cafe used to be around there?

Margaret and gringo are both right.

Thanks for the response, Irene. As I recall, the entrance to Makinsons Cafe, which was upstairs above the shops, was between Joan Barrie's and The Meadow Dairy which was the last shop before the passageway leading into the Parish Church gardens. Does anybody remember the Moot Hall mens barbers which was in this passageway?

I had an Auntie that lived in the very top apartment of Moot Hall that you can see in very old photo's..but for some reason the top apartment isn't there any more..and the story goes that her cat fell all the way down but just got up and went back up the stairs.

I'll have a pint of what that cat had, Maureen! Mind you, they do say they have nine lives!

i am almost sure that the focus shop used to be Howards pram & toy shop,because i used to by my corgi toys from there & remeber it well.

You are right about Howards toy shop Graham, it had navy blue pull down blinds when closed with Howards toys written diagonally across, the door was in between two windows

Great memories everyone. I used Ashton's Tobacconist shop a few times many moons ago when I smoked a pipe and cigars. I once bought a Churchill 12" cigar there. It lasted me quite a few days. Loved the aromas in the shop when I went in. If is was still a tobacconists now what would they have on display??? Probably just cupboards with sliding doors - how dull. Where will the nanny state end?