Wigan Album

Just looked up "the mysterons",and it came out in 1967,cracking picture

I remember toy shop well,It's where I got my first bicycle,A Philips Kingfisher, was the shop called Howards?I think the Pub was the Black Horse.

This photogagh is about 1954/1957 ish.The public house on the right was The White Lion,taken over by Lowes and incoperated in thethe store,along with the ghost,on this same page there's another shot after the alterations
Next door to The White Lion,was Nora Websters Ladies hairdressers and then Coopers Groocers (formerly Peterkins) then U.C.P.tripe shop,snack bar,and upstairs restaurant ,three course meal 5/6p in 1962, then on the corner of Hallgate the pram and toy.shop Howards.

The pub on the right is the White Lion, but the one taken over by Lowes's was the Bull's Head, which was the headquarters of Wigan Athletic FC in the early 1930's and whose landlord was Tom Heywood, one of the founding directors.
If you look at Victoria House it has two distinct rooflines. The right hand side was the Bull's Head

I remember the UCP, and I have seen pictures of Peterkin's Grocers but I never knew where it was. I have a fascination for old shops with goods being weighed out into paper bags instead of pre-packed, and of the chairs set out for customers' comfort, and the personal service. Call me old-fashioned, but I think we have lost a lot in the name of progress.

Bob,The White Lion was also taken over by Lowes,if you look at the photogragh immediately preceding this one ,you can clearly see Victoria House,after the incorporation of The White Lion.

Maybe I got the name of the sci fi film wrong because the one I refer to was before 67 when I was 18. I think it must have been around the early 1960s. Was The Empire cinema still open in 1967? Did the ginnel leading up to it have a name? Can't remember if it did.

Tom, the other photo is a bit later than this one and is after further redevelopment. The White Lion was taken over by Lowe's, but not at this time

The shop Alexander's, was a gents out fitters, could get measured for a suit ,etc. Good tailors' really. I believe it was from Alexander's my mother, one time bought me a cardigan. I think it was a bus conductor's " Room for two more inside". Speaking of bus conductors. The Wigan Corporation bus offices were next door, or close by.

When they demolished Lowes and the other buildings in front of the church why did they erect more buildings in front of it, that area should have been left open, grassed and seating provided, with a beautiful uninterupted view of the church.
Yes the transport offices were on the right of the photo and the White City can be clearly seen at the Standish bus stop.

Rolo69. Thanks for that I think it was Howards now you mention it. Did they have another shop in Wigan as well at some time? Was there a shop with that name selling prams?

The White Lion Hotel at 2 Market St built 1824; demolished 1958. In 2003 I noticed that The white Lion symbol is now on the front of the newest building on that site. It is on the red brick peak of the building. After demolition it had been placed on the wall in the back of the buildings. My grandparents, John and Elizabeth Haselden, managed the White Lion 1910-1923.