Wigan Album

The Hippodrome on the left. Spent many a happy evening in there watching some of the best acts of the day.

Further to my earlier comment, the signature "Oilette" refers to a type of postcard made by Raphael Tuck Ltd. and is not the name of a specific artist.

It really was a far more gracious time; my first thought was that it looks like a Parisian scene!

Far cry from the King Street of today!

Ou est la maison de Brocol?

George, Maison Brocol a la gauche.

George, if you were looking at this scene today Brocol House would be on your left, I think the Palace Theatre would have been there at the time of this view.

It might have been a more gracious age for the privileged few. For the vast majority of ordinary Wiganers life was very harsh. Despite all the difficulties we have, give me living in the present day any time.

'Gracious' does not necessarily refer to a privileged lifestyle, derekb.
It can also mean the way in which people treated each other - with consideration and civility, as I meant in my opening comment.
Given that my great great grandmother was working underground in the pit at the age of 8 years in the 1830s, and most of her siblings and descendants led similar lives of poverty and drudgery, I am more than aware of living conditions through the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Well said, Mick. My Dad worked in The Maypole pit in Abram in 1920 at 12 years old, but his manners and courtesy to others were second to none. He passed these on to my much-older brothers and myself, (I was born in 1952 when Dad was 44), and we have passed them on to our children and grandchildren. Yes, people have a lot more today than my Dad, who ran barefoot as a small child because he had no shoes, but many of them lack his humility, kindness and respect. I agree we have gone forward in many ways, but we have gone backwards in some.

Oh Irene!!! Once again you've hit the nail on the head. Its difficult to get a please or a thank you from some people these days. My husband and me walked into a restaurant some weeks ago, and a youngster who was serving came up to us and said "what can I do for you guys?" You guys? Good grief! Am I stuck up? It just felt uncomfortable.