Wigan Album

I see the word 'Pell' on a shop over to the left, and my head is telling me this is a gent's outfitters called 'Peter Pell'... am I right? I seem to remember the name from somewhere.

That's right, Dennis. The Peter Pell chain was part of United Drapery Stores.

Thanks Mick, I knew I must know the name from somewhere.

I also take note of the entrance to Commercial Yard, I can just about remember this, there was a pub down there if I remember right.

Wasn't the pub called the Commercial Inn?

Funnily enough the pub was called the Commercial. Walkers Warrington Ales at their worst. The bitter usually was cloudy and had floaters in it. It was handy for a quick pint before going to the Ritz Cinema on Sunday night.

There used to be an entrance to The Fleece as well near the Bus Offices on the right, the old doorway was still there till about 20 years ago and then incorporated into the bank that's there now.

Going down the Commercial Yard from Market Place, there was a tobacconist, a barber's and Mc Gregors decorating supplies shop. Also, a rear entrance to the Conservative Club up some decidedly dodgy looking stairs and, of course, The Commercial. The bottom end led directly into Market St.

The back, or side entrance, to the Conservative Club, was in Commercial Yard, up a flight of steps.

I may be wrong, it is a long time since I lived in Wigan. Was there an entry, in the vicinity of MaCandlish Shop, that lead up to a pub, and was the pub's name "Ye Olde Dog"?

Albert,
Ye olde dog was in Market Place just about where the bus is parked on the photograph

And not a yellow line to be seen!

if i'm not mistaken that's a ford consul motor

Does anyone know if that is the same McCandlish's that had a cafe in the row between Woolworth's and Pendlebury's, about 1950?

A peter pell suit has international styling. That's what the tv advert said. I worked there until 1969. Ronnie heyes from wallgate was the manager. His dad had a chippy opposite timber lakes in wallgate.. The suits were made in Leeds by the way....

John, the café between Woolworths and Pendlebury's I remember as a kid being called The British Restaurant. I think this was a world war II measure when British Restaurants were introduced throughout the Country with standard menus and standard prices. Did it become Mc Candlish's?

Yes Derek, it definitely was McCandlish's about 1948-50 but I don't know how long it stayed there. My auntie took me in there once or twice when I was about 5 or 6 years old and it seemed quite posh for those days - "exotic" sandwiches compared with what we had at home!

McCandlish was still there in 1969 too