Wigan Album

The old fire station was beyond the building on the left.

Recall being taken to see the fire engines there.

Wasn't the building with all the windows, the Wigan Borough Treasurer's Department, with the Police Station further over to the left, together with the Town Hall?

The building on opposite The Bourugh Treasures housed The Motor Licensing Dept.and Cornelius Latchford Registrar of Births Deaths and Marrage .

Tom, I can remember seeing the name Cornelius Latchford etched on a window, but it had completely vanished in the mists of time for me, but I saw it again at your mention of it as if it were yesterday.

These photographs are fantastic.Wasn't the old fire station through this junction on the right? It became a shop later?

Tom Further to your recollections. I should have added that the Magistrates' Court was above the Police Station, to the best of my recollection. On the opposite side from the police station, was the Magistrates' Clerk's office, and also the fire brigade canteen, around the back. Mr Hopwood-Sayer was the coroner, but I just cannot remember the name of the magistrates' clerk. I believe his first name was/is Basil.

Albert, my friend Geoff, who was a young reporter in the days of Mr. Hopwood-Sayer, tells me he used to infuriate everyone by insisting on writing everything down in long-hand with an old fountain-pen which had to keep being re-filled!

Albert, your recollection is correct his full ma,e was Basil Horseman, he was a gentleman of the old school

Thank you Tom. You are absolutely correct.

I assume none of this exists these days... I have an old postcard which someone sent to my grandma, Daisy Wood, when she lived at 3 Chapel Lane turn of last century before her marriage.

If you turned right into Darlington street the police garages where on the right, further down on the right was the original sweaty betties, we got barred out forcomplaining a outher serving with a cig in her mouth &the ash falling in the curry, further down on the same side was kays ex army stores, on the other side was dick callands toy shop

There's a lane for turning left and one for turning right but there is a bollard in the middle of it. They have obviously made it 'No right turn' but not bothered to paint out the arrows.

Eric, just near to the police garage was a business that dealt in very nice paintings, and pictures. I do not have any knowledge as to who owned the business. In those days, John Knipe was the police motor fitter. His brother Ted Knipe was a well known Wigan Borough police officer, a very good amateur wrestler, as were a few other Wigan officers' at that particular time. They also had a very good, water polo team.

Tom/Eric. Wasn't there also a business selling gramophone records, Norman Leathers, further down Darlington Street, on the same side as the Pepper Mill, and a cake shop, opposite the record shop, near to the River Douglas?

Albert, the cake shop was McCandlish's, we used to call in on Saturday mornings after we had been to the baths. We bought a penny barm cake straight out of the oven. Delicious!That would be the late 40's when the baths opened at 6am when it was double summertime. Anybody remember that?

Albert,I was in a few plays at School,our music teacher Miss Halliwell took five of us to Norman Leathers to make a recording of the songs we sang..I still have the songs we sang
on tape..my Hubby also made a record there.

Maureen. Was I correct in the location I mentioned?

Yes Albert..you definitely have it spot on.

Maureen, please put your school recording on you tube it would be fascinating to hear it .

Sheryl B - all this has been flattened now. If it's any help, the building on the right of the photo with the 'High Speed Gas' poster on the gable end, was number 62 Chapel Lane, so your grandma's home would have been on the other side of the King St junction, on the left hand side when it was standing.

I know this thread is old ! But according to the research I've been doing Cornelius latchford was my grandfather x 6 !

What year do you think his name etched in was from ?