Wigan Album

Nice one Ron from the archives!
I knew of a herbalist in Scholes.

The herbalists in Scholes in the 40,s was Boltons. Next door to the Fleece

I always like these old shop window displays, good photo.

Like the sign in the window - Dexter's Key West Cigars 2d each or 7 for 1/-, had a look on the web and they were actually made in Hucknall Nottinghamshire and work at the Dexter factory was much sought after, the majority of herbal preparations sold by Napiers, Lanes and others are still produced here in Wigan.

Cyril
Nottingham was associated with cigarette manufacturing. I wonder if there is a connection?

Sorry wrong date. It should read 1908.

I hadn't realised that Giovanni, I'd always looked on Notts with the making of fine lace.

At least those cigars wouldn't have been rolled on the sweaty thigh of a local habanera. :~)

I was brought up in Whelley and when me and my mates had been to the old baths, early 60's we'd be 11/12, we would walk home up Scholes and call in at Bolton's for a pint of hop bitter. Brewedclije beer but none alcoholic. My mum used to call the herbalist's The Little Man's Ale House. We thought we were the bees knees drinking from proper pint pots with handles and the 'ale' would have a proper head on it. There was also a bakers shop on one of the corners who would sell us oldish bread as Penny Buns. Usually a very small hovis loaf. Also you could get bags of broken biscuits for a penny.

Fantastic! I love old shops. Oh, to be able to walk inside!

Talking of herbalists. There used to be one on Darlington Street just over the river bridge past the Pepper Millegn Road and neworks as you go to the town centre. I can remember going in there with my Dad in the early 1960's,and him buying herbs to flavour home mad wine which was one of his hobbies at the time. Anyone remember what the shop was called. It was almost opposite Sovereign Road. I also remember one of the first Indian restaurants in Wigan being there but can't remember the name (45 years since I left Wigan).

Was the Indian the Kohinoor?

Wasn't Players tobacco from Nottingham?

You're right Ellen. There you are Cyril the connection!

There was a good old fashioned herbalist shop on Mesnes Street till the 1980s, it was demolished to make way for the ring road.

yes I remember Players cigarettes Giovanni, do you remember that awful cowboy joke about the Players cigarette packet that bore the slogan 'It's the tobacco that counts', there was also another tale told about the characters in the TV series Wagon Train with the emblems shown on a Woodbine packet, some folks must have had too much time on their hands back then to think those up.

I cant remember the Cowboy jokes Cyril but Wills Woodbines and Park Drive. I never smoked but various relations bought these and my old Nan "smoked" a cigarette called "Du Maurier".

Loz. Thanks yes I'm sure it was the Kohinoor. Does anyone also remember a pet shop (it also sold fishing tackle) just further down Darlington Street. The owner used to have a Mynah bird that was a fantastic talker. If memory serves me right he would leave the bird in its cage ouside during opening our and bring it in at night. If we were passing when the shop was shut we would push open the letter box on the door and talk to the Mynah bird.

I have an old pub-mirror over my fireplace advertising Players Navy Cut Tobacco and Cigarettes. Peter and I bought it in the 1970s when we were first married, and I love it as much as the day we bought it ,(for £7)!

My great great grandfather Dawber had an herbalist shop on Schofield lane, hopefully one day an old photo may turn up.

when I was a lad in work,the old guys used to send me to the shops for players,woodbine,and parkdrive,The woodbine was the coffin nail and the parkdrive was the starting handle,because when you had a parkdrive your chest used to convulse until they spat everything out then they would say that's better John I feel great now,do want one, I said no thanks I'll give it a miss.