Wigan Album

Aye, closed down and slowly being left to rot and ruin by the council so that they can use the excuse to knock it down and sell the land for redevelopment.

Used to go into the museum when we were kids.Do not remember much about it except for a human skull in a display cabinet which seemed creepy.It is a shame that buildings like this are neglected.Wonder what happened to all the things in the museum

Lead pinched off the roof by vandals. Cost us, the Wigan Rate payers, a fortune to repair and put right the damage. Probably got £50.00 for the lead. Clowns.

I spent many a happy hour in this library. It's a hugely impressive building and what's happened to it these last few years is an absolute disgrace. In other towns, those with pride at any rate, Victorian buildings [Grade 2 listed at that!] are preserved and shown in all their glory. Wigan seems hell-bent on destroying any vestige of its ancient and loyal past - just compare photos on this site of Wigan town centre pre-1960s and now - and intent on sticking up shopping malls etc. No soul, no character, no sense of history. I'm Hindley born and bred, and for anyone who's familiar with the film "It's A Wonderful Life", you'll know what I mean when I say that both Hindley and Wigan were once Bedford Falls - now they're Pottersville.

I agree with all the above comments .As a proud Hindleyer I am appalled by the lack of forsight by this council .When you think what as been taken from the Community Investment fund to refurbish the old Wigan Courts when the Library in Hindley just sold off to rot .It was sold for £60k to a company who have no intention of doing anything with it ,it's just waiting to be mothballed and demolished in a Compulsary Purchase Order so whoever bought can make a profit that way. The Library was given to the people of Hindley to develope the standard of reading as in the late 1800s not many people were able to read .Wigan Council had no right making a decision to close part of Hindleys glorious History.

Time for the folk of Hindley to step forward and raise the funds to keep the building?

Rev Long Why should the people of Hindley fork out money the
library was given to the people in the first place by the
Leyland family its greedy Wigan metro who got the money from
the sale of it they sold it for peanuts get your facts right
D.C.

If the Leyland family had also given a legacy which paid for the day-to-day costs of the building in perpetuity, the building would still be in use as a library. I presume they didn't - leaving the folk of Hindley to bear that cost into perpetuity... until 1974, when it fell to all Wigan taxpayers to fund it. Why should Wigan taxpayers from other districts pay for a facility which the locals didn't appreciate enough to patronise it to the extent that the Borough felt it was paying too much of others' taxes to keep open?
You can't blame the Council for the bad faith of those who bought the building. The Carnegie Library at Pemberton was in a similar position - it seems to be fulfilling a useful second life as offices now. Sad its original purpose has been lost - but circumstances change, and hard decisions have to be taken.
You can accuse individuals of greed - but I cannot see how you can accuse a Council, trying, in very difficult circumstances, to balance priorities and the books, of such motivation.

Here is something you don't know David .When Hindley History Society was founded about 12 years ago they were given permission to use the old museum in the library .The state it was left in by the council was appalling .Thanks to Former councilor Jack Topping and his wife Joan and a team of volunteers they slowly but surely got it back to its former self .It was open to the public every Wednesday and Saturday and 100s came through the doors expressing nothing but praise .There was a 1930s replica kitchen made by the talented Jimmy Batley and Asda sponsored a life like shop front of Walter Hurst Cloggers with all Walters and his fathers tools .A remarkable piece of Hindley History .Then bang like I said Jealousy .The Green Faced Council had there way .And you Mr David will never change our view of the council .We are proud to be from Hindley.We have been demoralised.

Although I never visited the exhibitions you mention, Colin, I did read about the admirable efforts the volunteers made, and applaud them. However, I don't expect it brought much revenue into the building, and I expect that, in the end, the costs of keeping a large, old building such as that brought about the Council's decision to vacate the building. It's very difficult to see how jealousy could have played a part in the decision-making process.
I think it's very sad when old buildings outlive their original purpose, and wish they could all be found alternative uses to keep them standing - but you cannot expect cash-strapped Councils, in Wigan or anywhere else, to put the costs of hanging on to them before, say, caring for our elderly and other people in need.

Colin Well said, my old mate Eric Turner RIP would be very
annoyed about the place I once gave Eric a used bomb shell
it was found in Hindley a old relic of the war Eric put it
in the library I wonder what happened to it D.C.a

Well Rev let us start closing every historic building that does not pay its way.Briish Museum?National gallery?There would not be much left for the next generations.Wigan treats all areas other than Wigan itself like outposts.

Pw - look at your response - comparing national museums and galleries against provincial ones. Those national galleries pay their way - as you'd know if you'd ever queued up to visit one.
As a nation we want it all - but we're not prepared to pay the taxes which enable us to have it all. So some just have to lose what they hold dear. I personally find it ironic that those of us who want to conserve our past have to struggle against conservative governments (both Conservative and Labour) which will conserve nothing unless it pays its way.
Sadly, Wigan Council has to cut its cloth to suit the voters' mood - low taxes. That's what the country votes for - it has then to accept the consequences.

A big old impressive building, served its purpose, but everything has a sell by date. This is 2016 ! I can just see the people of Hindley forming a q to have a gawp at a bit of tat or a replica 1930s kitchen and a life like shop front of the local cloggist...really. Actually thinking about it there are a few in Hindley who still have a 1930s kitchen. Knock it down and let the local authority or other sponsor build a purpose built community centre that is cost efficient, green, and actually fit for a purpose.

So, wigan have not got the resources to keep places like hindley library going,where does the money come from to put the monstrosities in the the centre of the traffic islands all over the borough ,art they say a complete waste of public funds.

Spent many a day in the reading room downstairs where the daily papers were

Hello
Please could you advise me or point me in the right direction.
My elderly has been trying for along time to find out when the head stones where removed from All Saints Church Hindley. We believe it was in the 1960’s. But cannot find any evidence to prove this. I have tried contacting the church but they say they don’t have the records. Is there anyway of confirming the date?
Would the archives have old church magazines or do you thing it would be in a local paper in Hindley. Would the Wigan Archives have newspapers which may relate to why they where being removed ? Thank you kindly once again.
Gwenda

Rev,do the big museums etc never get lottery funding and I have visited many museums etc in major citiesMany run at a loss.You are a know all.