Wigan Album

What a great Art Deco style building it was.

Aye it was a gradley owd building was this, it even had those vacuum pipes were money was put into a container and it disappeared but soon to return with your change and receipt.

I think there is something very comforting seeing a store all lit up on a miserable, dark, wet, day. The woman crossing the road looks like a figure in one of Lowry's paintings.

Well-said, Ron, and spot on!

It was a lovely building,why oh why did we have to lose it...Ron..you're so right about the woman crossing the road.

Ron, I can't make it out from the photograph but seem to remember the date set in the brickwork above the apex of the building was 1938.

I loved the store .... Always called in there first when going 'up town'. It wasn't all that old either when it was demolished. An old school friend worked there and we always had a quick chat if the boss wasn't looking!

Wigan lad,,the Co-op didn’t have the vacuum cash system, I worked there in the 60s and 70s. I think it was Pendleburys that’s had them and Oxleys in Station Road, possibly Lowes as well but not the Co-op.

I have deep memories of this junction of roads. Just before 9-00pm on a Friday night, I was going to meet my girlfriend ( Now Betty R ) she was a trainee nurse at the Infirmary. I was coming from Greenhough St.to turn right to go up Standishgate to the Infirmary, the roads were slightly wet and I slowed coming to the lights, they change to green and I prepared to turn right, there were two Police Constables standing directly across the Rd from me as I turned, whilst looking at the PCs I saw out of the corner of my eyes headlights coming down from Standishgate, I braked and put my motor bike over on its right side and slid into the intersection and under the rear wheels of the truck, the bike was torn into two pieces & I was thrown off the bike,hit my head on the passing truck and then landed on my feet. Just a little bruised and scared. As I said before there where two PDs so they were perfect witnesses, they sked if I wanted a lift home and I said no, I have to go to the Infirmary, and they said why you are not hurt, I said no but I will be if I don't go for my girlfriend. They had a good laugh and whisked me off in a cop car.

Burtons the tailors had a pneumatic system in the shop further up the road.I worked at one place and they were called Lamson tubes .

Sniltub, I'll take your word for it but I still remember the tubes running around the shop floor unless - it could have been Debenhams. I worked at several of the small branches around the district but each Friday I had to collect items for customers from the "Co-op Emporium", then upto Standishgate office to hand in the weekly takings. Back in 1962 any of the small stores that achieved a weekly turnover of more than £100 (yes £100) was considered busy, "aye, busy store is that" they would say. OH fond fond memories !. Thanks Frank, keep them coming.

Great photo Frank. The reg No of the Triumph Herald/Vitesse has a Wigan EK plate with a H reg which if memory serves me, dates it at 1969 I think

This building replaced a much older Victorian or Edwardian Co-op Emporium that stood on the site, I have a promotional; tin tray somewhere dating from around 1908 that depicts the older building.

Sniltub,
They definitely had a vacuum payment system.

I was based there and was on the delivery van in the 1960s, there were drawer tills on the counters and payment booths in the furniture and electrical departments, electronic tills were installed after the merger with Bolton I seem to recall, the only vacuum tubes in there were connected to the Electrolux, Goblin and Hoover vacs.

Sniltub and Cyril, whilst I'm sure you remember your days of working there in the 1960/70s and the Till system was by then up and running. I also remember going into this store as a very small boy in the very early 1950s and I'm certain I watched those space ship containers disappear up into the far beyond, only to return moments later with customers change and receipt. I would have thought that most departmental stores of that era had the old system. Thanks for your memories.

Can remember my mum taking us in the cafe for a Zing lemonade..happy memories

I remember passing this on the way to Wigan Rugby Club on Thursday nights.

My memory is early morning, waiting in the doorway for the 'WOO' bus to Parsonage Pit.

I had forgotten about the pub next door - I can't remember what it was called either.

Veronica, it was the White Horse

Thats right - thanks Ron. Can soon forget when you don't live in Wigan anymore.

Ron I think the pub in view on the photo ...was The Dog Ith Thatch

h plate was 1970

quite correct Ron, it was the Dog I'th,Thatch,(a Walker's house), the White Swan was little further on and that was an Almonds"s house

Have checked there is a better picture of the pub item 4050 and I remember it now. I had completely forgotten it. Thanks all.

Cracking picture, you can see a Christmas Tree in the window.
When you made a purchase you got a little strip of paper, some sort of savings voucher, was called ‘Divi’?