Wigan Album

Ince Hall Hotel, on the corner of Warrington Road, and Ince Green Lane, more usually known as The Black Diamond. Many tales abound about its name, "black diamonds" in Wigan being coal, but it was actually because there was a diamond shape picked out in black bricks on the Ince Green Lane wall of the pub; in fact it was there until quite recently but has been covered up now. I'll tell you what....if that lady says it's twelve o'clock, it's twelve o'clock....I certainly wouldn't want to argue with her! She must be waiting for a bus....the bus-stop used to be there in the 1950s and 1960s....it's further up the road now.

Those poor men,they must spend all day bent over..I bet their backs ache at the end of the day.

Item 15104 in the album confirms it to be the Black Diamond pub.

I have little doubt that this is the Black Diamond , however I initially thought that the information on these boards was pinpoint accurate , but if I’m reading the board correctly , and I may possibly not be , the grid reference 591045 would place this spot 150 yards away across the road , whereas I would have thought grid reference 592046 was a more accurate location for the place .
Pedantic maybe , but what price accuracy ?
But then again , I may well be misinterpreting something on the board.

Or more accurate still
59190454 , but then we’re into 8 digit grid references ….
Fascinating nonetheless.

The Black Diamond pub was a watering hole for coalmen like me, and the workers at Ince moss coal banging yard, down Cemetery road.
Thanks Veronica.

A character in Call the Midwife last week or so there was a woman money lender who was carrying a sturdy leather bag similar to that, was the woman in the photo on her rounds? she certainly looks ready for any trouble too with those bovver boots.

I understand it being called the ‘Black Diamond’ Garry if the coalmen frequented it. What a good name!

We had our Wedding reception up stairs in the Black Diamond 26,January 1974.

Owd Viewer, 26th January 1974 was OUR wedding-day too....just had our Golden Wedding!

Sorry should have read "Coal Bagging".

My ex brother-in-law at one time - early 70s, lived in the Black diamond pub. His name was Phil Magraw.