Wigan Album
Police Stations
10 Comments
Photo: Dave Houghton
Item #: 7810
Dave I have seen reports of inquests in old Wigan Observers being held at the Ince Police Station in County Police St as early as 1890
Thanks for that John, I’m not sure of the date of both these photographs. The County built most of these stations around Wigan about the same time. I think trams started running around Wigan ran from about 1900 and the Spring View picture has tramlines. Could be wrong.
My neighbour served at Higher Ince prior to WW2. He said the job of the youngest PC at six each morning was to mop and donkey stone the front doorsteps. This was a job they dreaded because of the stick they got from mill girls going to work.
This photo is captioned wrong.
This is the police station in Spring view
No, it isn't. It's the Police Station that was off Humphrey Street, Higher Ince. It is labelled correctly.
This was my first police station when I graduated from the police training school in early 1963. The centre part of the building was the 'working' part of the police station.
We had a cell, but it was only used as a holding cell - prisoners were taken to Lower Ince Police Station where they had more staff. At Higher Ince only one PC would be on duty at most times and on nights often two. The right-hand side of the building was Sergeant Brian Hall's residence and the left-hand side was Detective Constable Bob Bott's residence. The station sergeant had much greater powers then and was totally 'in charge' of everything.
We lived in the right hand side of the building from around 1958 to 1963 my father K C King was duty sergeant, Brian Hall was a good family friend but never lived at this police station as I am aware.
My cousin PC John Ward Smith 1868-1949 was stationed here in about 1911. He and his family (Jessie Honour, Doris Ward and Edward Ward) lived at 28 Careless Street.
We live in the middle section, the police station now. Our neighbour said it is known to have a cellar but we have never found it. Any ideas?
Check the deeds of the house Will they not tell you if there is/was a cellar