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Chapel Lane, Wigan

22 Comments

Chapel Lane, Wigan
Chapel Lane, Wigan
Photo: Brian Laithwaite
Views: 6,150
Item #: 25260
Chapel Lane.

Comment by: owd viewer on 13th June 2014 at 00:04

The old fire station was beyond the building on the left.

Comment by: A.W. on 13th June 2014 at 10:25

Recall being taken to see the fire engines there.

Comment by: Albert. on 13th June 2014 at 11:07

Wasn't the building with all the windows, the Wigan Borough Treasurer's Department, with the Police Station further over to the left, together with the Town Hall?

Comment by: Thomas(Tom)Walsh. on 13th June 2014 at 12:35

The building on opposite The Bourugh Treasures housed The Motor Licensing Dept.and Cornelius Latchford Registrar of Births Deaths and Marrage .

Comment by: irene roberts on 13th June 2014 at 13:29

Tom, I can remember seeing the name Cornelius Latchford etched on a window, but it had completely vanished in the mists of time for me, but I saw it again at your mention of it as if it were yesterday.

Comment by: owd viewer on 13th June 2014 at 13:52

These photographs are fantastic.Wasn't the old fire station through this junction on the right? It became a shop later?

Comment by: Albert. on 13th June 2014 at 14:00

Tom Further to your recollections. I should have added that the Magistrates' Court was above the Police Station, to the best of my recollection. On the opposite side from the police station, was the Magistrates' Clerk's office, and also the fire brigade canteen, around the back. Mr Hopwood-Sayer was the coroner, but I just cannot remember the name of the magistrates' clerk. I believe his first name was/is Basil.

Comment by: irene roberts on 13th June 2014 at 17:11

Albert, my friend Geoff, who was a young reporter in the days of Mr. Hopwood-Sayer, tells me he used to infuriate everyone by insisting on writing everything down in long-hand with an old fountain-pen which had to keep being re-filled!

Comment by: Thomas(Tom)Walsh. on 13th June 2014 at 17:56

Albert, your recollection is correct his full ma,e was Basil Horseman, he was a gentleman of the old school

Comment by: Albert. on 13th June 2014 at 19:04

Thank you Tom. You are absolutely correct.

Comment by: Sheryl B on 14th June 2014 at 04:15

I assume none of this exists these days... I have an old postcard which someone sent to my grandma, Daisy Wood, when she lived at 3 Chapel Lane turn of last century before her marriage.

Comment by: Eric Bulpitt on 15th June 2014 at 19:43

If you turned right into Darlington street the police garages where on the right, further down on the right was the original sweaty betties, we got barred out forcomplaining a outher serving with a cig in her mouth &the ash falling in the curry, further down on the same side was kays ex army stores, on the other side was dick callands toy shop

Comment by: Kenee on 16th June 2014 at 10:20

There's a lane for turning left and one for turning right but there is a bollard in the middle of it. They have obviously made it 'No right turn' but not bothered to paint out the arrows.

Comment by: Albert. on 16th June 2014 at 10:51

Eric, just near to the police garage was a business that dealt in very nice paintings, and pictures. I do not have any knowledge as to who owned the business. In those days, John Knipe was the police motor fitter. His brother Ted Knipe was a well known Wigan Borough police officer, a very good amateur wrestler, as were a few other Wigan officers' at that particular time. They also had a very good, water polo team.

Comment by: Albert. on 16th June 2014 at 15:42

Tom/Eric. Wasn't there also a business selling gramophone records, Norman Leathers, further down Darlington Street, on the same side as the Pepper Mill, and a cake shop, opposite the record shop, near to the River Douglas?

Comment by: Alan H on 17th June 2014 at 14:37

Albert, the cake shop was McCandlish's, we used to call in on Saturday mornings after we had been to the baths. We bought a penny barm cake straight out of the oven. Delicious!That would be the late 40's when the baths opened at 6am when it was double summertime. Anybody remember that?

Comment by: Maureen on 18th June 2014 at 12:08

Albert,I was in a few plays at School,our music teacher Miss Halliwell took five of us to Norman Leathers to make a recording of the songs we sang..I still have the songs we sang
on tape..my Hubby also made a record there.

Comment by: Albert. on 18th June 2014 at 12:45

Maureen. Was I correct in the location I mentioned?

Comment by: Maureen on 18th June 2014 at 14:02

Yes Albert..you definitely have it spot on.

Comment by: Thomas(Tom)Walsh. on 21st June 2014 at 12:30

Maureen, please put your school recording on you tube it would be fascinating to hear it .

Comment by: Mick on 21st June 2014 at 17:50

Sheryl B - all this has been flattened now. If it's any help, the building on the right of the photo with the 'High Speed Gas' poster on the gable end, was number 62 Chapel Lane, so your grandma's home would have been on the other side of the King St junction, on the left hand side when it was standing.

Comment by: Ste Latchford on 17th September 2022 at 01:28

I know this thread is old ! But according to the research I've been doing Cornelius latchford was my grandfather x 6 !

What year do you think his name etched in was from ?

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