Wigan Album
Chapel Lane, Wigan
5 CommentsPhoto: Brian Laithwaite
Item #: 25288
Brian, what a great set of photographs you've put up again.
This one showing Brocol House springing up with the old town hall and police station in the background.
They shouldn't have bothered.Horrible building.
The unloved Brocol House one of the first 'box' buildings in Wigan. When was this built?
I'm thinking 1967/8.
I was a Cadet in Wigan Borough Police 1967/68 and remember Brocol House being built. It was about April / May 1968 when I was working in the information room which overlooked King Street. It must have been a warm day as the windows were open. Precast concrete sections were used and put in place by a large crane which used to swing them round to the required position where contractors installed them. I saw that one was being swung round which meant it had to go over the road and the precast concrete was a little low and then suddenly it went in to the front of the upper deck of a Wigan Corporation bus that was travelling up King Street at the time towards the Town Centre. As far as I recall there were no injuries to any person on board but someone else may be able to correct me on that point. Of course this would not happen in this day and age but there were no Health and Safety laws around as we know them now.
thanks for this excellent set of photos Brian, are there any more?