Wigan Album

The Crawford Arms pub next to the canal has been closed for about ten years. In 1978 there was an Austin Maxi with Blackpool registration KFV37N, and next to it is a Bedford HA van whose registration can't be identified. The HA van based on the original boxy shaped first Vauxhall Viva car, the HA (1963-66) was in production for 19 years between 1964-83 long after the HA viva was replaced with the HB and HC Vivas.

It is a sorry sight now with the short lived restaurant which opened there having been boarded up for years. The post box with the VE inscription is still in the wall though.

Oops! On my earlier posting should have said the VR inscription on the post box, not VE.

Bet that postbox don't get used much.
There's nothing round there!

Arthur theres some house right across the road and some over the bridge

Often wondered who had the lousy job of emptying that post box when and after it was first installed. It would have been one hard trudge up the hill from Chorley road and a long way from the other side at Aspull. Suppose the post man could have come by train to and from Red Rock station but Victorian employers weren't notable for spending money to ease their employees burden.

Thanks Mick, wasn't sure.

Derick B, they used a post van just like today.

See P a D for Monday 25 May 20, what a difference.

DerekB - in those days, the postman was usually a person residing in the district, who didn't work from a central depot, but from the local post office, which in this case would most likely have been Haigh - in the 1890s, Haigh post office was on Haigh Road, about 100yds from St David's church.
Still a bit of a traipse, but he would have been familiar with all the short cuts.

Thanks for the info MickD.

Its in a real sad state today after a shoddy attempt to re-develop it.
p.s. Good luck selecting a gear in that Maxi - like stirring Porridge !