Wigan Album
Drill Hall, Powell Street, Wigan
10 CommentsPhoto: Brian
Item #: 32523
(Photo by John Metcalfe).
This cobbled street is Church Street and still exists today, but all the buildings on the left that were the former drill hall and co-op supermarket were demolished to make way for the ring road in 1985. St Georges church is the only remaining building here, and its longest serving but mostly miserable vicar who died a few years ago was Rev Bernard Harrison. The car is a Datsun 120Y, the bestselling Japanese car in the 1970s, good reputation for reliability but bad reputation for rusting.
A short cut for me from Greenough St every Saturday afternoon when going up town.
When I was a student in 1970 I worked on the Christmas post at Drill Hall, sorting out parcels. Back then, no-one seemed to understand the word "FRAGILE". We used to play tick and pass with some of the parcels.
Mr X, how can you say that about Bernard, I at one time lived near to him and passed his vicarage every day and always found him to be okay and yes he did smile and laugh too.
You're right about Datsun's rusting though and early Toyota's were the same too, we had a Corolla and with both makes the front wings were the first to go followed by the rear as they'd no protection from wheel spray.
You could hear them rusting away :)
Its a travesty that this building was demolished, so much history just gone.
There was a very nice Co Op cafe on the first floor door to stairs on left of photo.
To Mr X, to refer to someone as miserable is one thing! But go refer to someone who has passed away is disgusting!
A member of his family could read that and be upset!!
For what? What have you achieved?
I used to go to St Georges CE School (Late 50s early 60s) and we often went to that church. I remember the stained glass windows and the walking days very well.
Bernard Harrison was my father. He wasn't at all miserable, although he didn't suffer fools, so maybe that explains your experience of him 'Mr X'. He had a dry (sometimes acerbic) wit that would be lost on some, clearly. He wouldn't at all care that someone thought less of him though, no matter how odd the context such opinions would be expressed.
A lovely photo of the church that brings back fond childhood memories for me.