Wigan Album
Millgate
42 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 33006
These 'stinky' urinals had been wiped from my memory, even though I must have passed them far more than the others. The multi-storey car park was built over the ground they were on, what a waste of money that was.
You may well have them Ron, but here's some I remember and were essential when out and about on pub crawls:- Water Heyes, on footpath side of Wigan Little Theater. Side of Warrington Road school on the old footpath. Chapel Lane, back of Derby Arms and shops. Side of North West station and Wallgate bridge. Front of the old canal warehouse on Wallgate, now 1 Wigan Pier. Park Road, side of railway bridge.
Forgot about the infamous ones at Marylebone, and like the ones on Chapel Lane you would only go into there if desperate and with no back alley's to sneak into, and didn't want your collar felt by the police for urinating on the street, normally you'd hold on till the next pub.
Library St.
Yes thanks, Cyril,got those. Also the large one on the Douglas Bridge in Greenough street. One next to the History Shop in Library street. It was still there up to a couple of years ago. Probably the last one in Wigan? The one near the Warrington Lane school was under the railway bridge on the corner of Darlington Street and Warrington lane. Was there one in Frog lane opposite the Deanery near the railway bridge? Are am I imagining it???
There was one top of Whelley brow. Also I think {not 100% sure}there was one in Pool stock Lane between the pub & railway bridge.
CINDY, WHERE ABOUTS WAS IT ON WHELLEY BROW? WHEN YOU SAY 'POOLSTOCK LANE' DO YOU MEAN CHAPEL LANE? THERE WAS ONE BETWEEN THE DERBY ARMS AND THE RAILWAY BRIDGE. OR WAS THERE ONE NEAR WHERE THE PEMBERTON LOOP LINE CROSSED POOLSTOCK LANE?
Public toilet in Whelley ? - don't remember that. Can you remind me please.
Can't remember one opposite the Deanery Ron, though someone may remember, forgot all about the one on Library Street and yet I investigated there at one time as rats were getting into the library and they were actually coming from a broken drain at that urinal and getting into the library though a broken vent cover.
Cindy, there was a urinal on Warrington Road at Newtown/Worsley Mesnes and that was just after the railway bridge, I can't remember one on Poolstock Lane, though with demolition happening along there and also Warrington Road in the early 1970s the urinals got demolished too.
The one Poolstock lane was between the Tippings Arms and the railway bridge.
Urinals in Standish, just before traffic lights (going north) on the left up a small street on way to recreation ground, gone now.
Used to be one at the side of Honeysuckle pub Poolstock overhanging the river Douglas.
A brick one - but on the corner of Warrington Road and Cemetery Road, Lower Ince.
There was one at the top of Greenough Street had a slate stone as I remember.
Re the toilet on Whelley brow, it was a purpose brick built ladies and gents toilet near the plantation gates, atop the railway embankment, the private house now on the site has a garage on the plot, the stone wall has been extended across what was the entrance, the extension has irregular stonework.
I wonder how many men were arrested by the Bobby on the beat and charged with urinating in a public place. I typed many summonses for committing that offence.
Has anyone any photographs showing the location of these Toilets/ Urinals? Or can pinpoint on a map showing where they were? I'm trying to put together a map showing the locations of something else now long gone.
At least there were lots of "conveniences" around in the past. In the small Somerset town where we now live the public loos were closed about 10 years ago, which is similar in all the towns nearby including holiday places. When you think we have an ageing population it's madness.
For comparison for many years we had a holiday flat in a small town (about 8,000 people) in Britanny. They have about 6 free public loo sites including some they built about 10 years ago. All are free, well maintained and do not appear to attract vandals. Sometimes you have to wonder about us
There was one on the left on Schofield Lane just before it met the road coming in from Hardybutts and swung round towards Birkett Bank.
There was so many pubs in Scholes it's no wonder there was so many urinals. I must say I never knew there was one on Scholfield Lane not far from where I lived.
Just remembered two more. There was one down an alley off Standishgate in the vicinity of what was Mark Williams Butchers shop and roughly where Primark now stands. Another one was in Beech Hill at the top of Gidlow Lane opposite the parade of shops and next to what was Beech Hill Labour Club (now Tesco)and this one was in a building which also housed an electricity sub station.
Frog Lane, just after All Saints and through the Railway bridge.
Ron If You go to photo,s of Whelley A photo of the lodge gates it was just past the lodge gate house towards New Springs set back You had to go up steps to it.
Your right Rev on Warrington Rd next to Vault Door Old Hall Pub.
I don't know about that one, Jinksi - the one I'm on about was over the road - down some steps on the edge of the cemetery.
The old market.These were not public urinals but were for market traders/staff. They were located inside an entrance that was to the right of the main entrance if you were on Woodcock St but nearer Hope St.
What I remember was the smell. There was an article in the Observer about it.
there was one on parsons walk up the side of the railway bridge
There were two public conveniences on the site of 'old Bottlingwood'', the Ladies can been seen in the library photo no. 30025.
There was one at wigan pier where wallgate forks for pottery road, one at union bridge ormskirk rd, one at chaple street in the bottle neck pemberton across from working mens club.
wiggy can you pinpoint the locations i.e. which side of the road, which buildings where they next to.
Don’t forget the ones in Mesnes Park. Wasn’t there one near to the Foundry pub?.
Ron, The one in chaple st. in pemberton would be just of the pavement where the masonic hall is now. The one at union bridge coming from
wigan would be on the left hand-side of the car wash as you look at it, but then it used to be a petrol station. At the pier if you where walking from wallgate where the petrol station was and into pottery rd. you would pass it, in front of the building.
There was a gents & ladies toilet in Worsley Mesnes nr Crooked Wheel.
wiggy, WAS THE ONE IN WALLGATE NEAR WHERE DOMINO PIZZA IS? JUST BEFORE THE ENTRANCE TO ECKERSLEYS MILL YARD? WHERE THEY ALL URINALS OR TOILETS FOR MEN AND WOMEN?
Ron. these 3 i mention were urinals for gents. The one in wallgate was in front of the building now standing and stretching over the canal in the middle of the fork between Wallgate & Pottery Rd. Ron Dave Marsh has put a photo on, go in wigan world album, click places, click wigan pier, on page1- R/H colomn, third photo down. the urinals would be where the fencing is, hope this can help you more.
Think there where toilets on the old bus station?
Correct Eric. On the Market Square.
wiggy I had a recollection as to that was where it was. I can remember seeing it from the bus on my way home It would appear I have got more or less all the Urinals and Toilets I'll have to get myself a large scale 1950's map and mark them all on.
When does water change its formula from H2O
Answer. When a dog drinks it, and it become K9P.
there was urinals near skew bridge warrington road newtown.
Seem to remember some on the right just before the Railway Bridge on Parsons Walk, as you head out of town. Long gone.
Ron,what about the ones under Wallgate Bridge.