Wigan Album

In the far window of Kay's there is what looks to be a puppet head - Pinocchio perhaps?

We used to live in Warrington Lane so went up this street every day for a while..Kay's shop was always full..the pet shop right facing it was owned by Mary Collins,her hubby Danny who was Irish,they one Daughter Clare..the man in the art framing shop was lovely but it was an expensive shop..the small garage further up was used by the Police..but not sure why...in my teens I was riding my bike as it was going dark,but I had no bike lamp on..on passing the garage a Policeman came out shouting oi..come here,I started pedaling like crazy,he was at the back of me but I lost him ..who's this Chris Boardman ?.

Maureen: He was probably having a nice cuppa when he saw the only incident he could put in his book, but you escaped.
I wonder if it was Albert, he might remember it.

Ha ha John,I wouldn't care but it was my Brothers bike and pedaling down Queen St so fast jogged his pack a Mac from the cross bar and I lost it so I was in trouble when I got home.

An Austin Maxi going down the bottom end of Darlington Street, its registration is blurred possibly NTB413R. At the end was the Derby Arms pub demolished in 1985 for the new ring road. Just behind the shops were the gasholders, one big, one small, and a third one was on the other side of the railway.

So is this the very bottom of Darlington St near the courts building and with Brocol House in the background??

Gareth correct, the shops location is now the Covid Testing car park

John. If this was a photograph taken in the seventies, it would not be me. In the seventies I was a sergeant, at Rochester, in Kent Police.

Hi Albert, I know that you went to the county of Kent a long time ago,
so please explain... Are you " A Man of Kent ", or a " Kentish Man".
I believe the River Medway is the dividing line. In my early lorry driving
days, particularly with Reed Transport at Wigan, I frequently did trips
to Reeds near Maidstone. Ray.

Ray. I served nine years at Folkestone, and fifteen years in the Medway towns. In relation to the two descriptions, I believe it related to, on which side of the river you were born. I was born in Wigan, where people are real proper, and down to earth. If you were born in Blackpool, you were sand grown.

Ray. I believe if you were born in West Kent, you were a ‘Kentish Man’ , if in East Kent ‘ A Man of Kent’. I was nine years at Folkestone, fifteen in the Medway towns. Been retired thirty four years in May. So God’s been very good to me.

Ray. I have just had it confirmed by one of my previous Kent colleagues. What I have put is correct. I served just over six years in Wigan Borough Police. I would have stayed if the writing hadn’t been on the wall for the replacement of Borough Police Forces, by larger forces.

Sorry Albert, I thought you may have been the constable running down the road after are very own Maureen, she appeared to be living life on the edge as a young jockey, giving the police the run around with no lights on her bike.
What a young Woman Albert, she probably needed a good reprimand to keep her on the straight and narrow.

At the present time John the only thing that I can catch is a cold. Although I have felt a few villain’s collars in the past years.

The Wigan Job Centre building (Brocoll House) can be seen further up the street in this picture. That is very much unchanged these days.

Much of the Chapel Lane and Darlington Street area under went a massive redevelopment in the mid 1980s when most of the buildings were demolished to make way for Riversway and the expansion of Chapel Lane.

Maureen your husband had a wonderful voice I can vouch for that with that romantic " Love Letters in the Sand'' ... it blew me away.

Thank you so much Veronica..he had hadn't he.

Albert,in the 70's the old police garage was the place where the Post Office Telephones Underground maintenance vehicles were garaged.

I've just realised Maureen my comment about your husband's lovely voice is on the wrong thread! It's all these Darlington St Photo's . ;~)

It doesn't matter one iota Veronica..I've done the same thing myself.

Maureen, your comment made me laugh, and so did John G's. He made you out to be a wild one. ( Joking of course)

Edna,you always come across as a very nice person...you really do.

Yes,she is Maureen.x

My aunt and uncle owned the Preston Arms in Darlington Street Ted and Annie Bamford.