Wigan Album

I used to make my own dresses etc years ago & loved going to choose fabric but fabric departments , shops & market stalls have disappeared from High
Streets & towns. Must be the ' must have it now' culture we live in today

I actually worked on the fabric department in Debenhams in 1973-1976. I started on "glass and china", then dress fabrics and finally curtain fabric. The Pendlebury's Store had belonged to Debenhams since 1948, as we were told in our "induction" but they kept the name Pendlebury's as Wiganers were used to it. We still gave personal service and when I started there in 1973 the staff had to address each other by their formal names when on the shop floor, so I was "Miss Griffiths" until I became "Mrs. Roberts", and even my YOUNG male colleagues were "Mr. So,and-So". It was a bit like "Mrs. Slocombe" , "Miss Brahms" and "Mr. Humphries"! By the time I left in 1976 to have my son, the old-fashioned practise had stopped, and I think we lost something along with it..Brilliant photo, Veronica!

I loved the store even when it was keeping up with the changes over the years Helen. I miss it very much a great loss indeed to Wigan and everywhere else such as Southport.

I still ‘make’ things I love knitting but these days I ‘have’ to order online I know you can buy cheap wool but to me it’s false economy using it. I have to say the place I order from have every good yarn you can think of and it’s delivered in lovely drawstring gauze bags inside recycled plastic. I don’t know anywhere you could buy fabric these days though. I used to sew years ago but I’m a better knitter than a seamstress. I still have my sewing machine bought at 21 from Singers. The patterns I used were from the above store though. Simplicity, Butterworth you could always get fixed up here and other shops in Wigan.

I used to own an old type Singer sewing machine..and I would give anything to have it back..I did get an electric one, it would work for anyone else but me,my SIster in law took it home to do a bit of sewing but as soon as I got to work on it it went wild..I've had problems with electrical goods before,it seems the problem is with moi..so as I say I wish I had my little Singer back.

I was the opposite Maureen I could never use the treadle and work the wheel at the same time. I think it must be down to poor
Co-ordination! .

I still use the Singer table model sewing machine given to me back it in 60s, as she was going electric !

"One o' t'cross beams gone owt askew ont' treadle"!