Wigan Album

An amazing aerial view that even I can recognise...look how the Ritz stands out.... a real trip down Memory Lane Ozy.

Brilliant picture Ozy, I could study this all day.
Outstanding building to me is the majestic building alongside the Ritz. It look to have been a hotel at one time and then demolished to extend Woolworth’s. Can anyone identify it?

Colin, a long time ago I remember reading a discussion somewhere on Wigan World about that building next to The Ritz. However, it was so long ago that I wouldn't know where to start searching for the comments on it, but I have a feeling that someone said it was a Welfare Clinic at one time, or at least something very similar to do with health, which later moved to premises in Millgate. I DO remember The Welfare Clinic in Millgate as I have a memory, (very vague), of going there as a very small child with my Mam to get a bottle of Welfare Orange Juice in the late 1950s.

Thanks Irene, perhaps Ron will pick up on this as he is 'The Fountain' of all knowledge!. There once was a theatre roughly in that location but that was well before my time.
We have mentioned the Welfare Orange Juice in the past, nothing quite tasted like it, it was a real treat in the early fifties especially during rationing. We badly needed the Vitamin C. The good old day hey!

I seem to recall the building next to the Ritz being identified on a previous posting as the 1930s equivalent of Brocol House i.e. where the unemployed signed on for the dole. I could very well be wrong as the earlier posting was a considerable time ago.

The building next to the Ritz was the Empoyment Exchange, like the one in Hall gate. According to the old maps.

Looks like I was wrong with The Welfare Clinic, Colin, but I knew it was some form of Government Premises. I could have sworn I had read of baby milk and orange juice being in there but the memory plays tricks, unless those items were in a different part of the building from the Labour Exchange. Anyway, if I was wrong I was wrong and I am happy to stand corrected. These photos are fascinating! Thanks, Ozy.

Don’t thank me Irene , thank Historic England .

Historic England didn't upload the photos onto Wigan World Album, Ozy....YOU did, so thankyou.

The same photo posted by Ron is in the link below, in the comments someone says it was a welfare clinic and as Peter said the employment exchange:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=8&id=34071&gallery=AERIAL+VIEW&page=9

Top left side the newly built Wigan Grammar School. The clock in the tower was donated by George Christopher who also funded the building of the Christopher Home at Wigan Infirmary.

I put a comment on this photo but it didn’t show. It was just to say I like to trace the roads and paths to the town centre from where I lived in Scholes. There was quite a few ways to go. The only problem now these days is dicing with trepidation crossing the roads. Nowhere near as simple and as varied as it used to be.