Wigan Album

I know every square inch of that bit of Scholes. Great photo. I think the shop that was Ted Browns has changed to the Post Office by this time. It was on the other corner from The Harp around the corner was Vauxhall Rd

The shops adjacent The Harp were The UCP Tripe Shop the shops under the veranda Christie Baby Linen Shop Swifts Confection Ben Shop the last one was originally Ben Turners , later John Horrocks Butchers , John was Mayor of Wigan . The road at the corner led to Ben Turners Slaughter House .

My comment seems to have been missed off. I will add it again. If I walked up here, would I come to a four-way crossing, with Greenough Street going off to the left and Schofield, (Scholefield ?). Lane going off to the right, and Whelley going straight ahead? The old Scholes fascinates me and I wish I had known it but I get so mixed up with it!

Yes you’re correct Irene.
Just past the Harp on the opposite corner was Ted Brown’s shop. I loved that shop with the wooden floorboards and counter. We used to buy vests and liberty bodices and cotton flannel underskirts from there and pyjamas. My mam bought her pinnys from there as well. The next shop was a fish shop it’s irritating me because I can’t remember the name. I can see the owner though and there was a cat that used to prowl about in there! I won’t bore you anymore…although when she was weighing the fish on the scales she would start with “ 5s,4s, 3s,2s that’s 1/9d luv. “ I was always mimicking her..

Veronica the fish shop was Rafferty's next was Melias Grocery shop .

Thanks Tom I knew it began with ‘ R’ but Ramsdale’s kept coming
up. ( I think that was a Herbalist in Market St.) She always wore clogs!

Not forgetting the Bank Tom. A bit higher up was the Wool Shop. The owner always wore fingerless mittens and she had a red nose. It was a nice shop but it must have been cold in there. There was a hat shop as well and the pub of course. Wellington’s toffee shop on the end corner of Scholefield Lane. They were very old buildings….you could buy anything in Scholes in those days.

Brilliant picture Ron.
In the 1950’s early 60’s I must have walked around Scholes with my eyes shut. I don’t recognise any of these incredible buildings.
I’ve probably got the spelling wrong but in the background would that be John McCurdies store at the top of Scholes?

It was the famous McCurdy’s Colin. We practically bought all our furniture from there in the early sixties. My mam was working then and paid weekly for everything. Up till then we had all my grandmother’s furniture which was very dark mahogany wood and old fashioned. Probably went on a bonfire! The bus stop was outside that store -and for about 5 years I caught a coach in the early hours of the morning bound for the ROF at Euxton. The same gang of people in all weathers!

Veronica,the hat shop was Waldron's and the toffee shop Ted Worthington,s..When I was very young he had a Milk Bar higher up, beyond Sherrington,s but before John Marsden the butcher where I was sent for undercut steak(whatever that was?)

Donald Underwood, if you don't mind my asking, did you used to write for Past Forward? I seem to recognise your name from somewhere but it just won't come to me.

What stands out to myself on all these old pictures is the lack of litter on the streets and chewing gum spatter on the pavements.
No expensive throw-away packaging in those days, every penny was spent on something edible or useful not what it was fancily wrapped in. Pizza boxes and polystyrene chip trays etc. not yet invented.

Thanks Donald I do get names mixed up these days! It was Worthington's you are right. I used to go in there for ice lollies….
Across the road on the opposite corner was Sherrington’s. There was a cake shop up there as well I think it was Price’s. I used to get a box tied nicely with string with 4 cakes
- 2 Vanilla Slices and 2 Cream Horns. …Those were the days what luxury!

Ps the ‘ undercut steak’ must have been the tenderest part Donald.

The milk bar just before John McCurdys was Maggie Lees,The fish shop on the same side as The Harp pub was run by May Holinsworth,boy could she fillet fish.

My husband used to be a butcher and says the "undercut" is the fillet, which is the tenderest part.

Sorry Irene but not guilty
I cannot imagine how anyone as young as you could know my name except from this site
I left Wigan physically before you were born, though visited briefly and occasionally since.Spiritually I have never left and now 91 can remember my Wigan days more clearly than any
since
Eddie ,I don't recall Peggy Lee having the milk bar
In the Thirties she had the chip shop at the corner of Jackson's Square She was the Labour candidate for the Lindsay ward a couple of times but was defeated
She is remembered for saying the day after the election"If I throat there was anybdy in here as voted Tory,I'd pour this boiling fat over them"

It’s a great skill being a butcher. I watch one in Morrisons up my end and you can see he is born of the old school, the pride he takes in his work and presentation is a joy to watch and see .
Did you have a dog when you married Irene ? I wonder if that’s where the saying comes from ‘Fit as a butchers dog?’ I knew a mate who fed his bulldog on fillet steak direct from the butchers - only the best . He would say I’m not feeding my dog food from a tin , what you on!

The Black Swan immediate left and The White Swan on the left near the car.

Donald! At 71, I never thought to hear again someone saying " as young as you".....that's made my day! I have no idea where I have heard your name from, and perhaps I have got you mixed up with someone else, but oh! what a lovely compliment!

it was maggie lees we used order hot vimto drinks and horlicks also
penny lollies jus near the bus stop think it was across from veronica almonds

The bakery shop near Mc Curdy's was Prices. Being a Bolton firm, it was the only place you could buy bread locally during Wigan wakes week in the 50s.

Veronica.The wool shop was at the corner of Platt Lane. Ethel bannister by name

The one that I’m talking about Donald was near the hat shop. In the fifties my mam used to go there for wool. I remember her buying ‘rabbit’ wool at that time. Also she used to knit my cardigans for school in bottle green wool. There was another one I went to in the sixties further up Scholes on the opposite side of Platt Lane where I bought wool when I started knitting myself. I do remember the name of Ethel Bannister though. There was a shop for everything at that time in Scholes.!
There was a lot of wool shops in those days it was cheaper to knit than buy ready made. It’s the opposite now it’s not worth the time spent knitting. I still do though. I always knit in Winter. I order online but I do miss browsing in a wool shop.

Dave, no we didn't have a dog when we married, but we got a cross-breed dog when our children were 10 and 6 years old. His name was Ziggy and he was bought from Leigh Dogs' and Cats' Home when he was four months old and he lived to 17 years. We later had two labradors who lived to 11 and 13 years respectively and I have their ashes, and Ziggy's, in the kitchen to this day. They weren't fed on fillet steak, (neither were we!!), but they were much-loved.

There was a ‘cloggers’ on the other side of the road past the Chemist - I used to take my dad’s clogs there. I was under the impression it was named ‘Blinkhorn’s’ but apparently it wasn’t that at all. There was a trap door in the floor and the clogger used to ‘appear’! I have to say it nearly frightened me to death on a couple of occasions. It made me think of Sweeny Todd the Barber!..However, there was always comics to read while waiting for the clogs being mended. I forget his real name.

Donald, wonderful that you have posted a message in WW at 91 and still take an interest.
The name Underwood rings a bell with me from Wigan but just cannot place it, was there a shop named Underwoods?
Regardless Donald, I've got another 16 years to go to get to 91 and hope I am still as alert as your good self. All the very best, Colin.

We had a teacher at St Pat’s she lived off Darlington St. Her name was Miss Underwood. I think I have mentioned it before to Donald. There is a photo of her under St Pat.’s (walking days) I’ll look for it and post the item number. I think she is a distant relative.

Just noticed this photo is already on the web site...with numerous comments

I looked under St Pat’s Walking Days and Schools but didn’t see it Ron. What item is it please.

Ignore my last comment Ron I thought you meant the teachers’ photo with Miss Underwood on it.

Thanks for all the exchanges.I don't know where to start in reply
The only place in Wigan where I know my own name to be inscribed is on the Honours Board at WGS,which I am told is on display at the Linacre Medical Centre
My cousin William laid the foundation stone of Greenhough Street Independent Methodist church when it removed to Longshoot

I have mentioned to Veronica before that Miss Underwood of St Patricks School was a very distant relation
.Our common ancestor Richard Underwood was the first of my family to appear in Wigan Parish records when his banns were published on marrying Alice Whittle in 1788
They had 86 grandchildren,of whom my great grandfather was one
Born in 1840,he was tiny enough to fit into a pint pot.Not expected to survive he outlived all the others dying in 1829 and still ready to fight all comers

Veronica
Miss Underwood lived in Harper Street when we lived in Little Cambridge Street and Ascroft street 1938-44The wool shop further up Scholes,in the block between Molyneux Street and Mint Court was owned by the Misses Byron

Veronica, I think the cloggers name was Bolton. He was a grumpy man and, invariably, there was no one in the shop when I went in with my clogs. As a young kid I found it scary hearing the clomping of his feet coming up the steps and him appearing through the trap door. Next door to the cloggers was Siney's barbers and next to him was the Sanderson sisters bakery.

I have posted the Teacher’s photo for you to see Miss Underwood Donald she is second on the right with three other teachers. You have probably seen her before though. She’s on class photos as well under St Pat’s .
Derek it makes me chuckle now when I think of the old ‘clogger’ coming up those steps and you are right he was grumpy I used to jump out of my skin at times. It was my dad who used to say take my clogs to Blinkhorn’s NOT. Polly Do’out’s! In Hardybutts.

I had some relations in Little Cambridge St. named Scanlan. The terraced houses are still there Donald.

The clogger was Methuselah Sutton,father of Reg
Veronica we were at 72 next to the end when war was declared

I don’t know the numerical order of the house doors Donald. The house was the first terrace on the right. My dad’s cousin was Mary Jane and she always wore clogs. Her daughter Anne went to the Convent after passing the 11 plus. She would be getting on for 80 by now. Her mother would have had her in her 40’s she had two older brothers I bet they would be in their 90’s by now. One was called Edmund I can’t remember the other one.

I can’t understand why my dad called Methuselah Sutton Blinkhorn! It’s a good job I didn’t call him Mr Blinkhorn when I left the shop with the clogs! He wasn’t deaf was he? ;o))

Veronica, the wool shop you mention was Seddons it belonged to Seddons Factory in Vauxhall Road
The Cobblers was Suttons he was a relative of Reg Suttons Gents Outfitters lower down Scholes . on the corner of Greenough Street .

I believe so Tom. Scholes was ruined but it’s the past and that’s where it belongs I suppose. It’s good to remember.

Veronica, there used to be a shop in Hindley that sold paraffin and it stunk of it, and was known generally as "Owd Bill Stink's", and a little girl actually called him "Mr. Stink"! Funnily enough there was a chippy in Ince when I was a little girl called Blinkhorn's.

Donald, There was a store named Underwoods but it was not in Wigan.
Many years ago I used to listen to the Archers on the Radio, Underwoods was the Department Store in Borchester, in the county of Borsetshire.
That was in the days of old Walter Gabriel voiced by Chris Gittins.

Donald, I remember a Colin Underwood at the Thomas Linacre grammar school in the fifties.

Apologies Donald , it was Unsworth i was thinking of.

Not aware of a Colin Underwood in my extended family nor amongst the Poolstock Underwoods who ere not relatedColin Trainer I have recalled an Underwood shop in Wigan
You would never have visited.It was Maud Underwood's Ladies hairdresser in Wigan Lane