Wigan Album

10 years apart but still recognisable.
Of the circa 1920 photo, the only remaining buildings are the two cottages behind the Well, hidden by the more recently added roof above the Well.
On the old photo you can make out the awning above the shop window emblazoned with the name of Amos Allen, the shop window now replaced with a bay window.
The
With the ‘Spite Houses’ on the right and those houses at the back seeming so close to the road, the road through to Rectory Lane appears quite narrow.
The three other cottages were demolished for the new build Lloyd’s Bank set further back from the road, now Wigan Hospice shop.
Thanks again Ron for posting this on my behalf.

On the new picture I can see the Well with the Stocks behind the Cross but the Stocks don’t appear to there on the older picture. Have the Stocks been relocated at some time?

Correction: 100 years apart!!!!!!!!!!

WN6, yes the stocks used to be on the right hand side of the well, anyone sat in them would be facing the well and have their back in front of Spite Row.

Name Amos Allen
Age in 1911 45
Estimated Birth Year abt 1866 Head
Gender Male
Birth Place Bedfordshire, England
Civil parish Standish with Langtree
County/Island Lancashire
Street Address 3 Market Place Standish
Marital Status Married
Occupation Fruitier & Confectioner Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Amos Allen 45 Head Fruitier & Confectioner
Mary Jane Allen Wife 44 Assisting In Business
Amos Allen 20 Son Grocers Assistant
Edith May Allen 19 Daughter Assisting In Business
Stanley Allen 17 Son Working In Mill Lodger
Wilfred Allen 16 Son Working In Mill (warehouse)

The three lads - Amos, Stanley, and Wilfrid - all went off to the Great War. Sadly Amos was killed on March 22nd 1918, aged 28. As well as being commemorated as the first name on both the Peace Gate and the Standish Cenotaph, he is also commemorated on the family grave in St Wilfrid's churchyard. The grave was created for his elder sister, Florrie, who died in 1909, aged 21.

Rev David, thanks for that. Stan ran the shop eventually. He always seemed to wear one of those long brown overall coats like Ronnie Barker in "Open all Hours". They sold the home-made penny ice lollies too.
By the way, I left you a message on the p-a-d page for 16th May at 21:17 regarding the cottages on the left of the walking day photos you mentioned. Those cottages were actually in Market Street.

Yes, John, I saw that comment - thanks for putting the record straight.

John, sorry to have missed your comment 16th May, there's always a bit of confusion regarding what is Market Street and what is Market Place.
Still not sure about this but the Standish Co-op address is Pole Street so I assume the properties further down on the left were on Market Street those properties facing the The Well being on Market Place.
I think some residents there are confused, certainly in the cottage formally The Eagle and Child, the address used to be Market Place but I think its now 39 Market Street!!!!!

Colin, yes it is confusing but there used to be an official postal address of Market Place comprising the properties from "Chadwick House" to the top of Bradley Lane, plus the "Spite row" houses and the still standing properties facing the church, including as you say, the Eagle and Child, later Worthington's butchers. But some time between the wars, I would guess after the spite row houses had been demolished, the name Market Place was dropped as an official address and the buildings affected were officially renumbered as part of Market Street.
The Co-op building is the last in Pole Street and the tall shops to the right of the co-op stand on the site of the terrace of four cottages in Market Street in the walking day photos.

Thank John, that does explain a few things.

For example, on the 1911 Census Amos Allen's house and greengrocers had the address 2 and 3 Market Place. On the 1939 National Register the same premises had become 22 and 24 Market Street.

Thanks again John, this additional information looks to fit in with the timelines you described such as the demolition of Spite Row and other properties in that area.

Winnie/Rev Long, apologies in that I overlooked to thank you for your important contributions.

Yet the nameplate 'Market Place' is still attached to the Black Bull Public House,

Hello Roy, hope you're well and will be going down to Wembley next week. I didn't know that there is a Market Place nameplate on the Bull wall. I'm obviously out of touch. Does that mean they've re-introduced "Market Place" as a postal address for the houses facing the church? or is just stating that this is the Market Place, as it's always been?

Roy, yes it is there and in big bold letters at eye level, never noticed myself until you mentioned it.
I took a picture, it might appear one day on PAD.
Might cause some confusion if someone there wins the Post Code Lottery!

Hi John, i'm ok thank you as i hope you are, no not going to Wembley this time 'we' decided not to go. The Market Place sign has been on the Bull wall for years, but the cottages near the cross are in Market St much to the irritation of the people who live in them.

Yes Colin definitely could cause Post Code Lottery problems.

Ah well Roy, you can watch it in comfort. I'm well thanks and will be going down by train with my son and grandson. Had enough of driving 400 miles in one day.

There are some days in Standish when I wish they would bring those stocks back into use!