Wigan Album

A friend of mine, (a Wigan Worlder), used to work in Lowe's Department Store as a young man and told me there was a ghost of a lady.....even the security man's dog, (or night-watchman as we used to say), wouldn't go in certain parts of the store at night. When Lowe's was demolished and the bank was built in its place I heard that staff at the bank had seen her, so she still haunted the same spot. She has probably faded away now with the passing of the years.

Once they knocked down Lowes, they should have left the place open with views of the parish church. It would have made a much nicer town centre.
Owd Tom used to work at Lowes when he was a lad.

Mick, my friend who worked at Lowe's is named Tom but I don't know if it's the same Tom you know as "Owd Tom". Yes, I agree it would have been nice to have a view of the Parish Church from the town centre. We were all used to Lowe's department store, and at least it had a bit of character, but Barclay's is just a non-descript building; a view of the church would be lovely. I don't go to Wigan, (or anywhere!), much these days but I love to hear the Parish Church clock chiming whenever I am there.

I do agree in that if this space had been left open and landscaped it would have opened up a excellent view of the Parish Church.

I vaguely remember Lowes. I believe it closed in 1985. The Wigan branch of Barclays used to be on the corner of Hope St & Marsden St opposite the rear doors to BHS (that is now B&Ms). Dixons was next door to Lowes, but didn’t they move to other premises on Market Place - next door to the Yorkshire Bank in later years?

CJ

CJ, I think Dixon’s moved into that building on the corner of Millgate and Market Place. It’s some kind of gambling den now.

I remember when Lowe's closed in 1986 and was demolished and even then there is an old car in the photograph, a 1966-70 red Mk2 Ford Cortina.