Wigan Album

The ‘ 74 pub reminds me of the Old Hall pub with the Vaqueros at Lower Ince… mid to late sixties always packed. Happy times.

It’s very sad really isn’t it Ron..it’s the same in the Wigan bus depot,some young women are stood there on their phones while the baby in the buggies are crying but the mums are too busy talking to whoever.phones are so helpful for many things but when it comes to looking after babies and toddlers I’m afraid the phones comes first for many Mums.

So many times you see a couple or even a family in a pub, restaurant or cafe...all glued to their mobile phones, none ever speak to each other. Perhaps I should be charitable & think they are playing a family phone game & concentrating....but I won't. Sometimes the parents are the worst.
A good representation of then & now.

You see it on the buses as well Maureen. Babies looking up to their mums and not getting any attention. I Often wonder how they will be when they grow up.
Some children start school and they aren’t toilet trained. Some schools are going to have ‘breakfast clubs’. What does that tell you ? Can you imagine a child going to school without any breakfast???

Mobile phones are one of the best things to have been brought out in recent years in many ways. You can keep in touch with your children and, if they are in any kind of danger or the last bus doesn't turn up, they can contact YOU. I have been stood outside Wigan Little Theatre alone late at night when I used to do bar work there and my taxi hasn't come on time.....due to my mobile I was able to contact the taxi firm to make sure it was on its way. If someone feels they are being followed they have the means to phone the police. HOWEVER, I totally agree with Ron and Maureen about people's obsession with them; young mums ignoring crying babies and people no longer chatting to each other. I wouldn't be without my phone, but it's my servant, NOT my boss.

Ron knows that I live directly facing the bus stop that takes youngsters to School..College etc.
You can look across while threyre all waiting for the bus..none of them are talking about the day or night before..they’re all engrossed in their phones..I’m so glad they hadn’t been available when I was a youngster…I’m fully aware that they’re very helpful in keeping track of your child but it all seems to have backfired on relationships conversations ..etc…we all have them,and for adults they’re very handy..it all depends on your own intelligence as to how much you let them run your life.

Irene, did you know that these phones you're on about can stop you from getting lost.

The top picture is reminiscent of the Old Hall but the window was at the side of the stage not behind it.

Maureen, I have just spent ages on an answer to your comment and then "lost" the internet when I pressed "send", so probably lost my comment! Not to worry!

Irene,I’m sure it’ll pop up sometime :

Yes you’re right Kenee. The windows continued down the right side and along the front of the room. I don’t recall chairs though I think they were padded stools and back- rests. I know that because I fell off a stool one night it must have had a wonky leg! . I was very embarrassed.

I don’t think they are any pubs inparticular but whoever did them is just trying to show how they think things have changed.I think it is very good.

Yes it’s the atmosphere Pw. There’s none in the other one. It looks like some place in communist China or Russia . A brilliant painting though. It does take you back to your younger days. The sixties/seventies were a very special happy time.

the police use peoples mobile phones to solve a lot of crimes, remember a police officer on tv saying if you commit a crime dont take a a mobile phone with you they have the equipment to track you

Veronica: I think they were stools rather than chairs, some nights could be a bit lively and the stools could come flying across the room. Occasionally the police were called to remove the perps. I remember the Black Marias parked outside.
I'm glad it was the stool that had a wonky leg and not you!

Veronica and Kenee, you must have gone in The Old Hall on a different night then me......perhaps it was only on weekends when groups were performing and stools went flying! A group of us went in one night in the early 1970s and there was a darts match on, and every time one of us spoke we were given black looks and told to "SSSSHHHHH!". Perhaps it was an important match but it wasn't a great "Welcome" or a good advertisement for a pub! We drank up, left, and never went back.

1974 for me not a mobile in site people making conversation and laughing.

It was a Friday night when I went Irene. Either with girls from work or with my boyfriend. I never saw any trouble at all it was all very friendly. Plus the bus stop was handy.
It was the mid to late sixties when we went.

You often see people pushing prams fully engaged in their photos, not a care in the world what's going on around them, ridiculous.

You have to be a certain age to remember 1974, and it was great. But the mobile phones have definitely took over young people's life's. Mainly young people. But it's not the phone they are interested in, it's the contents, in other words they are a computer. Just step on the bus or train, 99% on the phone.
Bring back 1970s or even better the 1960s.

My forecast for the future.. People will be born, live all their life, and die in the same house with never ever having left it. These days there is no need to leave the house. Buying Food, Entertainment, Exercise, can all be done in the same four walls.

I played at the Old Hall on Friday Saturday and Sunday nights and Wednesday was practice night. Wednesday was a quiet night, hardly anyone in, Saturday was the busiest and probably when most of the fights started. I once took a girl there, a date, on a Tuesday and that too was very quiet.

Typical Wiganers: The band plays and no one ever listens.

Good one Jarvo.