Wigan Album

Very sad to see the demise of all the Labour, conservative and social clubs around Wigan and District just like pubs.

It very unsightly round Abram at the moment. The newsagents/Post Office looks like it's falling down. Very untidy place. The old Dove Lock pub still stands but in ruins. The place in need of love and care.

We had 2 Labour clubs where I live known as Top Labour Club and Bottom Labour Club both gone but the Conservative Club remains. We also had a Reform Club but that’s known as something else these days. The generations that supported them have died off or too old to be bothered. The clubs did have their days and were full of characters - that was the audience and not just the acts! Good times were had by all….. so sad.

Sad area round there after the Bucks Head up to the canal where the Dove lock pub is falling down. The Church is lovely though. Golborne is as bad, all the quality shop have gone, only fast food outlets occupier the buildings now. Years ago Roberts cake and pie shop were the best in Wigan for me, that's my opinion, the place is now a restaurant.

The Labour Club was my first call on my paper round in the early eighties. A Mirror and a Sun every day. After that it was Warrington Lane down to Dover Lock and a few house off Park Lane. Maurice Lord was the newsagent back then

Mine was early 60’s for Tommy Farrimond. From the shop down Crankwood Road delivering papers to the houses there then under the Railway Bridge and do the houses there and then down the hill to two houses near the swing bridge. After a few weeks it stopped at the two houses before the railway. I think one was Arthur Miller who was an Abram councillor at one times.

So sad to learn that Roberts bakery has gone, I travelled there every week from Ashton to purchase their delicious pies, certainly best tasting pies I ever had.

In the mid sixty's I did the paper round from the post office down to Dover Lock. Pinks on friday I think and also the observer to Crankwood. I remember that old order bike, heavy thing with that basket carrier on the front. Sad to see the demise of the Dover Lock pub, remember pinching apples from the orchard as youngsters.