Wigan Album

All the talented musicians such as this Orchestra and others too, brass bands and also singers that Wigan over the years can boast about. Wigan seems to have had its light hidden under a bushel by folks who didn't seem to like Wigan at all, either that or they had their faculties impeded, because we had as many, if not a lot more talented folks and as much culture as any another town.

As there was a 1929 Programme for a Concert by the Orchestra on eBay recently which clearly stated the venue was the Queen's Hall, I would also have supposed that this pic was taken there. However, in most images of concerts there, the mighty organ stands behind the players/ singers, with the console below, in the centre. No signs of that here - and the tiers of permanent-looking benches, reaching up beyond the timpanist at the back, would seem to indicate another venue.

A long list of members of the orchestra.
1st.Violins
Mr E Chamberlain
Miss Cunliffe
Mr J Collier
Mr C E Davenport
Mr T Dunn
Miss Forshaw
Mr A Fraser
Mr J Gaskell
Mr R Hall
Mr F A Hampson
Mr W Holroyd
Mr S S Marks
Mr T McCutcheon
Mr J McGregor
Mr J Moore
Mr W Murray
Mr R Ormsher
Mr W O'Connor
Mr J Parker
Mr H Speakman
Mr W Sutcliffe
Mr C Walker
Miss Walton
Mr F Waddington
2nd Violins
Mr E Waddington
Mr A Ashurst
Mr Barnes
Mr F Bragg
Mr R Bramwell
Mr W Brockebank
Mr P Broomhead
Mr Chamberlain
Mr F H Clough
Mr J Collier
Mrs Collier
Mr A Elliott
Miss Gilbert
Mr J Hesketh
Mr F Ludbrook
Miss M Miller
Mr R Ormshaw
Mr J Parkinson
Mr F Regan
Miss M Robins (my Aunt)
Mr W Sharples
Mr Stringfellow
Miss Taggart
Mr H Wareing
Mr A Wright
Violas
Miss L Benson
Mr J S Bottomley
Mr J Bushell
Mr A Holt
Mr W Naylor
Cellos
Miss Barton
Mr S Benson
Mr C H Byers
Mr W H Critchley
Mr Chamberlain
Mr H Dewhurst
Mr H Ogden
Mr J W Stott
Mr J Wareing
Miss Pilkington
Basses
Mr R Farrimond
Mr J Horrocks
Mr H Winstanley
Flutes
Mr C Scott
Mr T W Sharrock
Oboes
Mr T Bates
Mr J W Scholes
Clarionets
Mr H Cooper
Mr C Grime
Bassoons
Mr S Dickinson
Mr J Gaskell
Horns
Mr S Oddie
Mr E R Steele
Mr J G Ball
Cornets
Mr J W Bennett
Mr W Bennett ( Junr)
Mr W Bates (Junr)
Trombones
Mr J Cooper
Mr J Risley
Mr H Threlfall
Euphonium
Mr S Stockley
Tubas and Brass Basses
Mr W Bates
Mr E Bates
Mr W Pendergast
Tympani
Miss C Kerr
Side Drum
Mr G Hough
Bass Drum Cymbals
Mr Kerr
Conductor
William Benson
Soprono
Miss Doris Baldwin
Baritone
Mr George King
Pianist
Mr Arthur Rimmer

Wow, never knew this