Wigan Album

Could possibly be platt bridge with shops on main road.

I'm only guessing but I think the Poole's shop is possibly a branch of Poole's Discount Warehouse, judging by the sign saying "4/-" and "weekly" over the top, as if a customer could pay weekly for goods. I know Oxley's department store in Station Road used to be a Poole's Warehouse because my Mam always called it "Poole's", rather then "Oxley's", and I believe there was once an Oxley's down Wallgate, which also might have been a Poole's before Oxley's took over. Could the vehicle whose window we are looking through possibly be at the lights on King Street West? There seems to be a bus just turning right in front of it, as though it is turning right into Wallgate, which still happens today. As I say, just a guess.

looks like poole's pie shop on wallgate

I don't think its Pooles pie shop in Wallgate as there is no road junction opposite that building.

Didn’t the number 1 bus route go from St. Helens to Atherton? Through Ashton, and Platt Bridge.

I wonder if it was at the time of the late Queen’s coronation in ‘ 53. It’s a very busy place I agree it could be Wallgate.

Yes, B, the number one bus did go through Platt Bridge and Ashton but in the years I caught it, 1960s and 1970s, it was always an LUT bus, and was a solid red colour....the bus in the photo appears to be two colours, as the Wigan Corporation buses were; however, that's only an observation and the Atherton/St, Helens number one bus may have changed over the years. The last words on Ron's magazine cutting are "at Wigan" which suggests the town itself rather than the outskirts. However, you are absolutely right about the route of the number one bus. A mystery photograph indeed!

That bus looks like a trolley bus in St Helens livery which would be running through Ashton at the time of the 1953 Coronation, as Veronica suggests, I think that this location may be Gerard Street in Ashton in Makerfield. The shop with the “Players” sunblind certainly looks like one that was there. Was there ever a Poole’s shop in Ashton?

Further to my previous comment, the photo was taken at the junction of the A49 and the A58. The trolley bus was turning right into Gerard Street going towards Ashton centre. Picture no. 15963 in the Album shows both Pooles and the tobacconist.

Wow! Thankyou Arthur P. I worked in Gerrard Street in Ashton in 1969/70 but obviously the shops shown were there before my time. Mystery solved!

Well done Arthur P.
Somebody always comes to the rescue.

The St. Helens to Atherton no.1 trolleybus service was run jointly by Lancashire United and St.Helens Corporation. The bus is in St.Helens corporation livery.

You're right, Derekb....now I look back I can vaguely recall two different liveries.....the ones in the depot at Platt Bridge near where I lived were red LUT buses.....I had forgotten the other ones. Thankyou.

Pity that rear view mirror got in the way of the view but as a guess as it appears to be a T junction, could it be where Caroline Street meets up with Wallgate.
Not sure when the picture was taken so might be wrong as the traffic lights there were only installed in the 1970's.
I remember pre traffic lights trying to turn right onto Wallgate during my driving test, it was a nightmare, I still sweat when I think about it!

At first look I had this location as the end of Caroline Street, turning right taking you up Wallgate to the town centre. I remember the row of shops facing this junction before demolition, but I think Arthur P has nailed it.

WN1 / Arthur, I think you could be right. If it is the lights at Ashton coming down from the East Lanc’s then that Pool….. shop would have been a furniture shop in the 1970’s. Can’t remember the name but they also had a shop in Golborne.

At first I wasn't sure but Arthur P's picture reference confirms it. The car is at traffic lights in Warrington Rd, Ashton, the other picture is taken from Liverpool Rd. In that pic the Pooles sign is unmistakeable, the shop to the right of Poole's was at that time a launderette on the corner of Bryn Street.

Just out of curiosity, can one of our car buffs confirm that this photo was taken from inside a 1950s Humber Hawk? In the 1960s I had a Hawk which had been new in 1955 and am sure that this was it's dashboard style. Useful information I know but I would be interested to know.

Meant to say useless information.