horseshoe/ or ship hotel

any one on wigan world have any memories of boozing in the horshoe or the ship

the ship used to have a room for gentmen only how i got in i will never know

when i was growing up in Wigan , the Ship had a reputation of a place of ill-repute . a place to be avoided by God fering folk!

I went in 'The Ship' a few times in the early 1980's before it became a 'Yates Wine Lodge' and it didn't strike me as being a place you would remember, in contrast I thought that the 'Park Hotel' and Mrs Brown and the slightly slaggy waitresses she used to employ, that was a place full of character and a place you never forgot and when it was rebuilt in the 'Way We Were' museum in 1986 I thought it was a very worthy exhibit and it brought back a lot of memories

I remember 'The Ship. being on the telly in 1980 when the landlady chucked all the tramps out of it in order to try and make the place more up market and that was when we decided to visit the place for the first time and when we went in you had rocky and a couple of his mates tormenting and taking the pee out of people in there and I thought it would have been better if they had left the tramps in

My main memory of 'The Ship' is playing on a 'Simple Simon' game, I spent pounds and pounds on that machine and it was the best thing the place had to offer

i went in at the begining of the 80, there and Gerry's inn, when russ, cammy, gaz hasting, tolly and co used to go in

was a good pub when Harry from St Helens,ex c.i.d had it,cleaned it up no end.No character to the place when they made it a blob shop(Yates).Heard today Raven is opening up again,hopefully not a plastic palace

I remember climbing on the window sill of the ship when I was about 13 to look at the women but I didnt understand why these women were so called bad,I do remember a women looking up at me with bright red lipstick and orange coloured hair.

the yachting club as it was called, certainly had a reputation, as did the green curtain, further up Millgate

that is the same name me and the mates called the Ship aitch,and i suppose you could say the Horseshoe was 1st pub in Scholes leaving Wigan,for it was on the corner of Station Rd and Scholes

The Millgate Schooner certainly had a choice clientele and often on a Saturday night they set up the "Boxing Ring" The Horseshoe was a proper boozer which was used during the week and not just at weekends. Seem to remember it being Burtonwood's ale though one of the better kept cellars because it could be an acquired taste.Great days

The horse shoe was an old trade union pub my dad used to go there to pay his dues. The Market Hotel was the same as I recall, my Uncle was involved with the Union that met there . There was great sense of community back then the in the Pubs , not just places to get plastered and cause trouble , as it seems to be today in Wigan .

The horse shoe was an old trade union pub my dad used to go there to pay his dues. The Market Hotel was the same as I recall, my Uncle was involved with the Union that met there . There was great sense of community back then the in the Pubs , not just places to get plastered and cause trouble , as it seems to be today in Wigan .

Does anyone remember the Bluebell, at the corner of Scholes crossing, it was the only pub I was ever turned away from, I had been to register for my National Service and called in for a gill on the way home, the landlord refused to serve me, even though I had the army registration forms and my birth certificate with me, he said I wasnt old enough.

Anyone remember the Old Dog.

Many old dogs went in it and I am not talking about the men!

went into both places at one time or another.

Worked with Harry(Scaff)Goulding who was the last landlord of the Old Dog. He used to tell some great tales about eating contests, some of the stuff that people would try to eat was incredible and funny. Real good character was Harry

I had my first drink in the horse shoe We went in the blue bell when we where under age up the stairs where the blue lights where never went in the ship but once saw my dad come out of there he gave me a pound note not to tell my mam
i never did

I bought my first pint in the ship (underage)Somtimes called in on our way to the Casino. I only went in the horse shoe a couple of times.

I used to work in a pub in Platt Bridge many years ago and a lot of the older men used to tell tales about The Ship. Apparently the ladies of the night used to have their prices chalked on the sole of their shoes, and there was one they all remembered in particular who went by the name of "Red Bet". Their memories went back to the 40s and 50s when hair-colours as we know them were't available, and women used peroxide to bleach their hair or henna to make it red.....I assume "Red Bet" was a lady with hennaed hair.

irene I think it must have been red bet who I saw through the window as a child.

i remember red bet in the late fifties she looked great from the back.

theres no answer to that owd dave

There is but you'll get banned if you print it

Played there in the very early eighties on Friday nights.It had been cleaned up by then....

owd dave :

Did she have an Adam's apple ?

with regards about the HORSESHOE PUB AT THE BOTTOM OF STATION ROAD DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PHOTO'S OF IT AND ROUND THE CORNER THE RAILWAY BRIDGES FROM CENTRAL STATION MY BROTHER WHO'S GETTING ON IN YEARS CANT RECALL THE TRAIN BRIDGES CAN YOU HELP?

If you look in the album section on page 4 there is a picture of St Georges walking day just passing the horseshoe pub with the bridges in the background. Palatines pop was just on the left by the bridges as you look at them.
The picture is also at album, walking days, st georges.

Bridge now gone and flats built.


Other side of bridge, Amy Lane just out of view on the left.

I was born in millgate during the world war 2 and remember

remember as I got older we played on some steps a wooden slide at the rear of the pub there was also a well in the yard that my sister fell in it as full to the top with water and luckily we got her out we were far too young to realize the reputation the pub had in the 40s a bit higher up was the green curtain Im just realizing where we lived any gum chum

Only ever been thrown out of one pub in my life The Ship.Went to the Ritz after to watch Dracula and got thrown out of there. Mind you it was in my younger days.

wouldnt mind having the motorbike in the top photo bet that would be worth a few bob now

used to go in the horseshoe in the late 60s 70s .my mate married the landlords daughterhad a few lockins in theer

Went to a meeting one time at the ship it was a local brass band meeting and one of the commitee mentioned something another bloke didn't like and then it all started of glasses and beer everywhere, the meeting was never held in there again as far as I know. I got out as quik as i could.

Used to go in the old dog didn't they have a bit of music in there in a back room?????

i used to hop off bus from worsley mesnes as it went round bend up into station road and into horseshoe great fond memories>

to upthetims horseshoe pub was in millgate according to history shop on corner of station rd/millgate

MY sister moved into Atherton street in the early 60s, so good to see the photo of the bridge with duggie house in the background, are there any more photos' of this area in the 60s?

Wasn't The Ship called 'Raffles' in the mid 80's?
Remember they were one of the fisrt pubs to get MTV.

postal address for horseshoe pub in 1869 was 106 millgate wigan

watchalot,corner of Scholes and Station Rd

upthetims scholes only started at the bridge it is a fact check history shop or ordanance survey

It was Millgate up to Scholes Bridge, then Scholes after.
So The Horseshoe was definitely Millgate

what about the fleece,last pint before catching the last bus home

Opposite the Evan house farm bus stop Ron

spot on art. if missed the bus i walked down to the market square.hoping gorden ecks scooter was there for a lift home.he always had supper in the chinese.if not a nice walk.we must get together some time soon!

Pedants!!!!!!!!!!!

guess i wasn't a godfearin person.

I used to go in Horse Shoe in the fifties with my mates we were only 15 and 16 year old ,we had our first pint in there,nobody bothered us and we always got served,we usrd to go in the coffey bar near the bridge to listen to the juke box, We would go in the ship just ot look at the prossies who were all very old woman, the Old Dog was a good pub as well. Them were the days.

I suppose you could say I came of age in the ship aye it were a bit rough round edges but had a lot of good neets out there alas all the character as gone now they were all good pubs and ale was ale, does anyone ever recall a pub named og (THE OWD DOG )another pearl!!!!!!!!!!!

Th'Owd Dog Marketplace

Thanks for the above My Sister worked at the Empire, Happy Days

What was the name of the shop on the right beginning with W and can anybody remember what the black & white building on the left was ?

Yeah in the Ship I hit a bloke over the head with a full glass of beer he was saying things bad about my father an` didn't know I was sitting near him I know it was a shame to lose my pint but it was worth it.

Not totally sure but the shop with the w could be Wilsons

(c)art(c) That photo brings back happy memmories in the 50s

Veteran, do you remember Horace Hersnip (Frank Randles mate) Playing the drums?
He used to be in Wigan British Legion Brass Band with me.
A right rum lad, he was

The shop on the right used to be Laces Ironmongers years ago. Looks like a clothes shop in the pic

the empire is were mrs salt worked, she lived in the avenue. was related to the smiths top house in your row.