Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 19th July, 2021)

I love The Wiend and remember when it continued right through to Millgate instead of opening up into the wide open space near Gallimore's as it does now. I remember when Tom Whalley's pet shop was up there before he moved to Millgate, (or was it Stairgate?), and he had a parrot in a cage outside the door. And who can forget Tickle's shop?......What an Aladdin's Cave that was! I think Tommy Blackledge's fishing shop was up there too at one time. In later years there was a very chaotic bookshop round about where The Wiend Bar now stands, (or maybe the next shop along....the mind plays tricks as the years pass). I loved it in there with it's cluttered shelves and rickety stairs. I must admit The Wiend is still a nice, shady and characterful little thoroughfare with its hanging baskets, and long may Wigan feet tread those lovely old flagstones.

fabulous old steet many memories brill photo dennis

During a flower watering stroll through St. Wilfrid's this morning , I noticed a name on a grave stone . Ezra Sidebotham . I recall a printer of that name in The Wiend . Given the unusual name , it surely must be the same chap .
Was Ezra a Standisher ? Anyway , a delightful Victorian sounding name for a very Victorian looking street .

I think we take the Wiend for granted, along with a lot of other things,because we live in Wigan.But I think visitors to Wigan would find this very quaint.Good photo Dennis.

Running from the baths we raced down this street ,
Laughing like crazy we bounced on our feet ,
Heading for Woolies the shop of our time , the place now is different ,
But that time was mine ..shops we remember ,
that waft through our brain ,
sifted and captured ,
their memories remain,
It just needs a trigger ,
as simple as this ,
For that time and that memory ,
We just hold and then kiss ..

"e", that is lovely and so true. Thankyou. xxx

Irene, Paul Morris's second hand book shop was superb wasn't it and you could literally spend hours browsing and getting lost in there, you thought you'd seen everywhere and then you would spot a doorway or staircase leading to another room or level, there was even shelves of books along with pigeons in the attics, though looking on Dennis's photo it looks that those upper floors are now boarded up.

I recall Ezra Sidebotham's Printers on the left going down the Wiend, I knew someone who worked there. I am amazed the area wasn't demolished, the stone flags fascinate me because of their age, and the people who must have walked on them centuries ago. So much history to Wigan and a lot of it gone.

So many happy memories of this little street..now Wigan Council,please leave it alone.

Its a terrible street now with all those uneven flags, Ive seen many a old woman tripping on them.
You also have to watch out for the broken glass if you are going up it in a morning, and the side entrance to the moon under water pub, you dont know who could be lurking in there.

Excellent E, you truly are a gifted poet.

Maureen, I'm surprised they didn't alter it to make it into an entrance to their awful oversized glass house.

I'd forgotten about Ezra Sidebotham, the name always conjured up a thought that he could have been a character in a Dickens book.

e..you're poetry is lovely,I'm surprised you haven't gone far..it is as good as anyone's I know.

And Dennis thank you for great photo.

Mick do you ever stop moaning?

Lovely little old-fashioned street,although I would have preferred it to be complete as it used to be,going into Millgate.As Maureen,Veronica and Irene have implied,please leave alone !

I remember a bookies be next door to what is now the wiend bar. One of wigans old characters used to go in, how many people knew Clapper?

Oh Mick, don't you EVER see the positive, or even the funny, side of anything?! I am probably one of the "old women" you have seen tripping over the flags. I have never yet found myself being accosted in The Wiend in the mornings. (and I walk as slow as I can!). If I ever do , I hope it isn't the ghost of Ezra Sidebotham!

Dennis, for me this is one of the best ever P a Ds, brings back so many memories of my childhood days when mam would visit the little specialists shop along this row, buying yeast to bake bread was always a must. Great photo Dennis, just love it.

I'm just surprised those stone flags haven't been pinched by Gypsies, they are so expensive to buy. The uneven flags just lend some ambience to the narrow passage way. It reminds me of The Shambles in Yorkshire.

Dave Johnson, yes, I remember Clapper. He was related to my sister-in-law. Walt, (North Yorkshire...one of my favourite places on earth, may I add....who wants to go abroad when we have Yorkshire even though I am a proud Lancastrian?)....my Mam used to send me for yeast, which she called "barm", (the old Lancashire word for yeast), from Latimer's in Commercial Yard....I never knew it was sold in The Wiend.

Dave.
Ezra Sidebotham was born in Wigan in 1879.
In the 1881 Census he was living in Northumberland St, Wigan.
Married at St George's 1904.
Living in Lessingham Ave on the 1939 England & Wales Register.
Died in Wigan in 1952.

Cheers Roy . I'll have another look tomorrow and see if the date fits.
(That's if I can find the headstone again )

The gravestone reads ,
Ezra Sidebotham , died 10th January 1952 . Age 72 . Also wife Jane Ellen.
It is well tended with fresh flowers and a little plaque that says Grandad's Garden .

Same person Dave, according to Acestry.com, as the headstone states, he died 10th January 1952. He lived at 90 Lessingham Ave and according to his will, he left £21,808, equivalent to £643,670 today.

e..you're poetry is lovely,I'm surprised you haven't gone far..it is as good as anyone's I know.

And Dennis thank you for great photo.

Roy , I've had a little dig myself and discovered one or two interesting things .
Ezra's sister Ada married Alexander Young , owner of Trencherfield Mill .
They lived down at Kilhey Court . Ada lived there alone after Young's death until eventually joined by Ezra's son Leonard and his wife Mildred .
Apparently the house was in a terrible state with rotting floor boards and no electricity and Mildred refused to move in until it was modernised .
Leonard and Mildred Sidebotham were the last inhabitants of Kilhey Court before it became a hotel .
I noticed their names were also on the headstone .

I wonder if owd Ezra printed his own money !

Very interesting Dave and yes Veronica his will would suggest he did print money.