Photo-a-Day  (Thursday, 6th January, 2022)

Always had two feelings walking up this road when I was young.One was walking up to the infirmary,full of dread and the other was full of happiness walking up to Haigh Hall for a day out.

The forgotten part of Standishgate .Most people never venture up this part of Standishgate any more and don't know what shops are along this road..

It's not forgotten by me - I go up here at least once a week to St Mary's. There's a lovely cafe just past the white building. Good photo Dennis. There's a few shops on the left .

Bostons old pub is a mess, the lane is full of foreigners, now.

I know it's nearly sixty years since I left Wigan but if my memory is still functioning correctly, didn't Brick Kiln Lane used to be this side of the Whitesmiths where the tree is and not alongside the Griffin? I used to go up there to St John's primary school back in the fifties. Also, this being P.O.D. and dated today, is the building now called the Whitesmiths again? Last time I was in it on a visit it was called Casa something or other.

There used to be a Brick Kiln up that little lane on the left, this part of Standishgate is now full of takeaways and drug dealers.

Drivers please note the 20 mph speed limit.

I haven't seen any takeaways on this stretch it's very quiet. I don't know what it's like further up past the cafe I mentioned on the right side. There's a dentist surgery and an Art Framing shop on the left, selling Art Work, which is a lovely shop. Also some sort of office buildings related to the NHS if I'm correct. I'm almost sure there's Brick Kiln Lane still there with some old buildings that may have belonged to St John's.

Mick you must have been going too fast on your e-bike to see the sign for Brick Kiln Lane between the two pubs....

Mick is correct. Brick Kiln Lane used to run in a straight line up the town-centre side of the Whitesmith's Arms, past St John's school yard and turned at a right angle round the back of St John's school emerging on Dicconson Terrace. The top part has stayed the same but, since the new road system was built, the bottom part nearest Standishgate has been re-routed down the side of the Griffin, as the section alongside the Whitesmith's was taken over by the road widening. (see Google street view)

Nice clear photo Dennis. All the takeaways are right up past the top white building, and beyond.This part of Standishgate is quite nice.

Tony you are correct, the original site of Brick Kiln Lane ran up between the left side of The Whitesmiths on this photo and a row of shops. There was once a building where the opening between the two pubs now named as Brick Kiln Lane is now, but that had been demolished and for some time been boarded over with advertising hoardings along with a small garden at the front and a bench.

The row of shops consisted of what I remember being the Co-op TV and Radio repairs later being Words bookshop, Thomas's Confectionary, Standish drapers later being a pram shop, The Square Deal Shop also known as Billy Davies. These were demolished to make way for Northway.

Mick, the takeaways are further up on Wigan Lane these began taking over the local necessity shops i.e. butcher, baker, greengrocer, etc. We lived around there when it was a very nice area and left 23 years ago when it was becoming to get bad. As for drug dealers I remember one who openly dealt on the lane with not a care who saw him, and would often be seen pulling out a wad of cash to goad folks.

The old buildings at the back of Brick Kiln Lane are they still owned by St John's. ? Or were they sold off? I recall they were used as a Training Centre for the Jobless in 1990 /91. It was a time of using technology with 'floppy discs'! How we have moved on...

I can’t get my head round that picture. I have been going to the dentist, which is now My Dentist, and which was Maguire and Dickinson, since the 50’s. When I turn right out of there today I carry on down Standishgate towards town but I don’t remember those buildings. There used to be a church which turned into a restaurant. Obviously age is catching up with me.

Linma, St Paul's became offices and later a restaurant, it is now apartments, it's still there on the left of the photo between the dentist and the white painted office building just beyond The Griffin pub.

Thank you Cyril I can see it now.

My first ever job was with McGuire and Dickinson back in 1966. Margaret the other dental nurse was Mr McGuires wife but always used his surname instead of Ralph