Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 4th April, 2022)

This building was the first nightclub in Wigan 'The Golden Clog ' opened 1961/1962 .

Words fail me....

You can still see, (very vaguely), "Gee's School of Dancing" lettered on the back of this building. I remember the name "Miss Gee" from childhood, though I never attended any dance classes. In later years of course I think it became the legendary club owned by another well-known lady, "Barbara",who used to sit outside in her car and decide who could enter her club, (where I believe your feet stuck to the floor!), and who couldn't. I never went there but have heard,(and read), many accounts of Barbara. I hope some of our p-a-d members can add some tales! She sounds to have been a rather formidable lady!

'Pemps' was just round the corner . Late after the pubs had shut the door was usually closed tight . You knocked and a hatch slid open and a pair of eyes weighed you up to deem if you was worthy or not . It was like judgement day . Barbara had the power to determine how your evening would end . You was either in , or an early taxi home . She was a bit like that women who sat knitting at the foot of the guillotine during the French Revolution .
I'm not sure if they had draught but most people drank from cans .
The carpet was sticky with spilled beer . If you wore slip on shoes they were liable to come off as you walked .
Ironically , it was the insalubrious atmosphere of the place that gave it a certain 'cool chic ' . The antithesis to Tiffany's. So much so that the place got a review in The Guardian.

Going back to the photo , I notice those music posters are quite dated now . I had forgotten about the band Two Door Cinema Club . Their song 'Something Good Can Work ' was for me the sound of summer 2010 .
Have a listen on y tube .

whot year was it wallgate station dennis

Surely, it was 'King Street West' railway station?

"Trucks" was it's best incarnation :)

John, the first Station was opened in 1848.
The second Station opened in 1855.
The present Station was opened on the second of February 1896.

I believe Barbara used reverse psychology in determining who could enter the premises,if she refused you entry it made you want to go inside more ,or so I'm told ! Only went inside once, it more than was enough.

What was the reason for this station being made defunct? It looks bigger than the other one...just wondering.

I never knew it was the old Wallgate station.

Veronica, they moved the Station to be nearer the town center in order to compete with Wigan North Western.
If you walk along the platform you can see the stone wall on the right that ran along the road down to the old Station, this was part of a curving bridge that ran across the tracks to the opposite platform.

Bruce, when the original Station was built King Street West did not exist. Access then was via Dorning Street on the north and via the road that goes down past what was the Victoria Hotel on the south.

Sloopys was my Den of Iniquity, Cinzano and Lemonade and the Fat Back Band
Journey down memory lane

I thought that might be the reason Dennis. Which makes me wonder what was there before the second station which is there now. I've often wondered why stone surmounts the bricks when stood on the platform waiting for my train home. I can't visualise the bridge somehow. Thanks for the info, I can see myself pondering more than ever now! It might be clearer if I saw a map.

Veronica, check out item #31171 on the album.

Those stairs at the side led to Gee’s Saturday night dance hall covering the whole of the upper floor in the late 50s early 60s. It was much more compact and intimate for those who didn’t want the Emp No alcohol licence just soft drinks.

Thank you Dennis - it looks like it was not very convenient to get to the old station! I've got a headache fathoming it out. Must have been a shortcut to go through the churchyard!

I believe it was called Wigan L&Y Station, (Lancashire and Yorkshire Rly Co.) prior to WW2.

I do not know if this is true, but I have been told that the first L&Y station was the other side of Wallgate, ie where the Fifes Warehouse/ cattle bays were later located. This, then would be the second L&Y station, and the third being where the current station is.