Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 9th November, 2022)

Ive just opened the curtains and I could see a lone Roebuck standing in our misty field.

Always thought it was a butchers before mac d

Always wondered what the second floor is like in this, if it still has any of the original features

What do you want Mick , a big Orange .

This photo takes me back to old Scholes when every other door was the entrance to a pub.
I can't really remember ever being inside any of the pubs but I've been told that there was a lot of violence going on and a lot of it spilled out onto the streets which I witnessed on a few occasions when visiting my grandma, she also told me that it was common for a drunken husband to go home and batter his wife and children.
The men were so bad that the policemen used to walk around in twos and threes for their own safety,

I remember it as a butchers. Wasn’t it Mark Williams? I seem to remember a jolly pig in the window with a wide grin on its face. ;o))

At least they are trying to save some facades in Wigan

Sorry if this comment appears twice; I "lost" the connection when I pressed "submit". Just to say I remember the above scene when Mark Williams' Pork Butchers was there. Last week I needed bacon ribs to make pea-soup, and would normally get them from the Market Hall, but sadly, Wigan is so bleak and depressing at the moment that I caught the bus to Ashton instead, where there is still a thriving Mark Williams' shop.

No problem with the posters, but pad is not run fairly, I had a go and entered three pics, only two were posted, I was told it was to give others a chance, I posted two more and a couple of weeks later they appeared, about the 12th Sept. I entered two more and they have never appeared, other pics appear a day after being taken, and as many as six at a time.

I lived in Scholes for 20 years and never witnessed any violence when going home from up town at night. The police walked in twos everywhere in those days. I think that scenario went on up and down the country in the last two centuries. Plus the facade on that building was not evident in the Scholes pubs - it’s far more grand than any Scholes pub. One or two did stand out with a bit more grandeur than the others. I remember the Harp with its Grecian ladies on tiles in the entrance. There’s far more violence Alice on the streets these days with drugs and knives.

Fred, as I've said before, a friend of mine has sent in some brilliant photos to p-a-d. and they have never been shown. He is an excellent photographer and I know how good the photos were as he emailed them to me. He has just given up bothering.

Veronica you state
"There’s far more violence Alice on the streets these days with drugs and knives."
This isn't correct, there was just as much violent crime in the 50's as there is now.

Irene, I remember you mentioning more than once about your very good friend who sent in some brilliant photos to p-a-d. and they have never been shown.

I don’t agree Phil T.

Re photos on PAD Some images that are sent..
1. Aren't clear enough.
2. Are to big or to small.
3. The wrong orientation
Irene, the ones that you say your friend sent, I don't think have never been received. Are you sure he has sent them to the correct address? .
Please note that a lot of the photos are pre arranged for a few days in advance.
ALL suitable photos will be used..

In the 1960s that building, and the Mark Williams butchers, within it, were a Wigan landmark.

When I was little, I remember going to Butcher Brown the dentist on Standishgate, and having several of me milk teeth extracted, and then whilst spitting blood, me mam dragged me across the road in to Mark Williams's, and the smell of sawdust and blood in there was overwhelming, I was nearly sick.

Admin, it was a very long time ago when my friend sent in the photos, not recently. I doubt they will still be in your files . I just noticed that Fred has mentioned a couple of times recently that his photos haven't been shown and I was just reassuring him that not all photos make it to p-a-d. But thankyou for your reply. I must admit I look forward to p-a-d and the banter between the regular commenters!

There is only the front of the building that is original from when it was Mark Williams and the Roebuck Hotel. the front brickwork was encased in a framework whilst the rest of the building was demolished and the new one built, and it was really good that they kept this original facade.

I've only just noticed and has anyone else ever noticed the 'Golden Arches' 'M' logo of McDonald's carved into the bottom cill of the middle window of the first floor? Apparently McDonald's opened in 1983 so that's 39 years it has been there and it's the first time I've seen that - its so true what someone said that we miss so much by not looking up at buildings. Thanks for sharing this photo Dennis - or we may never have known about that logo.

Here's a lively and informative discussion from 2010 on the Discussion Board about C&A, Mark William's and The Roebuck, before it was McDonalds. https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/communicate/mb_message.php?opt=f1&opt2=&msd=532341&offset=479&subject=C%2520and%2520A%2520Standishgate

You are right Veronica,it was Mark William's butchers before McDonalds.I agree with your comments about Scholes in the 1950's as well,walked up there regularly with relatives and never witnessed anything untoward.

Yes quite a lot of here-say Elizabeth, unless I had led a sheltered life. All I remember was the community of Scholes which was hard working and close knit. No it wasn’t Shangri La by any means but I wouldn’t have swapped Scholes for anywhere else growing up.

I know exactly what you mean Veronica.I grew up in Higher Ince and loved it.x

Irene, send your friend a copy of the Admins post, then ask him to submit them again.

Just heard of this restaurant chain, though I doubt very much if I could eat or even drink anything that is served with the crockery they use.

Have a pee k in the link:- https://youtu.be/7bPRsJl54k4

Apparently they want to expand and have branches in countries across the world, if they are to open branches in the UK then here are some towns and villages with apt names for the siting of their restaurants.
Shitterton, Dorset
Scratchy Bottom, Dorset
Crapstone, Devon
Backside, Aberdeenshire
Happy Bottom, Dorset
Back Passage in the city of London
Pratts Bottom, Kent
Mudchute, London
Trump Street, London
Backside Lane, Oxfordshire
Boggy Bottom, Abbots Langley, Herts,
Bottoms Fold, Lancashire
Broadbottom, Cheshire
Jolly’s Bottom, Cornwall
And a lot more here: https://anglotopia.net/ultimate-list-of-funny-british-place-names/

You couldn’t make those names up Cyril….so funny.
My dad used to call my
Mam Mrs Broadbottom! That’s a memory for me I had forgotten about!