Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 3rd February, 2024)

Pardon the pun, but back to square one.

Oh no...not this again.

Not much progress been done.

A sorry place.

Thats another fine Wigan building. Isn't it where Pendleburys moved to for a while after the fire ?
' The Waste Land' says it all Dennis

Back in the 1950's when it was still Rushtons Warehouse,the grey building was Richardsons tobacconist and M.Lowe sheet metal worker.

Dennis, hope you won't mind me butting in with a message for Edith's Cousin, in case she didnt see my comment yesterday. I would very much like her email address...

The old and the modern together. The extension looks out of character and will be replaced before the old building/It stands out now like a sore thumb

Still a building site, what's the big hole to right.

A recognisable building with the red Accrington bricks that always looks new. A place where so many holiday coach trips were boaded outside the building over many years.

It seems to be looking at the space where the old and new Market Halls stood and saying, (as in the poem "The Brook", which I learned at school), "For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever". To me and thousands of Wiganers, Rushton's building will always be "The Gas Showrooms" where we waited to be picked up by coach for nights out , or even holidays by those lucky enough to go away for a week. The very air along the pavement in front of that building must have been tangible with excitement and anticipation!

It's no-longer the Gas show room anymore. I think Wigan Council occupies the building now.

Its Technology studies now. the gas business finished years back.

Why is there two different dates on the left and right side of the building. AD 1900 and AD1905.

Helen of Troy, just in case you haven't seen it there is a message for you on yesterday's p-a-d. (Dennis, I know you won't mind my including this message; it would be such a shame if Helen missed it).

Good one Irene - if walls could speak ! …For over a century that building has seen it all. I do hope its foundations aren’t disturbed with all the disruption going on…I doubt it though.

It's simple wiganer, they started building it on the left in 1900 and finished on.righr side in 1905.
I bet a lot of 1900 wiganer wouldn't have been happy seeing this brightly red coloured building going up opposite the cobbled square and the market hall shed.

On the contrary Tom I think Wigan folk would have been astounded nay in awe of that building opposite the Market Square. I think they would have been proud of such a distinctive town along with all the other impressive buildings around about.

Another one for posterity Dennis, looking over once was about 150 years ago Boothers Croft field.
My first memory of this building was as Pendlebury's after the Standishgate fire. I remember seeing Father Christmas in there in the mid 1950's.
Then of course in became the Gas Showrooms and as Irene states a pick up / drop off point for coaches, I remember that there were Saturday evening coaches to Blackpool Mecca in the early 70's. Once we missed the coach and spent the evening in The British Legion in Upper Dicconson Street playing Bingo, what a change from a Northern Soul night out in Blackpool!!!
Looking at the picture the door to the extreme left now the main entrance to the Centre for Advanced Technical Studies was the entrance to the Warehouse itself.
The Main Entrance which also served Pendlebury's and the Gas Showrooms was located at the now bricked up fourth window along with steps up the front leading to a grand entrance.
O. & G Rushton Limited, Grocers, Drapers Etc. were based in Wigan, Chorley and St. Helens with Grocery branches in all South-West Lancashire areas and Drapery Branches in Wigan, Chorley and Ashton-In- Makerfield.
They had Trade Marked Brands including OAG & Silverwell - Guaranteed Goods Of The Highest Quality, what these were I don't know.

The building to the right is an extension. Tom.

Whatever you might make of the exterior, the new build to the right contains two splendid lecture Theatres on the ground floor, Classrooms and Seminar rooms all equipped to the highest standards.

Dennis - apologies for the interruption, but this is a message for Helen of Troy, who I'm very keen to contact.
Helen - my email is slomax10672@gmail.com
Very much looking forward to hearing from you!

Courtesy of Wigan Buildings (WLHHS) is this very interesting article about the Rushton Building, Oates Rushton, George Rushton, and their businesses and residences around town, and their great grandson the radio and TV comedian and satirist., Willie Rushton. (Link to article below)

https://www.wiganlocalhistory.org/articles/the-rushton-brothers-and-their-building

Thanks to Graham Taylor & Ron Hunt

Good photo Dennis and showing the slow but sure progress of the demolition, shall they be leaving the basement area intact? there is a wastewater/sewage pumping system down there below the market hall, so they could well be reusing that for the cinema/bowling alley or whatever it is to be built there in future.

Cyril, from the plans that I have seen, one of which might yet be uploaded as I took picture, there will be underground services, store rooms and parking for the various ‘Cell Blocks!’. Assuming that things haven’t changed.
Post your email address and I will send this to you.

The extension on the right was originally added as a Hydroponics area to teach students the process of growing plants in sand, gravel or liquid without the use of soil. I don't think there was enough take up by students and it closed after a few years. I remember walking past and seeing troughs containing plants and lots of pipe work. I think the grey panels might have been added after change of use .

Hi sue, that would be Morrisons basement area, the Basement started there and ran all way upto hope st outside pound bakery on woodcock Sq.

At one time "WISH FM" was based in the building.

With the basement area already being there Colin they may as well put this to good use for the next buildings too.
I only knew about the sewer system from when I worked at the council, as I was told at the time there was a large holding tank for sewage and wastewater beneath the market hall basement floor, and this would when a certain fill point was reached be pumped up and out into the main sewer system in the road, all well and good until a breakdown. Though this was almost thirty years ago, so if the same sort of system is still in place I've no idea.

I shall await your photo being uploaded Colin, I shall refrain from putting on my email, as some folks would find it extremely funny if I were to be forever bombarded with emails of an indecent nature.

Cyril, I really take your point, very wise.

PeterP

It wasn't WISH FM which was based in the building next to Rushton's, it was the Wigan studios of BBC Radio Manchester, the Wigan correspondent being Dick Hatch.

That was in the 1990's, but before that in 1984 there was a local radio experiment run by the BBC, in which a few towns were given there own radio station for I think it was three months, and Wigan was picked, so during that summer we got 'BBC Radio Wigan' with temporary studios being erected behind the old Market Hall, and Dick Hatch presented the breakfast show on Radio Wigan.

https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2012/may/14/dick-hatch-obituary

I took part in one of the Radio Wigan shows, doing me ventriloquist on the radio routine, and after that a phone in show, in which Wiganers could ask me or my dummy any questions they liked, and it were great because no one could see me lips moving.