Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 28th July, 2024)

Mesnes St was always more upper crust. I wonder what it was like before these buildings appeared. My first job leaving school was at Aspinall’s Decorators further down.

Ghost town Wigan

I meant to say prominent citizens not largest! I have no idea what size he was!!

Colin, is he the person that the Makinson Arcade is named after ?

I remember that row of shops when Robinson's Sports shop was along there....as well as sports goods, they sold lovely leather purses, wallets and handbags. I also remember an Art shop further down that sold good quality sketch-pads, pencils, oil and water-colour paints, brushes etc.
"Smiths of Wigan" bookshop was also on Mesnes Street and my daughter worked there for a time before she moved to Cheshire and then Scotland....a much-missed books-and-stationery shop. It had originally been Baillie's Pie-shop, which I have heard of but don't remember....perhaps Mr. Makinson was a regular customer there, Colin! (Only joking!).

Gareth, this photo is one of three that i have sent to pad all interconnected I am hoping that they too appear.
Yes, he funded the building of Makinson’s Arcade with wealth he was accumulating from his Tea & Coffee business and other enterprises, another of George Heaton’s incredible designs to connect Market Place with Woodcock Street.
If you walk down the Arcade, at the very bottom on the left there is a shop, newly refurbished. In the entrance on the floor there is tiled mosaic that in Art Nouveau script reads:
MAKINSON’S
TEA & COFFEE
It is very well preserved.
With the wealth of Richard Makinson and the architectural genius of George Heaton the two men they were instrumental in changing the face of Wigan

For those interested to know more information there are two incredible articles prepared by Wigan Local History and Wigan Building Heritage Trust please Google:
1) The Life and Times of Richard Makinson and his Arcade.
2) George Heaton, Engineer & Architect (1840-1910.)
Fascinating reads.

I don't know what's happening to my comments lately....I send them and they don't appear. I just wondered if perhaps Mr. Makinson was a regular shopper at Baillie's Pie-Shop on Mesnes Street, Colin? (Only joking!). I won't mention my memories of other shops in case my original comment shows up later. I think Makinson's Arcade was so-called because of Makinson's Coffee Shop at the bottom end of the arcade. It used to have the most delicious aroma of ground coffee and the advert for Makinson's is still there, in mosaic, in the entrance.

I'm sure I've seen this street. before when i lived in Wigan, but I can't remember how to get to it.

I used to love the art shop but like many others in this row just isn’t there any more..the Chemist that was ( Is it Hollyrood) now is where I and plenty more go for our Covid vaccinations..further down of course was Smiths which is now The British Heart Foundation..Mr Smith was a lovely man who in their younger days he and my mams brother walked all the way to London to seek work,it was he himself that told me..his son got in touch just after his father died…Mesnes St is full of memories for myself and lots of people,but like everywhere else is looking rather sad now…like everything else.

Irene, I don’t remember the building that the before Smiths let alone the Pie Shop but I do remotest shop that sold the artist materials and used to go in regularly.
That got me think about Wildings and Starr Printers in Wallgate so put a comment on a photo posted on the Album in 2019 so it might pop up on recently viewed.

The Art shop was a fantastic place to go for materials. I still have some pastels in the original box from the eighties. It was also a shop that Aspinall’s had in the sixties. I never missed going in when I came to Wigan. Rembrandt Pastels 40 p a stick then! I have two watercolour paint boxes and one is from Mesnes St Art shop. I wouldn’t part with it for anything.

Baillie's was a pie shop downstairs and a quite select café upstairs. I think I remember there was a sign saying "Baillie's of Paisley".

Pat Onback, if you walked down Standishgate past what you might remember as British Home Stores and then the Royal Arcade on the left, the next turning on the left is Mesnes Street.
The photo is taken from the Standishgate end, hope this helps?

Art shop was OK, but I and many other Wigan artist started going buying stuff cheaper at a place in Horwich so the Wigan shop closed down.

My dog got run over on Mesnes street.

Colin, I have just read you comment on Wilding's and Starr's
stationery shops.....funny, but I recall Wildings being near Ashton's Tobacconists and Starr's on the same side as North West Station....to be honest I think they swapped about as I know a few people who recall them in different places. I hadn't realised Wigan World Album had the option of reading recent comments on photos that have been on for some time....you learn something every day! Veronica, I think it's lovely that you still have the paint box from Mesnes Street Art Shop, and Maureen, the chemists you mention used to sell Bronnley soaps and bath salts that you never saw in other chemists in Wigan....even the Bronnley Lemon Soap that was actually shaped like a lemon and smelled gorgeous. What a sad sight to see a "Vape Shop" where those lovely shops once stood.

John,I’m very sorry for your loss..I’ve just lost my little dog to a heart attack…apologies to everyone for going off subject.

Just found a picture on The Album with Baillies on one corner and Crawfords Wool Shop on the other with RoyTurners Pram. & Toy Dop next door.
Check it out on recently viewed.

Maureen, I am so very sorry to hear the sad news about your little dog. At least you know he had a good home and was much-loved, as ours were; I wish all animals were so lucky. Will have a look at the photo you mention, Colin. Thankyou.

Yes I am a regular at Ken Bromley’s Art business. Sometimes it’s more expensive than the few art things in the Range. I do get a 5% discount being a member of an Art Club. Yes Irene I squeeze paint into my paintbox, usually professional tubes of watercolour - the paint goes further. The paintbox takes full pans not the half ones.

Veronica, do you ever exhibit, by that I mean your paintings?
As you know I am a fan of your extraordinary talents.

Very sorry Maureen you have lost your beloved pet. They leave a big hole in the heart when they depart. As Irene says he was well loved.
Same goes for the dog who was killed John.

Thank you Irene,he was the most intelligent and loving little dog that I’ve ever had..he was a one off…I’ll never get over him.

Thank you Irene,he was the most intelligent and loving little dog that I’ve ever had..he was a one off…I’ll never get over him.

There was an upmarket shoe shop (can't remember the name) near to Robinson's sports shop and, at the furthest end of the premises in this photo of Mesnes St. , was Tom Hughes bicycle shop

Maureen, at least it appears it was sudden, nothing worse than seeing them linger and having to make that awful decision to go to the vets.
At least you have the memories.
Same to you John, that must have been a shocking event for yourself and anyone who experienced it.

Baillies was always known as the Scotch bakery. Scotch or not they made the most amazing and delicious "butter pies" which I still miss after nearly 60 years.

Lovely memories,Maureen of your Uncle,can't imagine that happening these days ! I know you miss your little Gizzy so very much,it's so heartbreaking to lose such a loved pet.X

And thank you Veronica..he was the best that’s for sure.

The pie shop used to sell penny loaves, I can't remember how much they charged.

Was the shoe shop
‘ Scotts’ or something similar.
Only when we have exhibitions in the Library Colin and since Covid we haven’t. Plus the Library has been having ‘makeovers’ and work done. It’s my hobby more than anything. We may have them again in-the future.

Elizabeth knew what he meant to me.

Or as they used to say on radio Caroline, " We have a request from some one on Mez nez street".

I think that Mesnes Street is looking a bit better these days, with more of those shops opened.
I remember when Greenhalgh's was open in Mesnes Street, and I think there was another confectioners at the side of it, Waterfield's perhaps ?
Across the road on the corner of the Royal Arcade there was Edwards Bakery, so yoo weren't short of a pie if you were in Mesnes Street.

I’ve been where you currently are on a number of occasions Maureen . It’s terrible … I know … and I have every sympathy .

In all honesty , over the years , I’ve lost family members and it’s had less of a traumatic effect than has losing my animals .

Chin up ! … it’ll take some time , but it will get easier , although I do realise that this is of little consolation right now , but it’s the best that I can do .

Ozy .

Thank you so much Ozy..it was such a shock..the Vet told me the previous week that he had a heart murmur and prescribed tablets,we had to take him back for another check up and as soon as I put him on the table his little legs went from under him ..the .vet scooped him up saying “he needs oxygen,and rushed into another room came back ,asked us to follow him back into the waiting room .we could see through a window they were giving him C.P.R..the Vet came out and said “I’m sorry he’s gone” in my confused state I said “gone where”,of course he then said he’s died..I’ve never had a bigger shock in all my life..he was a little Chihuahua and the sweetest ,cleverest little dog on this planet..I still can’t talk about him without tears rolling down my face..everybody that met him fell for him,he’s now in a little bamboo box at the side of my chair…I loved him with all my heart.

Now thats a street I remember very well, the shoe shop & The Scotch Bakers.....Meat & Potato pies, Parkin etc
Happy days....& not so happy remembered.