Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 4th November, 2024)

Looks like it was built in a Georgian style. The window cleaner as his work cut out if there are has many windows at the back as well as the front

I lived in Dicconson St for a while with my Aunt & Uncle. I recall the 3 storey terraced houses.. red bricks darkened by soot & grime. Front door on to the pavement & a yard at the rear by a 'ginnel' that led to an alley that came out by Menses St beside the Scotch Bakery.

What was it originally built for? Was it meant to be homes or was it purposely built for the NHS? And is it where Gunn's clothing shop used to stand, which Veronica and I were discussing on one of the photos on "Album" recently? It would have been nice if we could have had one of the "before-and-after" photos to compare it with, (that's not a criticism, Colin.....I know it's not always possible to do that'; I'm just not always clever at getting my bearings). I had to return a health monitor there a while back, that I had been issued with by Wigan Infirmary for a few days, and would have felt quite posh knocking at one of those elegant front doors, but we had to go round the back, like the tradesmen on Downton Abbey!

PeterP, funny how styles and fashion changes. Pre was most new builds were in Mock Tudor, then in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Mock Georgian and Regency (such as these). Now it Steel, Glass and Insulated Panelling.
Makes me wonder what the next fad will be coming next.
Whatever it is, and as you say, it’ll keep the window cleaners busy.

Irene, I’m not sure what they they were originally built for, individual offices perhaps in the style of elegant town houses.
This row is set much further back than the original row of three story houses which Helen refers to in order to widen the road into a dual carriageway. Gunn’s store would have been on the opposite side where you could get your school uniform on’Tick’.
Those original three story house had become delaminated even in the 1950’s, so much so that we used to take a short cut through one to get to Dicconson Street from St John’s School on Brick Kiln Lane.

That's a coincidence, a photo of Buckingham Row on PADS, taken two days after my daughter received an invitation to a reception at Buckingham Palace.
Her invite says The Master of the Household has received His Majesty's Command to invite Mrs Angela Byrne to a reception to be given at Buckingham Palace by the King and Queen.
in recognition of those who work within the Film and Television Industry on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 3.30 p.m.

Had to really think about this one - Dicconson Street as I remember it was like Helen's description above.
"Dicconson" is old English, updated to "Dickinson" elsewhere, including Horwich.
A famous note allegedly left for John Duke of Norfolk when he rode out to support Richard iii in the days before the Battle of Bosworth:

Brave Jack of Norfolk
Be not so bold
For Diccon thy master
Is bought and sold.

He was killed in the King's vanguard, early in the battle.

Irene,Miss Gunns clothing shop was at the bottom of Dicconson St just further down from the pub ‘The fifteen’ it’s still there but in a bad state..I too remember my Mam taking me there..I’ve been trying to remember the man’s name that used to come to the house for his money.

Wigan Mick, you must be extremely proud of your daughter that her achievements are recognised in this way. Tell us more.

Here we go again with a 'Baking Dog' moment, I meant to say dilapidated not delaminated!!!!

Nice one Gary, but the answer is much closer to home.
Hugh Dicconson Wrightington was the heir to Sir John Wrightington of Wrightington Hall who owned much land around Parbold, Standish, Shevington and West Lancashire were they established many place names such as Eccleston.
Hugh Dicconson Wrightington made the family very powerful and influential with Royal Connections and gave rise to the names to many streets in the area such as Wrightington Street, Dicconson Street, Dicconson Terrace, Dicconson Crescent, and Eccleston Street.
It's not say that the Dicconson family origins did not originate with Jack of Norfolk, that I am sure would greatly please Helen of Troy who's origins are in our own illustrious town.

Just remembered..Mr Ruddick.

Colin - the origins in Wigan are as you say. The word "Diccon" is the old English version of Richard or Rickard. The latter was also a Wigan surname.
Dicconson today would be rendered Richardson.

Thank you Gary, it fascinating to learn the origins of various names and words we take for granted.
I learned yesterday the origin of the word ‘sinister’ that we might think of as say a sinister person.
The origin is Latin meaning left, which in the Middle Ages was directed at people who were left handed and therefore considered suspicious if not evil!
That might be why Catholics were referred to as ‘left footers’ or in politics some people view left wingers with suspicion.
Just a theory.

Though we have lived in Norfolk many years, we are not natives....we would have to be here a good few years more to reach those heady heights !
So I didnt know who Jack of Norfolk was, that Gary mentioned..it seems he was John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk...you live & learn.

Good photo Colin with a superb blue sky.
I'm sure initially it was an Accountancy company in the building, but as you say it's now WW&L NHS Trust offices.
Greenmount Projects, I've found, renovated all these offices and as you can see in the photos it seems to be - that no one cleans the windows.
https://greenmountprojects.co.uk/projects/buckingham-row-suites/

Well done Angela, have a great time!

Helen - you have him, John the first Duke of Norfolk. Thereon the family were very influential in royal circles. The family vault was in Thetford Priory.
Colin - left footer became a term of abuse regarding Catholics, especially in Scotland. Its apparent origins were in Ulster in the 1600s where the native peasants delved with the left foot whereas the Scots and English used their right foot.
Left wingers today are nothing like the ones I knew - more interested in pronouns and mass immigration coupled with thought police! Alleged young Conservatives very similar in outlook.
And we wonder why our inner towns and cities are struggling.

Thanks Cyril for the additional information. Also I did acknowledge yours and Zoe’s comments on the Bowling Green PAD the other day.

Angela has been following Queen Camilla around all of this year as she highlights Violence Against Women, Angela was the director of this project and all her team were women.
The Queen: Behind Closed Doors will be shown on ITV1, on November 11

At one time did Walmsley's Car insurance have an office in this building?

Hi Helen , know the feeling ! I could write a book about it !
My family came here as refugees after the war so where different, like it or not !
Unable to speak a word of English, my parents were graded into the cotton mills to learn a system and a lingo far away from their own !
Holding a foreign name, how can this feeling from parent to child not be embedded ?
I was immediately recognised at my school , as different, just by my name , but for a few , like me .
This taught me insecurity, because of the fight my parents had to learn , their feelings copied into me , all because you are different and come to another place due to circumstance.
Born and Bred is so easy to say but not so straightforward to tell .