Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 27th April, 2025)

Even though there are a lot of building there is also a lot of green spaces in the photo and it goes to show Wigan is not a concrete jungle

This is the same view that I have from my window.

Its also got derelict buildings opposite the Court buildings. A little sad next to the river Douglas.

The cars look like
‘dinky toys’ and large buildings can look monotonous but the Court Building is one of the better ones in my opinion. Sometimes I go to the Range and the Court is the bus stop to get off at.

We all have those very same memories Colin how can we ever forget them. This is probably why we ‘haunt’ this site we don’t want to forget….

My husband used to live in Shelmerdine Street.
It was a community just like the one I was brought up in, in New Springs. Everybody knew everybody else.

I stayed at this Premier Inn last August, when my husband was a patient in Walton Hospital. I was nervous, being on my own, but the staff were absolutely great. The place was immaculate and they were so helpful - how welcoming and lovely Wigan people are. Apologies for digressing from your photo Colin, but thank you for it. My husband just commented that his first girlfriend was from Sovereign Road, which I believe is just across the road.

Ianp, We lived in Douglas House from when it was first built around 1961, moving from across the road from the corner of Harrogate Street and Douglas Street, our parents still lived there until they past away in the mid 1990’s.
Our flat was 84 on the 7th Floor looking up Scholes over the Central Line railway bridge and from the kitchen up Station Toad towards the Ritz. Before the other blocks of flats were built we could see all over Rivington and Winter Hill and over the Plantations to Haigh Hall.
Through the 1960’s we watch as old Scholes was bit by bit demolished and the new development took hold.
In those days Douglas House had a concierge reception desk and live a live in caretaker. I think that all gone.

PS. I took a photo looking up Scholes but that one unfortunately hasn’t appeared.

Apologies if this appears twice....I lost the internet when I pressed "submit", so here we go again!.... As a child I would have travelled regularly on the bus into Wigan with My Mam, passing the streets which then stood on the site of the above photograph, but strangely I don't recall them at all. I remember passing Clarington Forge and Darlington Street East vividly , but it is a blank after that until we got to Kaye's Army Surplus Stores. My young mind would have been anticipating the delights of Woolworths and The Market Hall as we neared Wigan, with hopefully a cornet from one of the two ice-cream vans in Woodcock Street. I would LOVE to read about the shops, pubs and people of the Harrogate Street/ Shelmerdine Street area, so if you ever write that book, Colin, put me down for a copy!

I once took a photo of a flying pheasant in that carpark. I did send it in to WW and it appeared on the 25 June 2022 as the Photo of the day.
Have a look even back then people were giving nasty comments.

Irene, I used to love Lewis' pure white ice cream with the occasional nugget of ice.....

There’s some very comical comments on the 24th June 2022.
I have been in stitches we don’t seem to have as much fun as we did back then..

Gareth, I tended to go to the Cassinelli's van as my much-older bother's wife worked there for a while. Now I love Frederick's Ice-Cream, available from their Ice Cream Parlour in Chorley and Wigan Park Cafe. But those two ice-cream vans in Woodcock Street will always live on in the memories of those who were there at the time.

Pat Mac. Your husband may recall that there was a great chip shop on Sovereign Road.

Poor little Tiddles Veronica, lost in the woods with only one eye and a very bad skin infection. I bet she looked like something I once bought on Blackpool seafront after overdosing on Blackpool bitter. It was advertised on the side of the van as a Hamburger but I had my doubts at the time, later confirmed by four days of the constant two trots. I suppose that’s where Blackpool got it’s reputation for dancing.

Veronica it was the same at work, much more fun in years gone by.
I have fond memories of an inspired moment of laughter from years ago. One Monday morning. The office window cleaner and Leigh supporter, a Jack Valentine, no doubt aware that a recent Wigan signing of a forward known as the iron man in his native South Wales was a flop, tapped on the office window. When it was opened he leaned over into the office and shouted in ‘I see the iron man has gone rusty’. Bursts of laughter all round.

Still haven’t found this photo of yours featuring a flying peasant in the car park Mick …
Sure you’ve given us the right date pal ?

This iPad isn’t a patch on my previous one .
The damn contraption’s always missing letters out .
Christ knows where it was made … bloody Borneo more than likely .

Not unless Apple have opened up a new facility in Tittybong’s silicone valley .

I wonder if ‘ Tiddles’ is still wandering about. He was last seen sporting a set of false teeth found in a crack on Mab’s Cross on Wigan Lane. There a lot more funnies in past PaD’s. I think folk complained so it all went quiet. Keith I don’t think people have fun anymore in the ‘workplace’ it’s all run with robots from what I hear and the humans are too engrossed in their smart phones with their ear phones. They don’t know what they’re missing. I used to love going to work for the craic ( once I had woken up!)

You won’t find it Ozy I think it’s the wrong date! That’s how I found Tiddles.

So many good chip shops in those days CaroIaean - I remember my elder son going to London on a school trip and they'd gone into a chippy and asked for chips and peawet. Needless to say, this Wigan delicacy hadn't yet made it to London!

Yeah ! … I’d completely forgotten about them teeth Veronica until you just reminded me …

I’d become quite attached to that set an’ all .

Strange isn’t it don’t you think , how one can form an emotional attachment to inanimate objects over a period of time .

Ozy, the date is a bit out. It should be 25 June 2021. It's hard to see, but you can see it flying in the video.

Yes I think Tiddles set off with the teeth to the woods to chew things over Dtease. Anyway there wasn’t any ‘ nasty comments’. Just the ‘ topographers nitpicking and trying to pinpoint where the Pheasant was spreading its wings. Apparently it wasn’t Scholes or Wigan town centre. Somewhere near where the Gasworks used to be. Wherever!

Nitpicking was common in the past, just like it is today, and it was mainly done by you and your small group of followers.
Anyway, back to this Pheasant spotted in Scholes, and caught on video.
I set out on my bike to try and find the source of the River Douglas, and when I got to Scholes I saw the Pheasant that can be seen on this video @ 2.30  https://youtu.be/Kr4EF9AlFko?si=l1dyNqjZWMIa8uD9
For anyone wondering if I ever did find the source of the  River Douglas, it's a no because by the time I got to Bottlinwood it was teatime, so I went home, but one day I hope to make a part 2 & 3 to this adventure

You won’t find any nit picking from me but you are a troublemaker ..no doubt about it.