Wigan Album

Nice description here of the building, its interior and situation. The working-day at Ev. Post & Chron. must have been a 'real' hive of activity; sustained by choice personnel. Mr. Harlow certainly knows his subject. Shades of Yarrow Valley and Bletchley Parks. I would also be appreciative of anyone giving the name of the evening paper that covered Billinge, Orrell and adjacent points during the years 1960-64, please.

AS impressive as Brock Mill was, driving through the leafy glade and arriving at the prestigious looking set up, all of which I have very fond memories of, none the less the look of the newsapaper, with the abysmal quality reproduction of pictures from the Mk1 Klischograph half tones was absolutely laughable when Donald Hanson suggested professional photographers should give the post & chron free images for the advertising value of having their work in print. I for one wouldn't have wanted anyone to know that I had authored any of the images printed by them in those days, so I declined in favour of the money.

Yes David, there was a massive difference between letter press and the web-offset techniques in terms of printing quality. There were not a few experienced judges who consider the Wigan Observer to be the handsomest newspaper published in Britain. This was a considerable measure due to web-offset printing, it is also due to the staff's admirable use of layout and reflects the highest honour. In it's first year on web-offset, the Wigan Observer won a bronze plaque as the best designed weekly in the land, successive editors, Fred Dove and Jack Winstanley played a leading role in the transformation. Beautiful colour work was a feature of the then modern Wigan Observer, a touch of colourful romance brightens the story of it's foundation.
The Wigan Observer went over to web-offset in January 1966.

The LEP wan't just any letter press it was the plastic photoengraving technique, using the old Mk 1 Kisch's that was the major problem, many letter press newspapers of the day, like the Manchester Evening Chronicle, Liverpool Echo and Manchester Evening News could knock decent half tones with metal blocks.
Oh and yes it really was something for Wigan, when the Observer came home with the all accolades. I have to tell I got a huge amount of satisfaction seeing my work in print in the special editions and working with my friends Jack Wink, Harry Stopforth and the rest of the team.

When the Post & Chron set up in Brock Mill, they installed second - hand Crabtree presses, which had seen a bit of service! Not surprising that the quality was below par.

I remember it as "Blueprinters" & after the WEP left as "Plazoo"

The late Arnonl Hall use to say "If it wasn't chronicle, it would be cronical"

Arnold Hall! He was a good bloke, AKA 'Pegasus' Took many a fine photo in his time.

Cruising the streets of Wigan and district on his BSA 250 or his old Mk IX Jag Arnold covered Wigan life, first for the Manchester Evening Chronicle, until he was made redundant, then as a freelance for a while until the Wigan Observer took him on and there he remained until retirement. Arno;d and I remained close friends from the time we met 1959 until he passed away.

Poor read, poor pictures and it had to go. Observer better all round.

I don't think it's fair to describe the Post and Chronicle as a poor read with poor pictures. It had some fantastic reporters and photographers and it wasn't their fault for the reproduction of the paper.

The reporter was always getting the facts wrong in the chronicle, the sports pages the worst.

David Simm can't spell "Arnold"

I have dyslexic fingers that get between the keys, I guess that comes from one fingered bashing on those old typewriters

My dad was company secretary when it was Blue Printers in the 1950s, calico printers, until it was sold to Lancashire Evening Post. Many happy memories as a child walking down 70 steps to have lunch there then walking back up to go back to school.