Wigan Album
ormskirk road
37 CommentsPhoto: Linda Maguire
Item #: 16644
It looks like the queue for the bus
Where in Ormskirk road is this? The big doors on the right are confusing me. I lived in Pemberton most of my life, and I can't remember those doors
ron not sure myself but could the dry cleaners have been what is now the florist next to claytons newsagents.
It's opposite Englands butchers Ron, Glovers pie shop is there now, the people ar waiting for the bus, just to the left of the photo was the bottleneck.
I am from Ince and didn't know Pemberton as a child, but this photo is so evocative of that era; it's wonderful. Thankyou.
At first glance I thought it was next to the Black Bull Pub, Now a Tesco Express, I think the Cleaners later became a Chineese Take Away. but it's those big doors I can't remember???
It seemed feasable as the bus stop was outside Jack Carringtons hence the queue
Are they waiting for a bus? ... or for a Walking Day parade to pass by?
Those double doors and fancy stonework over them could be the beginning of the old Pack horse pub??
Ron, the Tesco express was the Pack Horse, the Black Bull was on the opposite side of the road, it was the one that stuck out and caused the bottleneck.
Hi Jimmy I realised my mistake as soon as I posted the comment<g>
I would say it is between Claytons Newsagents and Number Fifteen next door but one to Abbott and Smith. They are probably waiting for a Walking Day or even the Queen? because the bus stop was a little higher nr Carringtons
Not sure what you mean Dave.
Look here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=wigan+uk&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.372705,78.837891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Wigan,+Greater+Manchester,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.53629,-2.683164&spn=0,0.05476&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.536293,-2.682927&panoid=2s8WHG82PhihfT0z4WAo-A&cbp=12,27.12,,0,-0.64
Looks like they are queueing at a bus stop. The heavy door looks like the sort of door Post Offices used to have. I can remember waiting at a bus stop in Pemberton for the bus to Ormskirk/Southport, it was just down from where a building jutted out, narrowing the roadway. It was also just before a cross roads, if you turned right at the crossroads you came to St John's Church. This would have been in about 1952/3.
I don't think they're expecting a bus. They're looking in all sorts of directions - bus queues tend to face the direction the bus will come from - in this case, from the left - those on the right are facing the opposite direction altogether. You don't stand in the road if you're expecting a bus. In those days, the only prams you could get on a bus would be a fold-up one which would go under the stairs - not a big carriage one such as we see here.
I think this maybe the entrance to a public house that was called the Queens on the oppposit side to the Pack horse,not the British Queen,i think Albert Lowe was the last landlord,Jem Lowes son
That's not tfe Queens facing the Pack Horse Wiggie, the shop is to the left of it, There was nothing to the left ot the Queens, it was on the corner of Woodford st,
It may be the British Queen , which later became Pemberton Lighting, and Johnsons is now the new Hospice shop.
If this is the shop that was later a take away. The name of the take away was "The Albion".
The sunny side of the street on Ormskirk Rd is always on the same side as the Pack horse which became Howards supermarket in the 70s as one can see the sun is shining onto that side.
The place to the right is definitely a pub you can see the licence over the door, so rule out which ones it ISN´T...
not White Lion , not Black Bull, not Swan....that leaves either British Queen or Pack Horse. From the size of the doors I would say Pack Horse....where Tesco Express is now
Just looked on a picture of the Pack Horse I have. Definitely NOT that pub as there was no doorway there. There was only one entrance and that was more or less in the centre of the frontage. Could be lower down near Clayton's newsagents? Wasn't the Billiard Hall entrance near there? These could be the big doors?esp15 If it isn't there? then I don't think this is Ormskirk Road.
Ron you could be right just above the little girls hand looks like steps, i used to sit on those about1952-53 waiting for my older brother comeing out of the billiard hall,i was`nt old enough to go in
the shop i think was newbles, then the cleaners the door looks like the enterance to the old snooker place or ball hall as my old mon called it
I only went into the'Ball Hall' a couple of times with my mate Joe Ball. I would be about 15, but all the other 'patrons' were older than me. As the Rev. said it appears the people are waiting for the Walking Day as there wasn't a bus stop in that location.
I'm convinced that where the large door is, is now the "Number Fifteen" Pub and the cleaners was "Pemberton Flowers" the last time I was in Pem.
i agree dave j, looks good to me.
I looked in the old telephone directories for Johnson's but the only one listed in Wigan at that time was the Wallgate one. Oh well... I thought it might solve the mystery!
It does look like the cleaners was where Pemberton Flowers now is. If you check the streeview on Google maps, there are still a lot of similarities with the brickwork etc of the building.
I googled royal visits wigan - are they waiting for the Queen Mother? She visited wigan for the opening of the Heinz factory in 1959? So wherever it is, it must have been on the Royal Route if thats what the gathering is for! I have no doubt that you will correct me if Im wrong :/
Looks like the chap stood near the kerb maybe holding a camera,suggests walking day royal visit etc.
I think the lady holding the baby may be my mother Olwen Charnock who lived on Norley estate, sadly she died in 2009 aged 89, if it is she is holding my sister Louise who was born in 1960. The lady next to her looks like Mrs Roscoe who lived next door. Linda if you know the circumstances of the photograph being taken or who took it I would love to know.
The baby being held centre picture is me, the lady holding me was called Jean, she worked in the cleaners. the large doors to the right were the doors of the billiard hall. The cleaners was almost diectly opposit from the police Station, possibly slightly to the right. the year is definately 1961 and it was walking day. Thanks to my big sis Eileen for the info :)
Thanks for the info Linda, I can't believe the likeness between Jean and my mother.
Apologies, mistread your comment Linda, it looks like the lady and baby to the left will be my mother and sister Louise, what a nice surprise!
Oh Geoff that's wonderful! I often wonder how many pictures there are of my family out there in some dusty shoe box, lying forgotten
To Mr Roy Hunt...... Or anybody who lived in Pemberton ....?
Just wondering if anybody knows anything or knew any of the Berry family?
They were entered around Douglas Street and Terrace.... Then Wood Street?
I think my Great Grandad George owned some shops?...
Thank you ....
Jane