Wigan Album

Lower Ince. I think it's a chippy or fast food outlet now.

I think this is Lower Ince or possibly Spring View, like the photo next to it. I lived in Higher Ince when the old Higher Ince Post Office was open, and I don't think this is it. I love the shopping-basket......I always carry a wicker shopping-basket and it never fails to attract comments. It is very handy for carrying bread, cakes and pies as opposed to a plastic carrier, too! Thanks for these brilliant photos, Frank. Got any more?!

I dont think this is Lower Ince post office,more likely to be Spring View post office.In the early 80,s the floor gave way and some customers were injured.I think it might now be Spring View flower shop,down from the Walmesley Arms.

Going off the number plate, that Bedford van looks as if it belongs to Father Jack.

I think this is Warrington Road, Lower Ince across from The Black Diamond.

Aubrey , spot on 10 out of 10 your correct used it many times.

I don't think it's the former Post Office opposite the former Black Diamond - from old pics I've seen there were only two shops in the row from Banner Street north - and the Post Office had no other building next to it on the right - but there is clearly one to the right of the PO here.

Walk from Banner St towards Wigan Post Office on Left used it many times.

Lower Ince Post Office Warrington Rd.put new Slates & Chimley on that roof working for Billy Sillcock.Lad stood with his back to road is Desmond Alker RIP a good lad took before his time.

I've just noticed the reflection in the window of the Bargain Store - it looks as if the building opposite had a black and white, mock half-timbered facade. Anyone remember such a building on either Warrington Road or Manchester Road, opposite the PO?

Reverend, I concur with you that there was no building to the right, but it may be just the side wall of the post office, to the right of the post office was the old coal yard, in business in the 1940s,and early 50s. I believe it was disused by the middle 1950s. The post office seems to be doing a brisk trade.

I originally thought it was Spring View as I imagined the two photos had been taken at the same time, but I stand corrected. Is the reflection not The Black Diamond, Rev Long? It looks as if it could be a pub.

This is Higher Ince surely, it was in Manchester Road and Mr Hayton was the subpostmaster.Grundys furniture shop was on the other side as was O'Neills telly shop.

Albert,
The angle of the pebble dash wall does not seem to be a gable end, rather another building in line with the post office. It does appear that Rev. David is correct and, surprise surprise, I could be wrong, again.
I also do not think the reflection of the white building is The Black Diamond, as the angle suggests the white building is almost directly opposite.

The Black Diamond is too far away down the road, Irene. The PO is opposite where Windleshaw House is now. I think my more recent views of the last Lower Ince PO (it closed down some years ago) show that, if this is indeed the Lower Ince PO, it was housed elsewhere when this pic was taken.
There's a pic of Spring View Post Office (with a sign saying so) at pic no. 16902, under Walking Days, Lower Ince. That PO was between Marlborough and Repton Avenues. Until Postcodes were in use across the country from the early 70s I should think

I think I am right in stating that the Black Diamond is not directly opposite the post office, but it was an off licence, on the corner of the street that led down to the British Legion, I cannot remember the name of the street. Nowhere in Ince can I recollect a similar post office than the one most of you are referring to.

OOPS! Took my lunch, and forgot I'd left the sentence unfinished!
Before Postcodes, I think the GPO was only too happy for people to put as much detail into their addresses as they wished - irrespective of what the 'official' postal address might be. St Mary's old Registers recorded addresses on Warrington Road as the house number plus 'Spring View' or 'Lower Ince', depending which end they were.

Giro day in Ince, so it seems...lol

Reverend, the only other post office I recollect being in Sprig View was Tatum's, opposite Taylor's Lane. The shop between Marlborough Avenue, and Repton Avenue was Jinny Nevin's, and that was just a paper shop, in the 1940s.

The reason that there was such a long queue is that there had been a raid on the post office and it was temporarily closed. The exact date was Saturday 10th of April 1971.
I was a photographer for the Post and Chronicle at the time and I might be able to put one or two more pictures on the site from around Wigan but I'm hoping to bring out a book next year with a lot more stuff in. It's not a sales ploy because I will hardly make a penny out of the project and it has taken me years to do the research.

Don't think it's lower Ince,the off licence was Jonny tindalls.

Albert - Nevins was the name of the newsagents/ sub-PO in the 1925 Ince Directory for the shop between Duke Street (now Marlborough Avenue) and Pearson Street (now Repton Avenue) at 409 Warrington Road. The Walking Day pic I referenced certainly looks more like that address than the shop on the corner of Repton Avenue and Warrington Road which I think you're referring to. It also has a sign outside it saying it's Spring View Post Office.
Nevins had the Railway Hotel near Taylors Lane in the early 1900s.

So, Frank, you obviously must know......is it Higher Ince or Lower Ince Post Office? Please put us out of our misery! I will most certainly be buying the book; I love anything to do with local history.

PS, Frank, with regard to your "sales ploy" comment, my above comment isn't a "customer ploy"! I ALWAYS buy books on the area in which I grew up, and I look forward to your book very much. These memories are so important.

This is Higher Ince, the chap on the far right leaning with his back to the wall, is from Kendal rd area just off Belle green lane. Seen him many times when I was a coalman.

Gary, despite my earlier comment, I think you are right. There is something familiar about this Post Office; I grew up in Higher Ince when the Post Office was further up Manchester Road than it is today, towards Rose Bride, but I must admit the memory is hazy. However, I feel the Post office in Lower Ince would have been CALLED "Lower Ince Post Office", and I think the shop-front at Lower Ince was higher and wider than the one in the photo. However, Frank should know and I eagerly await his answer. Whatever the outcome, this is a photo of our past, (all us Incers), and very special it is, regardless of the setting.

Irene. I am almost 100% right, but if you look at Frank's caption, he's not sure if it's higher or Lower Ince. If I was a betting man, my money's on Higher Ince, not because of the building but some of the people I recognise.

Frank. You are the person to give a conclusive answer to this controversy, especially if you have knowledge of the actual photograph. Reverend. Relative to Jinny Nevin. She was an elderly lady, and she lived with her sister, both spinsters. My school friend in the forties took out newspapers for her, and I took out newspapers for Tatum's,a newsagent,and post office, next door to Clarence Evan's butcher, opposite Taylor's Lane. At that time Jinny Nevin's shop was only a newsagent. It may well have been a post office in 1925.

Before you all have a go at me....forget my comment at the top of the pile. (the first one) it's defo H/Ince.

Frank..I will certainly be buying your book..I look forward to it..I've always had an affinity with Ince,even though I was brought up in Wallgate.

I can't give a conclusive answer to the identity of the post office location. It was 1971 and the only entry in my diary, which I kept to log photographic assignments that I was sent to, says Ince post office raid.

Colin. Would the Wigan Observer have the necessary details?.

The Observer back numbers on microfilm (at the History shop?) will have the story of the post office raid. That would settle which post office it was for those who are still not convinced.

Yes Albert, has John say's, the Wigan Observer on microfilm at the History shop, it covers every page from 1853 to present day. Remember it's much easy to find information if you have the dates ready. There is a small fee and you have to book a place.
It's Higher Ince P/O for me!

Walkdens grocery shop was where the bargain shop is for years.It was fairly old fashioned by the standards of the day.

Too far for me to travel, from Blackpool, Colin. The dates were given I believe in an earlier comment.

Albert - in the Walking Day pic I referred to there is a sign over the shop in the background which definitely states "Spring View Post Office". The pic dates from the late 60s to the early 70s according to those who sent Comments. The buildings pictured are no longer there - unlike the shop in Frank's other pic (Field St/ Warrington Road), or the shop I think you're describing (Repton Avenue/ Warrington Road), which is now a Bargain Booze branch. Looking at the pic in question more closely, and noting the position of the pillar box today (on the corner of Warrington Road/ Repton Avenue), it looks as if the Post Office at that time might have occupied the building on that corner, as it looks as if the shop had a large window fronting both Warrington Road and Repton Avenue.

Higher Ince post office fo me as well!

Higher Ince post office fo me as well!

I have emailed my friend Geoff who was a reporter on The Wigan Observer in 1971 to see if he can remember which post office was raided.

I was brought up in lower Ince and that is defiantly not Lower Ince post office.

It's higher Ince Manchester road around 1970. The chap at the front of the queue lived in Kendal road and mended bikes for a few bob.. Valerie Forshaw from ennerdale place worked in there

Shop on the left was greens butchers

I remember a girl called Christine Blinkhorn worked there early 70's.I used to take mail and parcels in from Tangye Ltd.

My friend Geoff unable to help, so well done Gerry! Glad it's solved.

I can give a definitive answer, as to the location of this Post Office and Mary Jane was the first and most accurate to say where it was located.
The Post Office was located on Manchester Road, only yards from where the present Post Office is situated and on the same side of the road and in the exact the same spot, where the outbound from Wigan bus top is now located, that being opposite the car park across the road, which is situated in between Stopford Street and Keble Street.

So how do I know this?

Because I have a 1969 Map of Higher Ince ,which shows where Post Offices where located (yippee)

I have also checked this information out from a Walking Day photo from Manchester Road, Higher Ince, in which you can just make out the Post Office and other shops from the picture on here.

And

I have put a topic in in the Places part of Communicate, with a picture of the map and the title of the topic is 'Ince Post Office 1971'

Thankyou, Sir Bob; I've had a look.

Ya had 'em dazed and confused for a while there Garry. Would ya know what time that chippy in Lower Ince closes?

Yes G.W. I got confused with LowerInce and HigherInce P/O, which I did explain on the 6th Nov.
This is Higher Ince P/O. Lower Ince is a sun-bed shop and not a chippy as first thought.

Chippy next door to sun-bed place at L/Ince former P/O. Don't know what time it opens/closes G.W. lol.

Can anyone make out the number on the door of the Post Office? I ask because the one on Manchester Rd was No 157.

Joseph

The present Higher Ince Post Office is numbered 171 Manchester Road, which is about six doors down from the old one, which looking at the photographs, is about right isn't it.

It looks like Peter Simpson who lived in Bird St,on the kerb with his back to the road.

It is right, Bob. The number on that door looks to be double figures (possibly painted over?) I knew the Post Office very well and several of the people on the photo.

Ronnie Smith in the doorway, now he could mend a bike.

its higher ince post office, its ronnie smith,,looks like peter simpson, and its greens the butchers, and kaths bargain shop, the butchers was john horrocks before greens,

I thought it was Ronnie myself actually, but I wasn't sure. He did a lot of work for the homeless in the Wigan area and the lad's very streetwise. I met him on the bus a while back. He's living just out of Wigan at the moment. I won't go into details for obvious reasons.

He was obviously a "character" of Ince and seems to be well-known and well-loved by many people. Good on him!

I think it best to call it a day now on the one, it's Higher Ince as I stated in the first place.

Why should we call it a day on this? folk may want to add their comments and memories of the post office or indeed the people and Ince Bar. Stop dictating what others should do.

What I meant in a nice manner, I think we now all agree it's higher Ince post office and not lower Ince post office. So lets move on. Sometimes it can get a little boring when we keep repeating ourselves. I knew all along in was H/Ince.

This could never have been Lower Ince Post Office because Lower Ince Post Office had two old style red K6 telephone kiosks next to it before they were moved to the corner of Bryn Street/Warrington Road.
The brick pillar on the right hand side of the Post Office entrance also had a cigarette and later a bubble gum vending machine attached to it well into the 1980's.
Heatons bakery (now a Chinese chippy) would also be on the photograph or at least the Unisex hairdressers which used to be next door to Lower Ince Post Office around this time should also have been pictured.

Hi can anyone help me. My great granddma and granddad use to have a shop on warrington road lower ince they where called alice and arthur rosbotham she use to bake barm cakes n bread and all sorts she had 3 children my grandma Mary rosbotham. James rosbotham. And irene .. i was wondering if there are any pics or anyone can remember the name of the shop..i just lost my grandma and would love to find out thanks

This is def Hr Ince. That's me the gangly one with the white socks picking up my mam's child benefit. 👍

This is Higher Ince im'e sure.The bloke in doorway far right i think is Ronnie Smith.I think it was Ronnie.I remember him shuffling around higher ince when i was a kid.He always seemed to have a fag stump in mouth..Used to see him on Ince bar quite a lot in Ramsbottoms bookies in 80's/90's.