Wigan Album

It was safer crossing the road in the old photo. My favourite scene of the old Greenough St. out of all the photos. Many memories evoked just looking at it.

Doesn't it look so much better now ? All that open space, greenery and blue sky....and far fewer common people milling around.

My sentiments exactly, Veronica.

Gareth a saying that most likely would have been heard up Scholes and which would suit your remark is 'Peas above Sticks'.

There was some good houses and shops along there and they would have benefitted with those Home Improvement Grants that were about to become available, it isn't as though the houses were uninhabitable, a kitchen and bathroom in an extension in the yard and they would have been good and likely to have lasted far longer than those Maisonettes and Dutch houses that they put up, probably been a lot cheaper too.

Only kidding Cyril...my own family came from Westminster Street and River Street....

Greenough Street buildings were all demolished about 1965-70 except those on the right that lasted until 1985 to make way for the new ring road, and included Rogersons motorbikes, a fish and chip shop, and Visionhire televisions. The tall building was a sewing factory. There were also mens urinal toilets here.

Gareth, I now remember your name from your photos you posted of the church on Greenough Street which sadly got bombed.

Mr X, also the RSPCA had The Ark their early charity shop along there, and they were quite settled until the decision to demolish the shops, they were then bandied around town to different shops, initially on Woodcock Street then Petticoat Lane both of which also got to be demolished and finally Market Street.

The bike shop on the right was Sam Melling and not Rodersons.

Arthur I bought a little shopper bicycle from a shop in Greenough St on the right in the 80’s and it was called Rogerson’s I’m sure. Perhaps he was the next person to own the bike shop. I didn’t have the bike long as I swapped it for a ladies racer. It didn’t go fast enough for me and the racer had larger wheels. It was perfect for riding in the quiet roads at that time around where I-live. Needless to say I wouldn’t attempt a bike ride these days with the heavy traffic.

My memories of Greenogh St , were many but one stands out and that was we worked when i left school for J.MORRIS &SONS 136 frog Lane ,and with mt friend IAN JONES we would deliver to a butcher's shop half -way -up on the left the name of the shop was JOSEPH MOLLOY , the reason i recall before we were allowed to unload his order ,we had to first get him to pay his previous month's bill ,and it always took some arm twisting before he would cough up ,in the end he he was what i call now a typical SCOWS bloke ,happy times .

Arthur is correct - the bike shop was Sam Mellings in the 40s and 50s , though it may have become Rogersons at some later date. You could also buy gramophone records from Sam Mellings. Other shops I remember on that same side of Greenough St. were a jewellers (whose name I can't remember ) and Formby's furniture shop. The shop the two men are walking towards was a printers.

It’s amazing to think that this area was only a stone’s throw from the town centre, yet it was its only little community of shops and businesses that operated independently with many residents not venturing far for what they needed. I do vaguely remember Greenhough St being a single carriageway like this up until the construction of Riversway and Central Park Way in the late 1980s, but must of the immediate terraced properties had gone by then.

Take a look at item number 19715 from Malc.
I bought a Garrelli 50 moped from the in 1968.

Two places that stand out for me are Lewis’ Ice Cream shop and visits to Dr Johnson’s surgery.
Also the green urinals that were roughly near the Douglas, a church at the top that I’m sure had a copy of the bible in it’s window that I imagine had it’s pages turned perhaps each day.

The shops that stand out for me were Stan’s toy shop where I used to buy six-penny books with cutout dolls and dresses and got my first roller skates there. Then Lennegan’s Electrical shop where batteries for wireless’s were fitted.
I-can see her now the lady who mended things whistling under her breath. I liked the smell of the shop too.

Veronica there is a much better photo in item number 19715.
With respect to Mick Rathe.

It’s the same old Greenough St photo Alan… still my favourite…
Mick R is just showing the comparison, I know which I like best..

Veronica......what I ment was a better quality picture of OLD Greenough Street.....so you could see it better.

You can also see that Arthur is right that it is Sam Mellings bike shop.

Yes I remember the shop as Sam Melling’s but in the eighties it became Rogerson’s shop. I came on the bus from Westhoughton and rode back on a new bike from there….(pushed it up Castle Hill though!)

Alan I can follow you. And your right, the same photo but better image.

Yes, the resolution isn't as good as the original, but this was because in order to fit it on the page i had to shrink it a bit you see.

Derek B
The jewellers was Pearson's Vincent was at WGS with me