Wigan Album
Standishgate
13 Comments
Photo: RON HUNT
Item #: 10208
This evocative view of Wigan was taken when most of the shops in the town were privately owned, except for the likes of M.& S. and Woolworths. You came to Wigan, and you knew it was Wigan. Not a clone of all the other towns.
Unfortunately four years after this photograph was taken a fire destroyed Pendlebury's store and it was all down hill after that.
Fantastic photo, thanks. Lovely to see Pendlebury's, I can just imagine what it was like inside, full of character I bet, not like the clones of today, every shop looks the same and I'm afraid to say, many houses.
This photo reminds me of why I loved growing up in Wigan.Thank you Ron.
Finally seen a photo of the Island windows of Pendlebury's I remember that shop very well when I was home from School in the Christmas Holidays I got a job there in the Glass and china Dept 6 shillings a week and open till 6 on a friday and 8 on a Saturday my father removed me from there very quickly saying my breakages would be more than my wages so went into the Toy dept with Margaret Prendergast
Smashing photograph! It certainly has more character than it has now.
Wonderful nostalgic photo Ron. I remember the Little Arcade, situated down on the right hand side of the pic. Bon Marche, the old Bon Marche, not to be confused with the shop of today. M&S, you walked in off Standishgate & through the back doors onto the Market Square,further up on the right was The National Westminster Bank...not called Nat West in those days. Inside it was all black, white, marble & maghogany, with a hushed atmosphere. Woolies at the top left hand where you could buy anything from broken biscuits to stick on soles. Burtons the 50 shilling tailors, Pendleburys......a good place, Wigan
Hi Helen, when you say M&S I think you mean the British Home Stores. That's the shop with the back doors that led you to the market. The M&S store is on the left just higher up than Pendleburys
Yes, I remember now Ron, M&S was on the other side. Did I read somewhere that the Little Arcade has gone ? Its a shame if it has, those sorts of places make a town have character. I remember we bought my red tap dancing shoes from a shop along there.
I used to live here. Spent my "last" Christmas here , Up the Emp. Started my National Service 8 weeks later . I now live on the site that used to be Wigan.
Hi Helen I think you are getting the LITTLE ARCADE mixed up with the ROYAL ARCADE? The Royal Arcade is just out of shot on the right. It runs through to Marsden Street? That is still there.
The LITTLE ARCADE ran from the 'Top Legs of Man' at the top of Standishgate tothe 'Bottom Legs of Man Pub' in Wilcock Street. Just opposite the entrance to the Market Hall.That was demolished to make way for a Circus! Well, part of a circus a "White Elephant".........
I worked at Pendlebury's 1963 - 64, anyone remember the cricket team we had? Also does anyone remember Sabrina opening a department in Bon Marche in the 50's? A few of us sneaked out of the Grammar School to go and see her. Memories.
It was a Sunday night, just after ten 'o clock, when the fire happened. we had just come out of the Ritz (Sunday cinema had just been introduced)when the windows blew out & fire shot from the roof. My mates & me stood in Timpsons doorway opposite 'til the fire brigade arrived.
As I said in another post, I ended up helping to remove all the damaged & undamaged goods to Aye bridge farm Abram for HS Webster demolition Tram St Platt Bridge
I suppose, looking back some 60 years or more, we can say this was the era of the town centre. For me, growing up in Wigan, this photo is pure nostalgia, thanks for posting Ron. Having said that, compared to many other similar old industrial town centres, and I've seen a few, Wigan's is still very good indeed.
We have here in Lichfield a watercolour religious schene signed J. Pendlebury. Crawford House Wigan dated ~ 1900's