Wigan Album

Hi Alan what a fantstic post card Never ever seen this view before.

The white building is where the white swan stand today and the lad leaning on the wall is EB Cycles and that's some change in 100 years..

Is that black and white building the White Swan?

would think this is around 1900 could even be before, I know the line was only electrified up to Abbey Lakes about 1906.

The mock tudor is beautiful. I believe this style fits in anywhere when done properly i.e wood! The modern day equivalent of plastic doesn't seem to work!

I never knew there was a pub on the corner of Fleet st.

When the photo is blown up, and the light/contrast tinkered with, Pemberton Police Station can be made out in the background - ie the building demolished in 2006. This I believe, was built in 1904.
As Duncan says, the tram line was only electrified up to Abbey Lakes in 1906, so it would seem to be between 1904 and 1906.

The narrow part down from the White Swan was known as 'The Bottleneck'. The lad is leaning on what was The Machine Inn which on the 1890 Wigan Licencing Division list could accommodate 12 persons and stabling for 6 horses. Note the two police officers standing in the road in front of the pub in Fleet Street.

It seems the pub on the corner of Fleet Street/Ormskirk Road was The Red Lion (see 1881 Directory on Stuff).
The last two letters 'on' are just visible at the end of the sign followed by Inn.

Looking at this great picture convinces me we've gone backwards not forwards.

Alehouses everywhere...Drink in those days, was the scourge of the working classes; and still is today.Nowt's changed.

Looking down 'The Bottle Neck'. Must have been hard for trams to get through! Can you imagine what us community workers go through? 100+ years later: a nightmare!!!!

Fantastic photo, Allan. Where DID you get this from?

I, also, never knew there was a pub on the left, on Fleet Street. It was always open as I grew up in Norley. Len the barber had his shop in the area where the pub is.

Yes, what have we lost over time? Lovely to reminisce. I used to deliver papers from Mr Sims,shop opposite the White Swan.

Thanks Allan for the pic.

The shops next to the swan were my g grandparent s butcher and drapeRy shops hartley.s. The pub on corner opposite the swan was the machine inn.now a bike and pram shop.any more of these .photos?they are brilliant

The two shops on the left hand side of this photo I remember the end one being a shoe shop that sold Tuff work boots, etc. and the one next door being Pollits fishmongers. Around the corner from this was what local people referred to as Pole Hillock where the stocks were situated. It got flattened in the 70/80's and was a car park for a time before being developed and build on.

Love this photo as I've just traced my Gt gt Gt grandfather to lamberhead Green and now I can see it through his eyes.

I recall one of the premises at the opposite end of the row shown on the left was a small pet shop and another shop I think was called Scottings(?)were my mam used to buy her groceries and settle the bill at the end of the week

The new white swan was built before the old one was knocked down my family had the white swan then