Wigan Album

Not quite the same class that Ashton's used to be.

R.I.P. Ashton's tobacconists. Used to be in there at least twice a week for thick black twist.

Good on yer, Mick. You don't see many pipe smokers these days.

Can still get it in the Market Hall Loz, but it's pre-packed stuff, and not quite the same.

Who remembers Harold Cottriall, manager of this shop for many years? He lived with his family in Holme Terrace. An absolute gentleman, in every respect.

I used to buy my dad Holland House tobacco for his pipe from there at Christmas, or a cigar in a little tin tube. My age was never questioned.

I worked here in the early 70's, well I was in Ashton's warehouse which later became "Officer's Club" We then moved to a modern warehouse where Carpet World is/was on Caroline Street. I was a warehouse boy aged 16, best job I've ever had though I didn't realise that at the time. One of my jobs was to collect the newspapers from Wigan on my way to work and distribute them to the shop and warehouse. Ideal for taking my time going to work though the Managing Director wasn't pleased when I wrapped his Financial Times paper around my Goal magazine to stop it getting wet. The people who worked in the shop were really nice people and I loved going in there, all those pipes and fancy cigars. They really were the good old days!

Was there a Ashton's near the old Gas Showroom ?

used to buy henri wintermanns slim panatellas from ashton's,really liked them.

Holland House black twist and I think they called um corn cob pipes was my dads regular order on satdays early sixties

Anybody remember the tobacconist on Market St(think it was where the Chippery is now) Used to go in there when I was at Tech 1970ish to get Sobranie Cocktail cigs or Black Russian.

Dave, I'd like to know how you could afford Sobranie cigs when you were at Tech, that's if in 1970 they cost as much in comparison to the price of other cigs as they do now!

Al.C didn't buy them regularly, just for posing purposes. Also had a Fri/Sat job at Tesco.

Dave, used to go in that tobacconist on Market St. to buy American brands such as Pall Mall and Camel, as you say for posing purposes! There was also an upmarket booze shop (I think) next door to it, selling mainly spirits and wines at a time when hardly anyone in Wigan bought wine.

As a schoolboy I was mentored in photography by Arthur Ashurst, an incredibly good portraitist and photographic chemist. Ashton's was his favourite tobacconist and his blend of tobacco, from memory, was a mixture Balcan Sobrani, Three Nuns and Four Square, which of course he blended himself, it had a very curious aroma.

This I am sure is where the FORCES Canteen used to be and I worked there whilst I was on leave