Wigan Album

We all complain, (and I freely admit to being one of the worst!), at how Wigan has changed over the years, but then you see these photos and realise that some of it has hardly changed at all. This spot is instantly recognisable.

Well yes only because of the buildings. But if you look around millgate...well nowts the same, because it's all been flattened to make way for new shop buildings.

You're right Irene!
On the corner later would be a tailors'(Burtons,I think) to the left where Lowes would be and further down Market Street, The Crofters Arms, a regular watering hole of mine!

I agree with you about Millgate, Garry. It was a place that had character and an olde-worlde charm; now it has about as much character as a bin-bag and looks as depressed as that awful head that leads into it! Giovanni, I wonder why your comments always include a pub?! (Only joking!)

Jacksons was the tailors on the corner Giovanni, taken over by Burtons in the early 1980s.

Wasn't there an entrance to The Fleece pub along that row of shops on Market Place at one time.

You're right Mick!
An account could be opened at this shop and for ten bob (50p) a week a bespoke suit could be bought!
There was another tailor opposite the old subterranean toilets but us lads weren't keen as the manager insisted on taking your inside leg measurements several times!!

There were two entrances to the FLEECE, one was down an alley way next to the Corporation Bus Offices, in Market Place, and the other was in Market street

Giovanni, he was a nice man used to let me come in (when it was raining) .

I'll bet he did !!

I think the 'other' tailor referred to by Giovanni, Everhard and Wiganreds48 was called Alexandre. Slightly more upmarket than your Burtons, Jacksons and John Collier (the window to watch)

That was the name DerekB. What a memory!!

And there was Duncan's the tailor

Eric, wasn't Duncan's tailors near to the entrance to the Commercial Yard and next to Hunters chemist,which had bow fronted windows?

Alexandre, Brooks Bros John Collier Peter Pell Weaver to Wearer were all the same company....United Draperies based in Leeds .

Let's face it with all those tailors shops trading they were obviously proud of their appearance in those days and judging by some of the old photos we see they were sometimes better dressed than people today, if they could afford it of course.

Terry, don't know that people were necessarily better dressed at one time, for most occasions today most people just prefer to dress informally.

That's right Derek,they where from Leeds.like a lot of the Taylor's at that time.

Sorry Derek tailors,not Taylor's.at the time ,in the sixties,there was a lot of the "mod" generation of Wigan who had there suits made to measure ,there

Count me as a "Mod", Eric!