Wigan Album

Ron. Were these shops the beginning of the area's transition period?. I forget when this section of shops was built.

That isn't Petticoat Lane, the Lane was the inside alley way behind that front.

Albert - these shops were built in the 1950s, and demolished in the mid 1980s, when the Galleries shopping centre was built.
The shops further up Market St, where Latimer's grocers and the Fleece pub stood, were demolished circa 1972, for the construction of the Centre Arcade, along with the Commercial Yard, and Old Arcade.
Vandalism.

Mick, we don't always see eye-to-eye on Wigan photos but I am with you on that. They ruined every bit of character that Wigan had.

Irene - it's a different Mick I'm afraid!

Thank you Mick. When I think back, these shops were there in the late fifties. I recollect buying my future wife some sort of perfume from one of the shops.

Mick..wouldn't it be a good idea to put a letter after your name,Mick A for example,then no one confuses you with the other Mick.

Thanks for putting me right, Mick! Good idea of Maureen's to differentiate between you and the other Mick. Albert, the perfume shop was probably Boon's Chemists. Vb used to work there.

Exactly 42 yrs ago since I worked there Irene. I believe Maureen worked in one of the other shops measuring inside legs no less and putting up with a "dicky" oil heater! Hahaha!

Oh, she can tell a few tales, that Maureen! x.

Irene.Vb. I was just about to put a comment on, that possibly Vb served me, but it would have been more like fifty six, or fifty seven years ago that I made that purchase.

Ah well Albert I was still at St Pat's school but still running errands for my mam -and old folk as well to make a few coppers!,,,

Up until Irene mentioned you working in a chemist, I had you down as a Victor, Valentine, or Vernon. I now realize you must be like my wife, a Veronica, or maybe a Valerie, or even a Vera.

Irene,I will tell you another tale next month.x

Vb,In that same shop..when it was my bosses wife's birthday or their anniversary..he used to give a few notes to go out and pick something for his wife..I often wondered if she liked what I had chosen for her...the nicest part of working there was the fact that I could nip into the shops after I'd had my dinner at Gorners cafe ( I can smell the dinners now) I could go and have a look what to buy for the next dance I went to..be it The Emp or Blackpool Tower Ballroom ...Memories eh. !!!

I am Veronica ...not many of us left Albert! In my teens I was Ronnie, then Vee which I didn't like and even Veronique!, Every place I worked I had a different name! Maureen it was all par for the course in the sixties how girls were treated! I also remember buying material to make a new dress every week when shift dresses were in vogue as they were easy to run up! Went to Harts for the material across the road from Boons and other places in Wigan. Great times and the summers always seemed to be hot!

Hart's was where we all got our material, (flocked nylon!), for our walking-day dresses, and a little bit of left-over material was made into a "Dorothy-Bag" in which to collect threepenny bits and sixpences from the neighbours! And yes, it WAS always hot and the tar melted in the road on Walking-Day and got all over new white sandals!