Wigan Album

actually it was on corner of station rd and millgate

Did this building ever have a juke box in,or have I dreamt it..I'm sure I went in as a teenager but there was no drinking that I recall,just the said jukebox.l don't remember much else in there alas.

The corner of Station road and the start of Scholes.
Millgate was around the ship inn and the old Salvation Army.

Definitely Millgate. Scholes only begins once you've crossed the River Douglas.

Correct, John D and Watchalot.
As a Police officer in the late 1970s, I dealt with a traffic accident outside Davenport’s watch menders, between the Horseshoe pub and the River Douglas. Although I correctly recorded the location of the accident as Millgate, one of the drivers involved said it had occurred on Scholes, on his insurance claim form.
This caused no end of confusion between the insurance company and the police admin lot at Manchester Force HQ, which was only resolved by me getting confirmation of the location as Millgate from the Wigan GPO depot, and the council Highways Dept.

The times I dropped off the bus, as it took the bend, to go up Station Road. I was going swimming in the old swimming pool, in Millgate.

This was near the old Powell Children's Library, where I spent many Saturday mornings, in the days when you had to be quiet in a library.

Definitely on the corner of Station Road and the road leading up to Scholes Crossing.

it would,nt be mick johnson a mate of ste cusick would it .

In answer to Maureen it definitely had a Juke Box. I used to get the old records for 5p when they were changed. My mum, Kath, used to be a barmaid at the Horseshoe around the early 70s. We lived in the Woodcock House tower block. I spent many an illicit night 'lock in' as I came home from my girlfriend's on the last bus. If the cops came in after hours and took their hats off they went into the back room. If they didn't take em off you poured your ale onto the floor. Sally and Frank Atherton were the licensees.

With regard to whether the Horse Shoe Hotel was in Millgate or Scholes, it would help if we knew when the Horse Shoe was built. Millgate is one of the oldest roads in Wigan, being one of the original Gates into the town.Station Road was costructed much later. If the Horse Shoe was built before Station Road was made, then the Hotel must have been in Millgate. If it was built after Station Rd. was made, then we still have the problem of its address. .Millgate continues up to the demolished railway bridge taking trains from Wigan Central Station. From the bridge onwards it is Scholes.

Alex is definitely wrong.I lived in my Mother's grocer's shop at 32 Millgate which was right at the top part of Millgate; much further up the hill than the Ship and the Salvation Army.

Thank you very much David..and also for the bit of history..Ive remembered something else about it..the fact that I'd just bought this gorgeous dress from Jax at the top of Makinsons arcade and a girl stood by the juke box who told me she wanted the dress and wasn't very pleased with me..it's a bit of useless information ,but the photo brought it all back.

Norman. Looking at the photograph of Millgate. (Street Scenes) Number 16345. The Ship Pub seems almost in Station Road.

Just read that Wigan Central Station was demolished in 1973 so I could be wrong about the bridge. It may have been demolished earlier. We had moved into Woodcock House when it was built around 1964/65. The bridge was there then.

As I mentioned previously, the old swimming pool was in Millgate, a little further down from the pool, you turned left, into Station Road.

just over the door there's a date it says 1891 , if you go into places then station rd theres a clearer pic .

I agree Albert, it does look as though the Ship was on Station Road; but it definitely wasn't. Between the Ship and Station Road was Poole's Warehouse selling furniture etc. My sister worked there. The Warehouse stretched along Station Road almost as far as opposite to the Ritz Cinema.

If anyone is in any doubt as to where Millgate ends and Scholes starts I suggest they walk down Scholes towards the bridge. As you cross the bridge you will see a street sign on the left that looks something like this <SCHOLES MILLGATE>.After the left turn into Douglas House there is a no entry sign preventing you from driving onto the rest of Millgate, Riverway bisecting the two parts.Also if you look at the photo you can just about make out the street sign to the right of the front door that says MILLGATE.

Millgate ends at the River Bridge and Scholes starts

Norman. Talking about The Ship, in the late fifties, one Saturday night I was doubled up with Freddie Dyke, when we were called to a battle royal, outside of the pub. I was attempting to subdue a chap named Gallagher, and to arrest him. He sunk his teeth into my little finger, and as I tried to extricate my finger, the skin was coming up, and I could see the bone. To release my finger, I had to belt him in the eye with my knee before I could get my finger free. The doctor that attended to me (Dr Calverly) said. " There is only one thing worse than being bitten by a human, and that's being bitten by a camel." Freddie had his hands full with somebody named Farrell.

Albert..I know Freddy Dyke,he called at our house once with Alan Sharples who is a friend of ours..they'd called for a coffee..and I know about the Farrell's too.

Sounds a bit like the big fight in "The Quiet Man" betwixt Sean Thornton and Squire Dannehan! Happy days eh Albert! (one of my favourite films!). Hope you don't mind!

Veronica/Maureen. I can't remember John Wayne getting his finger nearly chopped off. Freddie passed away quite a number of years ago. He lived in Cleveleys. I went swimming with him in Fleetwood pool. His good lady has also passed away. In those far off days, men worked hard, and played hard, so rough houses were common things to deal with. Whether the punishment fitted the crime, I'll leave you to judge. Fined £5.00.

The Ship inn was on Millgate, next door to the Salvation Army.

Maureen. Saw Alan Sharples last year, or it may have been the year before, time passes so quickly. I saw him at the funeral of an old Wigan Borough Police colleague.

Oh, I remember Freddie Dyke. We lived in Miry Lane and if any of the kids were misbehaving we were told ' if you don't behave Bobby Dyke will come ' and Believe me, that was enough to scare us all, so different now, most kids are not afraid of the police, plus we respected our elders Well most of the time. I remember this pub , so sad Wigan has changed SO much.

Albert,Alan lost his wife about ten years ago.

I remember your mum working at the pub ,with great affection Christine

I remember Kath ,as a barmaid at the pub with great affection, and her husband Dug I am Christine daughter of Frank and sally

Christine. You used to take me and your brother, Frank, to the pictures and pay for us. You paid because you wanted to see the film but didn't want to go on your own. My oh my how time flies. I was about 17 at the time so it's 52 years ago.

Definitely Millgate. If you look closely at the picture above you will see a street name plate on the wall. In other photos posted in the album you can actually read Millgate. As earlier comment the Douglas Bridge was where Scholes started.

If you search for Item # 25259 you will see clearly that the Horseshoe was on Millgate. Street name plate clearly visible.