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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Market Place, Wigan

20 Comments

UNDERGROUND TOILET
UNDERGROUND TOILET
Photo: Frank Orrell
Views: 4,627
Item #: 29662
A guide to the old underground toilet in Wigan Market Place in 1968.

Comment by: Roy on 19th August 2017 at 00:42

White City as it was commenly known.

Comment by: Tri. on 19th August 2017 at 09:58

Is that Shane Macgowan in the photo?
I can't recall the Pogues playing a gig in Wigan.

Comment by: Albert. on 19th August 2017 at 10:02

My very good friends of the forties, and fifties, Jimmy, and Ronnie Williams, (May they each R.I.P.) Their father was the attendant in these toilets, in the late forties, and fifties. (Jimmy. R.I.P.). He wore a peg leg. Lived originally in Spring View,and then, Lower Ince.

Comment by: Roy on 19th August 2017 at 10:05

COMMONLY !!!

Comment by: john on 19th August 2017 at 14:35

Great picture Frank. I remember it well.

Comment by: TD,.. on 19th August 2017 at 17:36

Super photo above the good old ablutions in Wigan Market Place. The guide chap is striking a fine pose in his mackintosh and does seem to have a look of Dudley Moor's mate, Peter Cook.

Comment by: Pepsi on 19th August 2017 at 23:21

Looks like the New Springs bus in the back ground

Comment by: Owd viewer on 20th August 2017 at 19:44

Albert, there was a man with a peg leg that cut hair in the 50s from spring view could he be the same man.

Comment by: irene roberts on 20th August 2017 at 20:16

I can still hear the old pennies dropping into the slots in the doors of The Ladies, and the CLAAANNNGGG of those VERY heavy doors, and the flush of the chain pulled from on high, out of reach of a child, (your Mam had to flush it)! And we'd have stood back in amazement at a machine blowing hot air to dry our hands!

Comment by: Albert. on 21st August 2017 at 09:56

Hi Owd viewer. No, but they were related. The person you are referring to was Mr Edwards, he lived in Shed Street, Spring View. I believe he lost in his leg in a mining accident. He worked in the time office, or the lamp room, at Pearson's Colliery. He had two sons, Eli, and Fred. Eli died in a Japanese P.O.W.camp, in world war 2. Fred who was a school friend of mine, was a fitter at the Maypole Colliery. Eli is commemorated, on a plaque, on the wall of Ince Parish Church. A contributor to W.W.A. Jimmy Edwards, may have more details. The families of Williams, Edwards, and Berry's were all related. All great people. All staunch Spring Viewers'

Comment by: AH on 21st August 2017 at 10:09

I think these toilets were left intact and the entrance capped does anybody know any different.

Comment by: Veronica on 21st August 2017 at 13:01

I have often wondered if the space underground was filled in or left intact.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 21st August 2017 at 13:06

Albert - Eli is also remembered on the Memorial in St Mary's Church - a replacement for the one lost when the original St Mary's (which would have been 150 years old this year) was demolished in 1978.
His uncle, also Eli, is remembered on the WW1 plaque in the church. He died on the Somme. He is also commemorated on the WW1 Memorial in Ince Cemetery. Why the WW2 plaque was installed on Christ Church, instead of the names being added, as was usual elsewhere, to the WW1 Memorial, I don't know. The plaque at Christ Church also omitted the majority of names of those from Ince who died in WW2.

Comment by: baker boy on 21st August 2017 at 13:10

try having a pee in wigan now

Comment by: Albert. on 21st August 2017 at 15:32

Reverend. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I seem to recollect that Graham Worthington told me that Eric McPherson, who went to Spring View School, in the forties, was instrumental in arranging that missing names were added to the plaque at Christ Church. I believe one was Eli Edwards.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 21st August 2017 at 19:48

Albert, local Spring View boy, Eric McPherson's excellent work covering all the WW2 Memorials in Wigan MBC, (Roll of Honour, Anzio Publishing,2001) lists Eli Edwards as being on the original Christ Church Memorial. The new memorial was commissioned by the local British Legion after his lists were published - but took no notice of them. What Graham might have recalled was my complaint to the Legion that they commissioned the new plaque without referring to Eric's work - and so omitted many names which appeared in his book who were eligible to go on that Memorial.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 22nd August 2017 at 21:58

Albert - a follow up re the Christ Church plaque - the original is in the Album, item 12088, under Ince Parish Church. Eli Edwards is recorded on it.

Comment by: Gerry on 23rd August 2017 at 08:51

I took the photo of the original plaque. Am i the only one who knows where it is?

Comment by: DTease on 23rd August 2017 at 10:35

The last time I visited this place was in the 60s after a Saturday afternoon celebrating in the Crofter's Arms.
Having ensconced myself in the cubicle I removed my jacket in order to set about the job in hand. Unfortunately there was nowhere to hang said jacket so I rested it over the top of the door and got down to work. Whilst thus incommoded some scallywag saw his opportunity, whipped my jacket and took to his heels. By the time I had re-arranged my situation sufficiently to give chase the little toerag was long gone.
I had to make my way home sans jacket but just a little wiser and I never went down there again.

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