Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Drill Hall, Powell Street, Wigan

11 Comments

Drill Hall  2
Drill Hall 2
Photo: RON HUNT
Views: 3,360
Item #: 29962
Prior to demolition.

Comment by: Albert. on 6th December 2017 at 15:54

On which side of the Drill Hall was Santus's vehicle body building factory, I forget?. Had it already been demolished?.

Comment by: Barrie. on 6th December 2017 at 17:24

Santus Motor body works was on the corner of Water Street/Powell St.(where the car is turning out onto Powell St.) When they closed down in 1953 and it was left a bare shell the TA took it over as part of their training area. ( Reported in Wigan Observer September 1953)

Comment by: Howard P on 6th December 2017 at 17:26

I suspect that car is a Cortina mk5 and the one in front a mk2 Escort.
Thank Ron.

Comment by: Wigwann on 6th December 2017 at 23:48

Can anyone enlighten me as to whether this building was standing in 1914? If so would it be where recruiters enlisted for WW1? On my gt Grandfather's citation it said he enlisted at Wigan in 1914.

Comment by: Pw on 7th December 2017 at 10:08

The drill hall was still there upto about the 70/80s There are some photos on album,places.drill hall showing soldiers from WW 1

Comment by: Alan Wright on 7th December 2017 at 13:47

I worked there as a student for the Post Office one Christmas in the early 70s. It was where the parcels were sorted - not very carefully, I might add. I remember playing tick rugby with some of the regular Post Office workers, using parcels as rugby balls! Happy days!

Comment by: DTease on 7th December 2017 at 19:56

So that's what happened to my mams Christmas present Alan. It was a set of crockery and when she got it she didn't lift it out of the box, she poured it out.

Comment by: Wigwann on 7th December 2017 at 20:02

Thank you PW, my gt grandfather and grandfather enlisted there on the same day at the start of WW1. Family story was it seemed a good idea after they had been to the pub. You can guess the rest!

Comment by: Mr X on 4th January 2018 at 20:28

Ford Cortina and Escort in Powell Street.The Drill Hall was demolished in late 1985 to make way for the ring road. The building next door was Kitchen Queen (KQ) that was originally the Co-op.

Comment by: Peter Eccles on 30th May 2018 at 19:16

My father was the Regimental Sergeant Major there in the early 50's

Comment by: Lorraine Brownlee on 20th December 2019 at 10:03

I was born in Wigan Drill Hall in 1959. My parents were the caretakers there.

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.