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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Jackson family of Hindley.

34 Comments

Ethel chooses a hat.
Ethel chooses a hat.
Photo: . Ozymandias .
Views: 3,633
Item #: 30477
Taken professionally by an unknown photographer at a shop in Wigan, I'm informed that this photo was published in one of the local newspapers, sometime in the 60's I believe.

Comment by: Bradshaws Girl on 22nd April 2018 at 09:06

Love this photo. So evocative of "THE WAY WE WERE" in the 60s.
Can't place the shop though.

Comment by: Arthur on 22nd April 2018 at 09:46

I'd say in the Wigan Observer, it's crystal clear and the Observer was known for its top quality photo reproductions back in the 1960s. Could have been taken by the late Arnold Hall, the papers photographer.

Comment by: irene roberts on 22nd April 2018 at 09:48

I wish women still wore hats as the norm, rather than just at weddings. I love them with my 1940s clothes at forties events. My daughter-in-law bought me a felt hat for Winter as she thought it was a forties style, but it's actually a 1920s cloche-style. I love it and when I put it on with my Winter coat, which has fur trimming round the hood, and the strap-shoes I always wear, it is very "Downton Abbey" and I swan around like Lady Mary Crawley until I look in the mirror and I look like the old Grandma! When I worked at Debenhams in the early 1970s, we still had a hat department, where the hats were kept in deep drawers and ladies sat on chairs in front of mirrors and the assistant placed the hats on her head, a personal service which died out soon after. Is the lady trying the hat Josie's Mam, Ozy?

Comment by: Alex on 22nd April 2018 at 09:52

The Evening Post and Chronicle never printed that quality, their pictures were always dull as though taken in fog.
Got to be the Wigan Observer back then.

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd April 2018 at 10:10

I wonder if it's BHS - I seem to remember hats sold there in the 60s. And the large wall mirror seems familiar. I recognise Ethel's profile to the young Ethel - I dare say the tandem had been left at home that day!

Comment by: Maureen on 22nd April 2018 at 10:46

When I was in my teens I used to go to Wigan town centre with my Mam every Saturday afternoon,what a lovely time I had,going in British Home Stores to the hat counter on the left hand side as you went in.My Mam would say "try this one love"finishing up trying them all on,then went somewhere else that sold hats and go through it all again..how I never got told off I'll never know,we always finished our trip with a dinner at Gorners Cafe..how I miss those days..P.S.I always wore a red beret cocked to one side.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 22nd April 2018 at 11:48

A red beret cocked to one side Maureen? Splendid; Tu es une jolie fille.

Comment by: Maureen on 22nd April 2018 at 13:58

Je vous remercie Philip.

Comment by: GW. on 22nd April 2018 at 15:15

That's the right 'at.. titude Philip.

Comment by: DTease on 22nd April 2018 at 18:21

Can one of you ladies explain to me what the eck a 'Fascinator' is?

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd April 2018 at 21:19

It can be a 'froth' of feathers or flowers - not quite a hat Dtease more a 'nod' to a hat or a little decoration at the side of the head.

Comment by: DTease on 22nd April 2018 at 22:06

Thanks for that Veronica. I have a little decoration at the side of my head....it's called a cauliflower ear.

Comment by: Jonno on 23rd April 2018 at 01:03

DTease, mine's called 'baldness'

Comment by: john (printer) on 23rd April 2018 at 04:14

The wigan observer stood out more than any other newspaper back then, they were pioneers in colour production too. It was known as web offset technology, while other papers was still using hot metal like the post and chron.

Comment by: Veronica on 23rd April 2018 at 07:31

That's you fixed up then - ready for the Royal Wedding on the 19th May Dtease..... Hahaha!

Comment by: DTease on 23rd April 2018 at 09:26

I'm getting worried Veronica, I haven't received my invitation yet! You don't think they've forgotten about me do you?

Comment by: GW. on 23rd April 2018 at 12:37

As a cultural ambassador to the colonies i'll be making an unannounced appearance on the day DTease. If you care to share the petrol money for the trip down south your welcome to call yourself my "cultural attache'for a day". Just don't upstage me by wearing the same wallaby skinned fedora.

Comment by: DTease on 23rd April 2018 at 14:18

GW, I could dye my hair purple and play Dame Edna to your Sir Les but with my 'Fascinator' cauliflower earhole that looks like it's been chewed by a rabid dog do you think I could fool her maj's bouncers on the gate?

Comment by: GW. [ m.b.e ] on 23rd April 2018 at 15:54

Just show them your rabid chewed cauliflower 'fascinator' and tell them were here to amuse the corgis.

Comment by: Veronica on 23rd April 2018 at 16:37

Whenever Dame Edna comes to England she is always asked to be Lady in Waiting to Her Maj - the corgis have all 'gawn' to their rest now. The news headlines on Saturday stated the last of the corgis are no more! I'm sure you will be most welcome Dtease even with your cauliflower fascinator.

Comment by: John G on 23rd April 2018 at 17:10

GW: You can't amuse the corgis any more, they all died off chewing rabid cauliflower ear holes sent from Wigan. The Queen said at her age now she won't get any more, I presume she was talking about corgis, but she will save a fortune on cauliflower ear holes.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 23rd April 2018 at 19:08

If I could respctfully offer my services here Lord Winstanley. As you are no doubt aware, the law requires that anyone riding pillion down to the metropolis, even by invitation of her majesty, must be equipped with protective headgear bearing the kite mark of the British Standards Institute. Now I just happen to have, somewhere in the darkest recesses of my tawdry little shed, deep down among the boxes of old Health and Efficiency mags, a 60's style ' corker ' helmet that I'm prepared to dig out for DTease for the special occasion. It would of course require some slight modification in order to accommodate his fascinator, and I'm willing to undertake the modification F.O.C., but I need some measurements to work from in order to create a professional looking job, as it isn't every day of the week that one gets invited to a royal knees up, and one can't just rock up at Buck house, with a slab roughly hewn from one's lid can one?. So basically, what I need to know are the dimensions of DTease' fascinator, ( and no bragging mind ), plus, is it for the left ear, the right ear, or the final frontier?

Comment by: Veronica on 23rd April 2018 at 19:27

Please make sure you wear your cauliflower on the left hand side buttonhole Dtease - gentlemen always wear them on that side.

Comment by: GW. [ m.b.e ] on 23rd April 2018 at 19:45

What?? no corgis!!! That's it, we'll share one of them Bull Terrier X Shih tzu's as a wedding gift DTease. I had an old offal bucket adorned with the jolly roger in mind for him Ozy but if you or others have alternative head dress in mind i'm all ...."ears".

Comment by: DTease on 23rd April 2018 at 19:57

It's my right ear Ozy, my left ear is beautiful.When I take a selfie I just take a picture of my left ear. I have no desire to burden future generations with the rest of my train wreck of a face.
I think the size and shape of my cauliflower fascinator are best described as 'variable' so I'm afraid I can't supply any dimensions.
I do take a 2XLarge shirt though if that's any help.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 23rd April 2018 at 20:11

I've been seen out and about with one or two Welsh dogs myself over the years John G, but in common with her majesty, I'm not anticipapating getting any more at my time of life, especially considering the fact that I'm on tablets anyway. Now I do realise that I've spelled anticipating incorrectly, but I thought I'd leave it in, as it has a certain ring to it....In fact, I might even use it as word of the month for May actually, this month's word being ' Marra ', as you may, or may not, already be aware...........Have I mentioned my AGA by the way?.....Should you require details regarding my AGA, dimensions, thermal output, photos etc., then please feel free to email me at ozy@noblimminhometogoto.com

Regards. Ozy.

Comment by: DTease on 23rd April 2018 at 20:28

GW, I've just had a thought! I could wear a Ballycoliver. With a Ballycoliver covering it, my fascinating earhole would just look like an oversized lump on the side of my head. What do you reckon?

Comment by: GW. [ m.b.e ] on 23rd April 2018 at 22:02

I'm not sure if a ballycoliver is worn or applied to be truthful DTease. But if it can be adorned with a jolly roger then your on board. Your full of good id"ears".

Comment by: Veronica on 23rd April 2018 at 23:08

I could knit a Balicoliver in time for the wedding and I will make a hole for the good ear to protrude through if that's any use....

Comment by: Veronica on 24th April 2018 at 08:57

I have been up all night knitting the Balicoliver with an extra hole for your best lug hole to poke through Dtease. I have knitted it in red, white and blue so I'll leave it at the Left Ear Luggage Office Wallgate for you to pick up as soon as possible. Hope it fits!

Comment by: John G on 24th April 2018 at 13:00

Ozymandias: It's funny you should mention that word Ozy, ( anticipapating) Last month my doctor said your hearts gone in AF, and your heart is shooting off at various times. He said I will have to try and give you a beta blocker, I'll try you on viagra let me know how you get on in a couple of weeks. I had to go back to the doctor and beg him to take me off it, I've had no sleep for a fortnight, he said why? I said I can't turn over in bed it won't let me, my wife has gone to the other room and I'am in constant pain. He said how does your heart feel, I said it's the only thing that's working ok, he said so it's not all bad then your heart is anticipapating.

Comment by: GW. on 24th April 2018 at 14:43

Funny you should mention the doctor John G.
I visited my psychologist last week.
I said "Doctor Doctor ...i think i'm a dog"
He said "Lay down on the couch"
I said " I'm not allowed on the couch".

Comment by: DTease on 24th April 2018 at 20:22

My mate Fred went to the doctors and he told him to take up exercise but he ended up in hospital. He was in his bedroom doing press ups in the nude but his missis didn't tell him that she had moved the mousetrap.
Fred thinks she did it on purpose. He doesn't really trust his missis. Every time he comes home unexpectedly the Parrot shouts "QUICK, THE WINDOW"
Mind you, she is a bit of a funnyosity. When her cat died last year she had it frozen. Fred reckons the bl--dy thing falls out the fridge every time he goes in for some milk.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 24th April 2018 at 22:15

Tracy (Eager to Please).

Thank you both, for your display, and time with patience treasured
I'll take my leave, I really must, ... with thoughts of boxes tethered?

Tracy started yesterday, her grasp of city haste unbridled
But always masters early starts, by winning-smiles unrivalled.

I know your charge of nature kind, our mothers' shared a room
Perhaps in time she'll tell the tale, of Common Room once strewn.

Excuse me please, I must declare; the boxes hold the same
A cocktail hat with shortened plume, ... perhaps for your acclaim?

I'll try at once, if I may?, ... Oh! what lovely carmine bloom
Yes, as you say, I look just fine, and Ascot starts in June

Thank you both just once again, this card I shall retain
No more my days of safety first; that headwear grey-felt plain.

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