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Photos of Wigan
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Wigan Album

Royal Visits

18 Comments

Royal Visitors on Wallgate
Royal Visitors on Wallgate
Photo: Rev David Long
Views: 3,474
Item #: 27642
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on their visit to Wigan on May 20th, 1938.
They'd earlier visited Leigh, travelling from the Royal Train at the Lowton triangle - so perhaps they were bound for North Western to get back on the train.
(Information from Past Forward)

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 29th February 2016 at 20:53

To me, that car is in Market Place, Rev.David.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 29th February 2016 at 21:23

You're right, of course, Ernest... but it is at the Wallgate end....;-)

Comment by: Johnny on 29th February 2016 at 21:53

I'll support that statement, Ernest! And the Royals during any visit to the North-West is punctuated by a stop over at Knowsley Hall, Lord Derby's pile!!
I bet the monkeys in the Safari Park have a field day with the Royal Standard on the car!!

Comment by: mike on 29th February 2016 at 22:52

I don't think there was a safari park there in 1938

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 1st March 2016 at 05:32

When they visited Walker Bros.on 7th March 1945, they stayed overnight in the Royal Train which was in the sidings nearby. Photo`s of visit are in Old Gallery, Royal Visits.
Extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowsley_Safari_Park
"The park was opened in July 1971 by Edward Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby."
Yesterday I watched on TV `The Two Fat Ladies` who cooked a meal for the keepers at Knowsley Safari Park.

Comment by: Donald Underwood on 1st March 2016 at 10:31

Very interesting to read your comments.I was there waving the flag on Market Street in Miss Shacklady's class at St Catharine's School

Comment by: Johnny on 1st March 2016 at 11:57

Thanks Ernest for your enlightenment!
Footnote: I have visited the safari park and those monkeys can be vicious and destructive...car aerials and wing mirrors are fair game!!

Comment by: Albert. on 1st March 2016 at 12:56

I believe Alexandre's was still trading there into the early fifties, it may have been longer. I bought clothes from their store.

Comment by: Johnny on 1st March 2016 at 19:19

I'm sure Albert, Alexandres was trading in the 60's. I can recall about 4 tailors on Market Place. And I've bought bespoke suits from each. On the never-never, of course!

Comment by: Albert. on 1st March 2016 at 20:52

Johnny. Wasn't another one, "Jackson's the Tailor"?. I'm sure I bought clothes from this store, on the Market Place, many years ago.

Comment by: Johnny on 1st March 2016 at 23:15

You're right Albert!
Jacksons was there. Now lets re-cap...Alexandres, Jacksons, Burton, John Collier (the window to watch).
No excuse for us men about Wigan to look scruffy, eh Albert!
And C&A (Coats &'Ats) at bottom of Standishgate for us overcoats.

Comment by: Albert. on 2nd March 2016 at 10:44

Johnny. I remember one time, when on leave in the mid fifties, I bought a large woolly from Jackson's. I later, in February, spent a leave in Austria, and coming down in the cable car from the mountain, I was leaning with my back to the cable car window. When I came to move, I had frozen to the window. My mates eventually pulled me free, leaving half the woolly on the window.

Comment by: John G on 2nd March 2016 at 11:59

Albert: That's what you call being a genuine woolly back.

Comment by: Vb on 2nd March 2016 at 13:23

You certainly got around Albert on National Service! Did you see Berchtesgaden as well? That's wearing the same wooly from Burtons!!!!!

Comment by: Ernest Pyke on 2nd March 2016 at 14:42

Albert, Johnny; Greenwoods, see:-
http://www.greenwoodsonline.com/about

Comment by: Albert. on 2nd March 2016 at 15:58

Seen the web site Ernest. I won't be going up any more mountains, so no need for any more very thick woollies.
Vb. Although National service was in force all through the fifties, I enlisted, and did five years with the colours, then four years in the reserve. As an enlisted serviceman the pay was better, although not by much.

Comment by: DerekB on 2nd March 2016 at 21:11

Jonny, you overlooked Weaver to Wearer, Peter Pell and the Fifty Shilling Tailors, the last one still sporting that title in the late fifties, when even then you wouldn't get much for £2/10/0d

Comment by: JOHN on 20th August 2020 at 08:25

I was at Woodfield School in 1945 I remember standing in Mesnes Road waving a flag as they went past..

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