WIGAN CO-OP TRAY

I have got a stainless steel tray - it is oval in shape, about 14" long and 10" wide.
It is engraved with the words "WIGAN AND DISTRICT EQUITABLE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY Ltd." and "GENERAL OFFICES AND CENTRAL PREMISES, STANDISHGATE CHRISTMAS, 1909.
There is also the outline of the building including the widow displays and two ladies in long skirts looking into the windows.
Does anyone else have one of these 100 year old trays ?

dennis.how very interesting , coop head office will probally have something in their archives about it ,worth a try

This is the very place you mention Dennis, before demolition..
Co-op head office & Emporium:

Hi ©art©

The Head Office for 'Wigan & District Equitable Co-operatve Society Ltd' was not situated in this building but across the road at 98 Standishgate. (Opposite the Convent).

remember that building used to get my sweets from old Mr Thomas across the road, spanish gold coconut tobbaco and golden nuggets in a bag

is that were iceland is now?

I used to work in the old emporium, I was a driver's mate on a delivery van. We delivered furnishings, wines & spirits and picked up and delivered back shoes left for repair at the Co-op branch shops. .bt. is right, the head office was further up Standishgate and on the opposite side of the road, the large white painted building two doors up from the Griffin pub. The cobblers shop was at the rear of the office. I remember Mr Thomas nicko I used to buy Rasberry Ruffles and Bon Bons from there. Maddy where the emporium was is now the middle of the dual carrigeway of Northway.

Hi ayrefield

What year did you work there? The chap who drove the furniture van when I started working for the Co-op in 1958 was a Bill Topping a grand chap from Orrell. The Boss in the footwesr repair shop was Jim Parr.

It's 42 years since I lived in the U.K. so at times I get a little mixed up in my directions.
But the outline of the Co-op store on my tray, is the store that was on the corner of where you turned right going along Standishgate to go to Central Park - am I right ???

Hello .bt. I worked there from 1968 to around 1971/2. Bill had retired by then, but he did come in now and again to cover when the then driver Norman Critchley was off. I can't remember the names of the cobblers, you would probably remember Harold Brown he was still there when I left, he was in his late sixties then and he had apparently worked there for donkey's years.

dennisd yes, you are right, it was on the corner of Standishgate and Powell Street.

Hi ayrefield

Yes, I do remember Harold Brown and Norman Critchley. Norman went on to work for 'Penningtons' until they closed down. Was Mrs Middlehurst in charge of the wines & Spirits?

I worked for Wigan Co-op for 20 years in the coal department,I was a coal bagger and my round was Standish and Shevington,the department was taken over by Bolton Co-op and that was the end of a very good department,in fact it was the end of the Co-op in Wigan.
I remember Harold Brown he was the caretaker and he stoked the boiler at the general office he lived in Ince I think.

Hello .bt. yes it was Mrs Middlehurst with the beehive, and there was Marion who who worked in the wines and spirits she also made up the orders for delivery. I used to go and have a chat with Norman at Pennington's, but haven't seen him since it closed.

Hello coccium, you are right in saying Bolton ruined the Wigan Co-op, everything went down hill from when they took over, didn't see the complete demise though as I had left by early 1972.

There is a Computing shop in Upton On Severn and they removed a hoarding on the front above the shop to put their name up and there was a ==Glass Plate advertising the shop= The Co-op No 4 so they have left it there on view wonder how old that is

Anybody remember the Co-op Assembly Hall in Dorning St, & the dairy in Dawber St where the BT exchange is now.
A massive hall & stage, problem was, if there was dancing on, you had to dance round iron pillars.
The "Co-op Classes" (remember them?) yearly party was held there, kids from all over Wigan & District

co-op's registered office was at 98 standishgate .

Hello ayrefield I remember Harold Brown his wife Ada worked with my Mother He was in Whelley hospital many years ago & I spoke to him when I was visiting a relation,Norman & his wife are neighbours of my Mothers if you wish I could pass a message to him.

Hello cindy, the last time I saw Harold was in the residential home at the top of Bird Street, Clarington House I think, this would have been in the late eighties or early 1990's he still looked very much the same though, and still hanging around the women of course. You can say hello to Norman for me if you wish, just say ..... sends his regards and hope he and his family are keeping okay. Thanks cindy.

Hi all,
Does any body remember an Edward Baron who worked for the Wigan Co-op Society he retired in 1957 he was married to my grt aunt Amy Fox.

Dunno' his first name, but there was a Baron, manager at SLG Co-Op in the 40's/50's, where I used to pick the "rations" up..

I have a Tea Spoon with the words, 'Lace &co. Wigan' on it.

This is the shop of Lace & Co Market Place Wigan, gwim

OOOO....Cheers, Ayrefield.