Wigan Album

great photo Ron
no need for roller shutters or alarms back then
where exactly was this shop on Darly?

The address I have is 119 Darlington St East. By 1930 they had four shops; Market Veranda, 18 Darlington St. 22 Makinson Arcade and the original shop at 119 Darlington St.East.

Are Highams still in business in Wigan? I'm pretty sure Florence (Flo) Higham lived in Bridgeman Terrace in later life. I also remember Gerry Higham and his wife Kathlees, who lived on Spring Bank, Newtown, with their children Edith, Cathy and Virginia. One of Gerry's brothers, Dougie Higham, won a DFC or something similar in the War.

Yes, they are still there, near the park. I think the address is Mesnes Terrace. The shop in Makinson Arcade closed some years ago, though; that was handy, being in the centre of Wigan.

Highams also had a forist shop opposite Wallgate Railway Station. Bought my wife twenty one red roses there when she was twenty one,many years ago.I do believe, Police Sergeant Don Black, was marrid to one of the Higham daughters. I took over his number(118)when he was promoted sergeant.

I was friendly with Christine and Julie Higham, they lived in Newtown, their mother had a hairdressers called MADAME NEWTON.

Love the adverts for Chef Peas (just boil)!

hahaah madam newton, that takes me back. I 54 and i remember my mum going there for her hair done every sataday.If im right it was at the bottom of millgate ( were stables brasserie is noe , up some stairs ) .Then they moved to a little shop in an alley that ran from the market to standishgate ... oh what was the name of that alley?near bhs

I thought Madam Newton (Ethel Higham, to give her her real name) had her salon in the upstairs of a house on Spring Bank in Newtown.

She was a rather eccentric woman, to say the least. A good pianist, she was a poor advertisement for her own profession, being quite bald under the wig she habitually wore.

In later years she lived in Little Lane, I think - though I may be wrong about this.

Madame Newton's salon was above the house in Newtown, her daughters Christine and Julie were 2 attractive girls. Apparently their dad, who died fairly young, was the double of Terry Thomas. Does anyone know what happened to the girls, I know that Christine had a flower shop in Warrington.

Michael - I think you are right about Madam Newton's shop being on Spring Bank.
'Hair by Madam Newton' used to be a catchphrase if a woman had splashed out on her appearance for a special event.
In her later years, she lived in Tansley Square off Tunstall Lane, Pemberton, but growing increasingly infirm, she went to live in a nursing home in Southport, near one of her daughters. She died in the early 1990s if I remember rightly.

Re. Madam Newton. Her advert in the Wigan Observer always had the message Kindly bring own towels!

I am pretty sure that my parents were good friends with Gerry and Kathleen Higham. I will check with my sister who remembers these things better than I do but I think they were good friends. Cheers!!!

Betty, was it Hawarden's Yard that ran down the side of bhs?

Irene - the alley down the side of BHS was Little Hope Street.
I think Kane's Textiles might have later occupied the shop Betty refers to, but I always remember Madam Newton's business being in the Spring Bank/Carnegie Library area of Pemberton.

Mick Madame Newton's hairdressing salon was definitely to the left of the Carnegie Library, been to the house many times - not to have my hair done.

Thankyou, Mick. Was there a shop down that ally in the sixties called Lizzie Lastics, selling haberdashery?

Irene - not sure about the 'Lastics' shop. I think a business like that may have taken over the Kane's shop, but I think it was in the early 80s when they closed.
Henry7 - yes, I remember the house in question was in Ellesmere Road, and stood unused for quite a while in the late 1970s, with the hairdryers still in situ, in the front room.

I have been informed by my sister Jo that my parents, Dorothy and Arthur Hayes were very good friends with Gerry and Kathleen Higham. Thanks Jo cheers!!

Yes Madame Newton's was near the Carnegie library, and Gerry and Kathleen lived on the corner of bank street a little bit further down, next door to Douglas Higham. Gerry died in 1995 but Kathleen is still alive and lives in Newburgh. with her daughter.

Hi Wigan World,

Thank you for giving more insight into my family than I know. I live in Australia and I am the son of Julie Higham mother Ethel Higham and my Grandad Dougie who strangely I have never met. I was born 1971 and Dougie died 1986. I used to clean Ethel house when she was not in a good place under 10. Can anyone let me know who John Higham is was Dougie married before Ethel ? Many thanks Wigan