Wigan Album

I am intrigued by the licence Nos. My father had a
Standard 9 Reg No JP 639 and then a Morris 8 JP 1751
both registered definately later than 1932.

As mentioned in earlier comments,relating to Mesnes Park. Were those well designed gates,and railings taken away in the early 40s to assist with the war effort?. I expect they were. I only have recollections about the Mesnes Park situation. Wigan Borough had, when they were a vehicle registration agency, for the purpose of vehicle regitration, the letters J.P. and E.K. The officers' in the photograph were twenty five years before my service, in the Wigan Borough Police, and must have been in retirement a few years by then.

The mesnes park railings were taken in the early forties for the War Effort. As to the registrations The Wigan registration as EK up to about 1930 and then JP. As a young boy collecting registrations I remember the pre war reg up to JP 4000+ and the first new vehicles after the war being JP 5000+

These are Haigh Hall Railings.

Sorry if I got people mixed up A B. I was making reference to the gate, and railings, shown on this photograph. What is the building depicted in the background?.

The gates are still there aren't they? The building behind may be The Hollies, but other folks on here may know better than me. As regards iron railings being used for the war effort, many people now think that they were dumped at sea. It was just a ruse to make folks feel better.

Albert
Probably the Hollies Prep School. Part of the Standishgate Convent.

Plantation Gates 1936 Police Car Photo.

The photo is 1936 to show the replacement Police Cars for the original two, an Alvis being one being delivered in 1931, followed by the second in 1932.

Both these Police Cars in the above photographs are Ford V8’s.

- JP1576 is a 1935 Ford V8 D.M. Foursome Drophead Coupe (D.M. – Dagenham Motors Ltd coachwork.). Cost was £415. One of 616 1935 V8s’ built as Saloons, Estates, Convertibles or Roadsters at Dagenham between June and November 1935.

- JP1824 is a 1936 Ford V8 (Model 60) Convertible Coupe version by D.M. One of 2,807 built throughout 1936 V8 Saloons and Convertibles made at Dagenham.

I may also add, that the Police Sergeant on the left side is Sergeant Foster.

PC James Hargreaves (3rd from the left) entered the Motor Patrol Section in 1932 which was formed in 1930/1931. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1938. Finally to Inspector - Traffic in 1947 until his retirement the year I was born in 1954 after 30 official years service.

Chris,is Sergeant Foster Paul Foster.if so I have a letter that he sent to my Dad for stopping a horse in King Street in 1948 and he's buried only four graves away from my Dad.

JP & EK were Wigan CBC letters

Maureen, I think the Paul Foster you refer to was Chief Constable of Wigan Borough Police during the forties and early fifties, when my father was on the force. I seem to recall that Paul Foster died in the late fifties.

Certainly looks like Paul Foster who was later Chief Constable.
There is another photo of him as a Wigan Borough Sergeant here, standing 3rd left back row: http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=3&id=20657&gallery=Police&offset=20

Chris. You may be aware of this already. P.S. Foster is also on a group photograph,(Work)(Police) page 2.

Thank you Chris.

Pardon me,slapped hands are in order,thank you Derek..

Yes, agree with the above about Paul Foster.

On promotion of Paul Foster, he was Inspector July 1938 – 1943, Superintendent from 1943 to Early June 1946. From 13th June 1946 became Chief Constable following 47 applications, shortlisted to 6 for the post. He was Chief Constable until he passed away in 1957 while still holding the C.C. post.

A conundrum exists for me about the period in 1946/1947. I have in my possession papers of my Grandfather’s, Sergeant Hargreaves, addressed to the Wigan Watch Committee, applying from Sergeant to Superintendent in late August/September 1946, obviously Paul Foster’s old position. He was awarded Inspector – Traffic. The date in the family for my Grandfather’s promotion to Inspector has always been 1947.

Yet I have here a picture of my newly promoted Grandfather in his Inspector’s uniform stood with Paul Foster in what looks like a Superintendent’s uniform on a late summer’s day.

Given my Grandfather’s application to the Watch Committee was the early September 1946 meeting, I’ve always assumed the photograph is October 1946 by the sun shadows indicating the sun was still high in the sky. Paul Foster must have not immediately got his new Chief Constable uniform after taking office. The reason I say this is because Paul Foster’s uniform looks well worn and akin to an Inspector’s rank like my Grandfather’s new uniform that day. So 1946 & 1947 from above don’t add up.

Paul Fosters son, was a teacher at St. Thomas more school in the fifties.The first vehicle registered JP 1 was a Armstrong Sidelly car in the thirties.There is photograph in the book Images of Wigan.

Re the comments by Mr Chris Gaskell,who is a friend of mine, sorry to say, he passed away suddenly a week ago.

If this is the Paul Foster i think it is, this is my Great Grandfather, he was chief constable, and my Grandad taught at St Thomas Moore, like you said, so he must be the right guy!

Who was the last chief constable of Wigan Borough in 1968/69