Wigan Album

Ron, that's two superb images of a job long gone, I do remember the iron gas lamps, but they had by then been converted to electric, before then being replaced with concrete. Though I do remember going to a house when I worked at Wigan Co-op in the late 1960s, which was still lit by gas and mantles and the street too was still lit by gas, and you could also smell it with the gas catching the back of your throat, I just cannot remember where that street was, though it was a terraced row and difficult to get to, similar to how Kays Houses were.

Strange how even now folks still refer to them as gas lamps, rather than light columns.

I remember the lamplighter cycling up Ince Green Lane, Ince, lighting the lamps with a long pole when I was a child. I imagine the lamps were electric by then but we always called them "gas-lamps". They were much lower than the street-lamps of today, and shed a softer light, and the stars beyond them looked closer than they do today. Years ago there was a prequel to Last of The Summer Wine.....it was called First of the Summer Wine and was set in 1939. It showed what I thought was a film-set of a cinema called The Hyde Park Picture House. We found out from some friends in Leeds that the cinema actually exists and still shows films so we went to take photos of the building. Luckily, a lady who works there was just going in and invited us to look round inside, and we were amazed to find it is still lit by gas!

My Welsh Grt Grandfather Thomas Morgan did that job after retiring from the pit. This would have been in the early 1900’s

The last working gas lamps I remember in Hindley were down Mill Lane near to the bridge across the brook in the 60’s

There was a gas lamp on the corner, outside Holland Moor school & I can remember the lamplighter coming along on his bicycle with a long pole, he never got off his bike to light the lamp. All the kids used to hang around the lampost as the nights were drawing in.

There is a picture shop on Lord Street in Southport with pictures like that in black and white, I have one, they are beautiful.

There was a most impressive gas lamp at the corner of Caunce Street
and Platt Lane.It was a gathering place for local youngsters in the late Thirties.It was outside Walter Atherton's grocer's shop

There was another gas lamp in Hardybutts in the middle of the cross roads at the bottom of John St, Wellington St and Cambridge St. The old men used to sit on the base around it. I can vaguely remember it. The memory came rushing back when I saw an old photo of it.

The man is Stanley Grindley. Barry's dad.

There is a picture somewhere on this forum of the gas lamps being replaced by the first wave of concrete Stanton columns in the 1950s that were lit by electricity.

A few of these concrete columns from this era were still found in various locations across Wigan up until around 2015, before the Council went through a mass project of removing the surviving lamps in favour of the eco friendly LED aluminium columns that now dominate all roads and side streets across the borough.

I do think there is something very endearing about these old gas lamps. I personally liked the 'swan necked' columns that where once quite common around Aspull & New Springs.

CJ

I lived in Sydney St Platt Bridge the gas lamp on the corner was a great source of fun swinging from the ladder rest

Donald, the grocers you mention in your post, did it become Bootle's grocers later??

Edna.I cannot help you

I can tell you that before Walter Atherton it was owned by John Bradshaw
Both of them,in their day,Conservative councillors for St Catharine's ward.
My connection with Caunce Street ended in the 1960s and in fact I was away from Wigan a lot after 1951


There was a house shop on the opposite corner of Caunce Street owned by Sally Fish.Another grocer at the corner of Neville Street & Linney Street was Walter Derbyshire'sOthers nearby in Scholes were Bob Latham"s and Gee's Across from them Phythian's No need for supermarkets and plenty of competition

Thank you Donald, I do remember Bob Latham, and I also remember a Mr & Mrs Bootle in a grocers shop on the corner of Caunce St. Platt Lane end.

Edna. They did for my Caunce Street When they demolished Number29,where I was Born'Walter Atherton died in 1952
He arrived daily from Gathurst in bowler hat and a rosebud in his buttonhole

Any one remember the Knockerup ?

I remember the knocker up across the road
"I want to hear thy feet on th" oilcloth and when Wilfred Pickles visited Wigan for his wireless programme he interviewed a woman knocker up "you'll not meet many folk at that hour"
"only railwaymen, midwives and bobbies" her reply