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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

HARTLEY STREET

12 Comments

WIGAN'S BOMB DAMAGE 1918
WIGAN'S BOMB DAMAGE 1918
Photo: Keith Bowen
Views: 4,819
Item #: 12570
This photo shows some of the damage caused by a Zeppelin raid on April 12th 1918 in Hartley Street. My great grandparents were living there at the time and they escaped with minor injuries as their windows were blown out and the flying glass killed the family dog. Far less fortunate were neighbours Mr Tomlinson, a gas fitter, and his wife who were killed. A total of 17 bombs were dropped in Wigan and seven Wiganers killed. The Zeppelin was off course, its target was Liverpool but the cloudy and misty conditions probably confused its Commander, Kurt Elricht, he was close but not close enough.

Comment by: roy sturgeon on 21st November 2009 at 19:19

you learn someting every day

Comment by: Dave on 21st November 2009 at 23:29

Was it Harper or Hartley st?
thanks for the photo, its great to have snippets like this

Comment by: B.B on 22nd November 2009 at 00:38

The Zeppelin was trying to hit the huge Kirkless foundry at New Springs - the path of it's bombs were in line with it anyhow....

Comment by: Keith Bowen on 22nd November 2009 at 11:23

Apologies for my typo, you're quite right it is HARPER STREET not Hartley.
I'll post a map of the line the bombs took through Wigan, the first landed at Preston Street near Britannia Bridge and the last near the Crown Hotel at New Springs.

Comment by: Gareth on 22nd November 2009 at 12:54

Makes ya think that somewere in Germany, maps were being looked at and places like Wigan and New Springs were being discussed between the high ranks of the Nazi regime.

Saw that they knew everything, from the depths and lengths of our rivers to our roads.

Comment by: Eric Turner on 22nd November 2009 at 14:19

Kapitan-leutnant Herbert Ehrlich of the Imperial German Naval Airship Service was in charge of Zepplin L61. He dropped bombs on Wigan because he thought he was over Sheffield. He had seen the glare from the furnaces at Wigan Coal & Iron Co. as they were being recharged and they had no real navigation aids then. Strangely enough, I was telling a new intake of ATC Cadets in Wigan on Friday night about this and none of the 17 boys & girls had heard of this raid. E.T.

Comment by: Eric Turner on 22nd November 2009 at 14:47

Gareth, This Zeppelin raid was in 1918, maps in darkness did not help much and there was no Nazi regime. E.T.

Comment by: Mick on 22nd November 2009 at 14:53

Wrong war I'm afraid, Gareth.
This took place in the 'Kaiser's War.'

Comment by: Keith Bowen on 22nd November 2009 at 15:38

That may have been true of the Second World War Gareth but accurate navigation and bombing were difficult in WW1. There were 5 Zeppelins that were ordered to bomb "Middle England", their actual target was Liverpool. Despite the poor weather this Zeppelin probably spotted the glare from "Top Place's" six blast furnaces and the commander thought he had bombed Sheffield. No warning was given to the people in Wigan unlike at the Brunner works (later ICI) at Northwich which the ship had passed over earlier when a "zepp warning hooter" was sounded.

Comment by: Gareth on 23rd November 2009 at 15:42

My sincere apologies, and embarrasment at my mistake.
I enjoy things like this about Wigan and particularly Wigan Coal and Iron company as my grandmother was head-cook.
Sorry again!...I think I'll go brushing up on my history now.

Comment by: watchalot on 8th August 2011 at 20:42

it says hartley st/it is harper st or hartley avenue hartley st dosn't exist

Comment by: john farrell on 4th March 2015 at 20:30

it was Harper Street No. 1 to 9 that was taken out by the explosion. they are now gardens for the DSE residents. i did a full renovation of my house which faces Harper Street and it bears the marks off the explosion on the internal walls cracked the bricks internally but since been covered over.

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