Wigan Album
Market place Wigan
4 Comments
Photo: Cyril
Item #: 24175
Below is from an internet search of the company.
The company was established as E Wrench in 1900 at 20 Haymarket, London, and soon moved to Arthur Street, London. The company became E Wrench Ltd in 1902 It held a large percentage of the postcard market in the early 1900s but ran into trouble through exclusively selling its own cards. The company became Wrench Postcards in 1904 but soon ran into difficulties and closed (I have read 'in 1904' and 'in 1906' from different sources). The company's problems were caused by exclusively carrying their own products in their many shops.
a coloured version of this post card is already on the site.
Cyril; Extract from Wikipedia:-
"Wigan Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Wigan between 1901 and 1931.
A horse tramway was built in 1880 by Wigan Corporation and leased to a succession of private companies. Services ran to Pemberton, Aspull and towards Standish.
Steam tram operation was also introduced, but by 1901 the Corporation took control of operations and electrified the services.
One year later, in 1902, the Corporation took over the steam tramway routes operated by the Wigan and District Tramways Company and converted these to electric power."
There are only tramlines in this photo, so it was taken before the service was electrified
Wiganers there again...does it matter?
Cyril / Ernest, very interesting information regarding the post card manufacturer and the trams. Thankyou.
There is a part of this picture framed on the wall in 'Spoons' It puts the date as 1903 but the photo was quite likely taken well before that and the post card was published.
Wallace's (Boot Maker) is on the corner of Coopers Row - Now Max Spielmann's.
J.M. Hall - Now Galloway's on the opposite corner with the Kings Head Inn above (Entrance was from Coopers row with the door still there given as 17a). That large bay window on the first floor has since been replaced with a smaller bay including another bay window above.
Next door to that is Craddock's - Now Ladbrokes Betting shop.
I would love to know who owned the carriage and horse, the coachman is wearing a top hat so I imagine it was a person of wealth or importance.