Wigan Album

I remember getting my Brownie outfit from Oliver Somers, and I'm sure many Wigan children wondered how Father Christmas managed to get a bike from there down their chimney! I imagine The Corset Shop would have been called "Foundation Garments" in another town, but we say it how it is in Wigan!

The pub on the corner used to have a sign on the wall saying "Get Youngers here". As a little girl I always thought it meant that you could really become younger in age and wondered how that happened!
DotM.

DotM - That pub on the corner was the famous Market Tavern, well known to many of us teenagers (esp WGS 6th Formers)in the 1960s. Three of the many things I remember about the Market is 1) alcohol wasn't the only "substance" on sale in there - although of course I did not indulge in any of that. 2) The clientele was incredibly mixed - hippies, schoolys , ex miners, office workers etc to an extent that you just don't see in modern pubs especially in Town centres and
3) The amount of dominoes payed again by veryone of the above groups. I seem to recall that you got a big wooden tray to put on the table top ?.

I Know the landlord was very well known but as I left Wigan in 1970 Ive forgotten it. A sad day when the market tavern and much of that area was redevloped for the anodyne new market. PS does anyone remember Baileys Scotch bakers and their wonderful potato pies - and yes I mean potato pies not meat and potat, though these were very good as well?

Carolaen - the landlord was Colin Cook. Used to be my regular lunchtime port of call, for a pie, and a couple of pints of IPA.

Mick. My mother in law worked for Colin Cooke. A real lady. There are a few of them on W.W.A. Go to work, and click onto the first entry, at the top.

Mick - Thanks, Colin Cook was the man. seems like only yesterday when i was in there. As an aside there wonderful graphic novel "Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes" by Bryan and Mary Talbot. The Market tavern and indeed other scenes of Wigan in the 1960s are wonderfully displayed. Bryan was one of those WGS 6th formers I referred to above and I spent many happy hours with him and other mates in various pubs and the Mesnes park cafe. Bryan is internationally famous and is one of the UKs foremost graphic artists and his work is well worth looking at - he has a fantastic website.

Carolean, I remember Bailey's Bakery well, used to go there on a Saturday. I never went in the Market pub very much myself, my Dad used to go in there a lot at one time.

Was a reg in the market in1964'few pints,then up tt room at the top, great days

Carolean, Peter Baillie of " Baillies Scotch Bakery" is 82 and Farms with his two sons in Mawdesley

AB if you see him see if he will tells us the recipes for his potato pies. They were magnificent. I think they had plenty of onion (and or chives) and cheese in them because they were very savoury and also seemed to ooze butter from the hole in the pastry lid, Funny how some things from nearly 50 years ago evoke such strong memories.
BTW I am very far from being a vegetarian but these pies were the best I have ever eaten.

I think there's a photograph of Colin Cooke on this site.