Wigan Album

I remember it like this. Is that Tickle's shop on the left? Tom Whalley had his pet shop in The Wiend before he moved to the place just off Millgate. These photos are brilliant, Michael. Thankyou.

I loved going in Tickles shop. It was like going into a treasure trove and only Mr Tickle knew where everything was. So sad that places like that are no more. Everything these days has to be packaged in plastic and card. You can't have a good old rummage.
Thank you Michael

Remember my Dad going in the barbers BRYLCREEM and all.

This is now on Wigan Nostalgia.

The Wiend, a narrow street reminds me of the Shambles in York.

The Invalid Carriages would have been those little covered light blue boxes that looked like Thunderbird 4 .

I remember the invalid carriages in Scholes with old soldiers from the first WW in them. They did take up quite a lot of room. There’s old photos of the Market Square where you can see some of them lined up. It must have been for an anniversary or a visit from Royalty I think.

thought tom whalleys pet shop was in millgate on the hill facing the old civiv centre used to call there after the baths then chippy

Good old days,I believe Tom Whaley used to be in the weird but like you I only remember him being where you stated..it was a little side road named 'Burro's broo' if that is the correct spelling..I went in there nearly every day just to see the animals and my children bought me a Persian kitten from there..the parents of the kitten always used to be sat on the counter.

Tom Whalley's was in The Wiend at one time but he did move to Millgate although it was actually a little opening just OFF Millgate. A schoolfriend of mine had a Saturday job there.

Michael, great photo, just as I remember it. In my long running search for a photo of my nans shop on Millgate (next door to the Woolpack inn), your dad didn’t take any photos of the top of Millgate did he?
The shop was demolished to make way for the Civic Centre.

Michael, great photo, just as I remember it. In my long running search for a photo of my nans shop on Millgate (next door to the Woolpack inn), your dad didn’t take any photos of the top of Millgate did he?
The shop was demolished to make way for the Civic Centre.

not sure about that irene sure it was in millgate then moved again down that alley between chippy un salvation army i think it was called

To help date the photo, the bus in the Market Place a the bottom of The Wiend is one of the Leyland Panthers delivered to Wigan Corporation in 1970.

Graham and Gordon, thankyou. I hadn't realised the pet shop had actually been situated in Millgate itself at one time; I honestly thought it was always in the little alley OFF Millgate. I am happy to stand corrected.

Tom Whalley's pet shop was definitely in Wallgate in the late 1960s/early 1970s. It was a double-fronted shop. I vividly remember Tom keeping a Puma in the shop which he walked on a lead in Millgate. Does anyone else remember seeing this? I wish I had a picture! I went into the shop many times with my dad, as he and Tom were best friends...Tom was best man at my mum and dad's wedding in 1953. We lived in Higher Ince and dad had a dance band (The Embassy Players, picture can be found in Wigan Album Dance Bands) playing in and around Wigan. They were the resident band at The Brocket Arms. We moved to Wales in 1973. Dad is now a very healthy 95 yrs young and still playing his beloved piano. I think he lost touch with Tom and his family.

I attended All Saints school in Frog Lane, left in December 1954. I lived in Orrell and would catch the number 7 bus for Abbey Lakes by the entrants to Wiend and used the Barbers Shop in the Wiend. He had a picture of Marilyn Monroe on the rear wall which could be viewed via the mirror when sat in chair having your usual trim and cut. An apprenticeship at De Havillands followed and a transfer to there aircraft div. in Christchurch following a move to the South Coast in late 57, turn out for vets. Rugby at local club and at Sandbanks beach during the summer, an allotment and some cycling around East Dorset fill the rest of my time grand parents lived in Ince and Pemberton,Fond memories of Wigan and its surrounding area.

I only remember Tom Whalley’s pet shop being in the Wiend and later off Millgate.I did not go down Wallgate very often.

dont remember it being in wallgate julie just pubs un who be doo,s

think you mean millgate julie why would he have a shop in wallgate and walk is pussey cat in millgate lol

Hi Graham,
as for now the photos posted are the only ones I have - except two or three no-one seems to recognize. I will try and find more at my mom's house. Maybe there is an old album somewhere... These I found in a paper bag, not in an album - so either they're just outtakes or the only ones that were then discarded. I took them many years ago as I didn't want to scrap historical documents. And I see that this was the right decision, although at the time I didn't really know what to do with them...

Thank you for correcting me 'good old days' ...no idea why I typed Wallgate, definitely meant Millgate.

I remember Tom Whalley's pet shop. At one time, in the early 60's he had a little monkey in a cage, hanging outside. I remember this well because as a young, and daft, teenager I went to stroke it and the darned critter bit me ! It hurt too !