Wigan Album

Wow! What a fascinating photo, and the muted, not-over-bright colourisation really brings it to life. So many people then would have put their faith in the herbalist, buying "a penn'orth o' this" or "tuppence- worth o' yon" because they couldn't afford to send for the doctor.

This shop would have been competition for the other Bolton’s Herbalist in Scholes. I don’t remember the shop and not a clue whereabouts it was in Greenough St. I wonder if there was a link between the shops. Great photo.

Nice work again Keith, these colourisations you create bring things to life.
Didn’t Bolton’s have a shop in Scholes just up from Scholes Crossing near to the Golden Fleece?

Thank you for those kind comments, nice to see your approvals, thank you. I’m never sure, but always interested, in seeing results, they vary a lot but I know that Frank Orrell's photos always seem to work well.

George Bolton in 1939
1939 Register
59 Scholes, Wigan, Wigan C.B., Lancashire, England George Bolton 12 Jul 1879 Male Drug Store Proprietor & Qualified Dispenser Married
Martha Bolton 22 Aug 1879 Female Domestic Duties Married
Gertrude Bolton 06 Jan 1903 Female Shop Assistant Drug Shore Single 1
Lillian Bolton 05 Nov 1908 Female Railway Wagon Builders & Repairer Shorthand Typist Single

When Ron first posted this in 2015 I made the following comment

"Talking of herbalists. There used to be one on Darlington Street just over the river bridge past the Pepper Mills as you go to the town centre. I can remember going in there with my Dad in the early 1960's,and him buying herbs to flavour home mad wine which was one of his hobbies at the time. Anyone remember what the shop was called. It was almost opposite Sovereign Road. I also remember one of the first Indian restaurants in Wigan being there but can't remember the name (45 years since I left Wigan)."

somebody called Loz remembered the Indian restaurant was called the Koh i noor and I replied

"Loz. Thanks yes I'm sure it was the Kohinoor. Does anyone also remember a pet shop (it also sold fishing tackle) just further down Darlington Street. The owner used to have a Mynah bird that was a fantastic talker. If memory serves me right he would leave the bird in its cage ouside during opening our and bring it in at night. If we were passing when the shop was shut we would push open the letter box on the door and talk to the Mynah bird."

Nice to get memories of posting now 9 years on !!

I notice “Dexter’s Key West Cigars” are selling at one shilling for 7, that’s approx £5 in today’s currency.

Veronica, I’ve checked the geo referenced maps with their multitude of options. On their "Great Britain OS 1:2,500 A ed., 1948-1973" selection they actually have house/shop numbers and 101 Greenough Street is listed. It appears as you walk down Powell Street towards Greenough Street, and it’s the very first building on the left, a little after you have gone past the Central Labour Club (later Rileys and later still a Sports Bar and Grill) and after you’ve crossed the bridge over the River Douglas. Central Park was directly behind it. Hope that helps.

Thank you Keith I wouldn’t have thought the shop was so far down Greenough St.
it’s great that it can be seen on the other photo. I wonder what relation the man in the doorway was to the man in Bolton’s Scholes. Or is it the same man?! I know he wore glasses and he seemed old to me. Perhaps that was because I was so young!

Carolaen..I think the pet shop you’re referring to was eventually taken over by Mary and Danny Collins..I bought my tortoise there (I love tortoises) Danny was Irish and sold quite a few animals although the space was restricted in the shop..they were a lovely couple..
I would love a toot in a herbalists..there used to be a good one in Mesnes St..he sold me a bottle for my Trigeminal Neuralgia..cured at last and I believe he was a twin…he did all his own mixtures ..all I can say is he was my saviour from the most intense pain I was going through.

Maureen I think the shop you mention was Arrandales . I used to go there for SlipperyElm Food. My dad had a ‘dickey tummy’! He never went to the Doctor’s he had no faith in them but swore for the Herbalists. He kept all the potions in the pantry in the back kitchen. He even brewed ‘ herb beer’. The tops used to make a popping sound when the beer was ready. It just tasted like pop an all!

Veronica,I used to brew my own wine,that sound of popping with wine was when it was about half way turning into wine..a lovely sound, I keep saying I’ll start again,but then again I keep saying the same about painting..think I’m getting lazy.

Maureen, when you've brewed some wine, please invite Veronica, Elizabeth, Neil and myself round for a glass (or twelve) and we'll tell ghost stories like we used to! (My son and granddaughter saw one recently.....they both saw it at the same time so it wasn't a figment of the imagination!).

Irene,there is a thread on WW started by Tonker..mollie m has put a couple on and Ive put my pennyworth on,a couple of them are quite lengthy but I don’t think I told you about these when we were at Neil’s..I hope you can get to read them…getting back to bottling wine I have been thinking of starting again..the only snag is when I did decide to stop.brewing it I put it out on WW and someone came for the lot..that meant all the bottles ..additives..books etc ..I have really regretted it since..but my banana wine ,sultana and any fruit wine was delicious..I could just see us sat with a little? glass full…what say you.

I find the picture curious
101 Greenough Street was Tickle'a in the 30s and 40s
I have vivid memories of Bolton's in Scholes,However

I think we all remember the famous Bolton’s Herbalist with the fancy glass cases in the shop. I used to love looking at the contents full of scent bottles such as ‘Evening in Paris’ and perfumed soaps and talcs. Plus I think we all loved the hot Vimeo which I think was threepence a glass.

I would love to smell the original "Evening In Paris", Veronica. I have seen the little blue bottles , (sadly empty!), for sale on ebay. I can'r remember whether I ever smelt it! I believe it was made by Bourjois and you could buy it in Woolworths as well as in Chemists.

Pardon the pun Irene if only we could have bottled the smell..! I remember it was a small dark blue bottle. There was another scent called Jasmine in a little brown bottle.

There was also a tiny little red bottle with a “gold” coloured screw top called White Fire..it had a lovely perfume..when I worked at Whelley Hospital long before I got a car I would walk there and at the very top just before Bradshaw Street was a Chemist that sold this perfume,so I would pop into the Chemist for this lovely perfume..one day I couldn’t wait and dabbed a bit behind my ears..later on putting the patients to bed ..his name was Jimmy and he said “Maureen you smell ruddy lovely”…isn’t it strange the things that stick in your mind..I’ve looked for this perfume but can’t find it anywhere.

Believe it or not I’ve just found white fire perfume..the ad wasn’t there the last time I looked.

I remember buying Evening in Paris perfume way back in the fifties from Woolworths..there was only one word for it. “Gorgeous “.

I remember buying Evening in Paris perfume way back in the fifties from Woolworths..there was only one word for it. “Gorgeous “.