Wigan Album

I wonder what they were queuing for ?
Something about Premium Bonds on the notice on the window.
You have done it again with the colouring Keith.

Most of them Helen are queuing for the Post Office opening for their dole and pensions money. A commonly sight all over the Country many years ago, now it's paid directly in to bank accounts.
Beautiful colour work and a great photo of our time in History.

Sorry I hope I didn't sound disrespectful with my comment. Other people maybe buying stamps or collecting payments for other people. Or indeed posting a parcel.

The National sign on the wall at the end building was Andertons bike shop, they also had a milk round, sold paraffin and petrol. The aroma as you walked through the door was great....tyres,
paraffin and bike parts all combined was a unique smell.

I imagine some of the older ones are queuing up for their pension. Where I live the queue was very long on a Monday morning. Thank God we don’t have to do that these days. Nicely coloured
Photo. The young man is quite good looking.

Helen, the queue at the Post Office had always formed before the 9am opening time, especially in the days when pensions and allowances were paid over the counter in cash rather than directly into bank accounts. I remember Higher Ince Post Office well and I think the lady in the grey pac-a-mac standing underneath the "National" sign is Mrs. Ethel Taylor from George Street. The Taylors lived round the corner from us and were a lovely family. I recognise the man right at the front of the queue but can't remember his name. I still carry a wicker shopping basket like the two ladies in the queue!

The young man you're referring to Veronica was Johnny Sherburn who lived on Grasmere Avenue, Hr Ince, he sadly passed away some years ago.

I remember Christine Blinkhorn working there in the 60/70s.

In the other two monochrome shots by Frank Orrell on the album , the chap leaning against the door jamb according to many is Ronnie Smith .

I can’t be 100% certain , but if it’s the same bloke I’m thinking of , he used to do voluntary work at the Sally Army , before moving on to Queen’s Hall .

He once told me that as a child , he and his family lived and earned their living as bargees on the L&L canal , and I had no valid reason to disbelieve the lad .

That is sad Alan. He reminded me of the young actor in the series ‘Poldark’ a couple of years ago.

The chap leaning on the Wall your referring to Ozy lived on Kendal Rd, Hr Ince. I don't know his name, but know of him around Ince at that time. He was always on foot.

As I stated previously Alan , I’m not entirely certain that it’s the same bloke that I knew , and I never knew where he lived either , but his name was Ronnie .

The last time I saw him was a good few years ago , and at that time he was living in sheltered accommodation at the bottom of St. David’s in Aspull .

I don’t know if he’s still around or not , but somebody might know .

The bloke was o.k. though , and thats all I know , or needed to know .

Referring to the original photo by Frank Orrell, to whom all the credit is due for this excellent photo (all I’ve done is to press the right buttons for the computer to do the rest). In that post, for what it’s worth, Roy Bamber and George Hilton both confirm the first man in the queue is Ronnie Smith. Only one contradiction, while I have Johnny Sherburn as the man in the portrait, “Lonewolf57” has him as the late John Sherwood, who he says, was murdered in Lower Ince in 1982.

None of these shops are here now....like most places, only junkfood shops about.