Wigan Album

Woolworths, the Ritz are clearly visible. I recall a furniture shop called John Peters also.
I've walked hundreds of times down there to the Emp' then Casino. happy days!

They knocked our beautiful buildings down for the grand arcade, they should have got 25 years behind bars.

I remember Oxley's store. I think it had one of those overhead systems where your money for purchases was sent along to a cashier, and your change came whizzing back the other way.

Before it was Oxleys it was Pooles if I remember rightly.

Lots of memories, strange to see it without the buses though.

Yes, John, it was Poole's, (not to be confused with the pie-shop). "Poole's Central Warehouse", I believe. My Mam always called it Poole's, even when it was Oxley's. It was a department store, but not as posh as Lowe's or Pendlebury's. I certainly remember going in as a child.

Is that a bobby on the beat, on the right hand side? It appears very quiet, probably taken on a Sunday.

I used to love this area of Wigan,I worked just around the corner facing the Ritz when I was sixteen,going into Oxleys was as I remember an eye opener..for some strange reason I dream quite often about going in and looking around,but the place I miss the most is Tom Whalleys pet shop..all gone for the Grand Arcade, a place I've been in
once,and don't care if I never go in again..it's all about retail..all the character has vanished..but that's only my opinion.

Thanks Irene, yes we bought our dining table at Pooles about 45 years ago and it's still almost as good as new.

In the 1960s I always knew the road on Millgate to be cobbled, on the left of the road was the Ship inn, the Salvation Army then the Chippy (great) Tom Whalley's pet shop at that time were a little further up on the right, going towards the Baths. The Army and Navy store were opposite the Salvation Army. Irene, was spot on with Brian's unknown photo of the Walking day, when she stated,"on the left would have captured Woolworth's"...and there it is!

That's Station Road, not Millgate

Albert, it is a Bobby next to the Post Box, and yes taken Sunday afternoon. Remember, at that time in the 60s, all major shops were closed, you were lucky to see a chippy open apart from the odd Chinese. A vast differents to today.

Correct Bob, but the point of this photo is to compare it to Brian's unknown walking day photo.

BOB's right.

Do you remember the newspaper seller on the corner at Odell,s he alway,s had a cigarette in his mouth about a quarter inch long.

Yes, it is Station Road. Millgate goes off to the right. I knew that; just wasn't thinking.

The newspaper seller who shout out Wigan Observvvvvveeeeeerrrrrr! Another was next to Wallgate station too.

This photo could well be late 1950s. The Ritz is showing Night of the Demon that was release in 1957, starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacGinnis.

Irene, I too remember Oxley's, it was an old fashioned sort of place rather dark inside and a bit of a labrynth, or so it seemed to me as a child.

Our buses to arrive her & depart. the corner of Woolies was where we used to wait for our friends. So many happy memories.

Thanks for the confirmation Colin, relative to the bobby. You won't find many bobbies patrolling like he is, on the streets today. A bygone age.

I too remember the overhead cash system in Oxleys. I also remember catching the bus back to Spring View from the stop further down on the right.

Does anyone remember Tom Whalley taking the puma for a walk along the River Douglas in Scholes. He'd have it on a collar with a thick piece of rope used for a lead, dogs would bark but the puma never flinched. Wouldn't be able to do that these days.

I remember at Christmas time Poole's always opened a big toy dept. It seemed magical and massive to us 7/8 yr. olds, but probably wasn't to adult eyes. It always featured an extensive model railway set up with stuff we had no chance of affording but it was free to look. No doubt today's kids would consider it to be pathetic, or uncool in their jargon.

Very sad what happened to Woolworths. Wigan people loved the store and Woolworths loved Wigan.

I remember, WiganReds. And the caged monkeys in his shop! It was great to spend time there seeing, to us kids, the exotic animals!

Yes Wigan red,I remember the puma,it was kept in a cellar
beneath the cages on the left as you went in the shop..how cruel to keep a wild animal in those surroundings,one of the girls was walking up Millgate one day with a fox inside her coat when I went to her thinking it was a dog and I stroked it,I was lucky it didn't bite..

lOOK NO SHUTTERS ON THE SHOP WINDOWS, YOU COULD WINDOW SHOP AT MIDNIGHT IF YOU WANT.

Very lucky Maureen. You could have got rabies!!
What was she doing with a fox anyway? I know, for Irene to wear it around her neck!! LOL

Giovanni,Tom Whalley would have any animal that was unusual..and the girl out of the shop must have been taking it for some fresh air..I never saw it in the shop so God knows where he kept it.

Very droll. Giovanni! I'm afraid I don't run to a fox-fur; mine is a stone-marten, which is a step up from a ferret! They are actually two joined together and are called Neville and Winston.

Lets not spoil the post!!!

Hello, Alan, love! How are you, my little flower? xxx

I've heard of a Pine Marten but not a Stoned Marten! Must be a hippy-type of animal! lol
Named after Chamberlain and Churchill then Irene?

That's right, Giovanni, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill.