Wigan Album

This isn't Scholes Crossing it's the top of Greenough Street ,taken from Boyswell House ,the site of the old "Windmill Pub",always known as The "Top Long Pull". Thank you for all these photographs from The Lawrence Collection,they are invaluable in local history.

Looks like it was taken from Boyswell House, not much traffic around.

'Scholes Crossing' is the lower one

Eddie, great picture is this reminder of the old Schofield Lane before the juntion from Greenough St was straightened out, we can see the old road with the white line markings, back then it was a dog-leg junction.

The new Scholes totally bereft of any character whatsoever!!!

It's not like me to get it wrong is it?

Not a bit like the old Scholes of the fifties and sixties when every day was hustle, and bustle. Umpteen shops, not to mention pubs. Everyone of a friendly disposition.

Wasn't it Scholes where the bobbies had to patrol in twos in case the Fenians attacked, Albert?

I have commented on similar pictures before that I think the Corporation made a great mistake when redevloping this and similar areas. Not in redevlopment per se. I remeber many of the houses around here and whilst some could be kept (my parents house off Darlington Street is still there) many were in a terrible state with crumbling brickwork. NO the big mistake I think they made was not follwing the old concept of hoising and shop units along the street frontages. As you can see from this photo they redeveloped at right angles to the road with huge grass swathes. Probably somebody thought this was "greening" Wiganbut all it did here (and in many other places eg Manchester Road) was make the urban landcsape look bland and empty. Again if you want a good example go along Darlington Street East which still has some character, and once you go past Birkett bank its dull boring and windswept

May have done so Reverend, but well before my time. The only time we doubled up was on Friday and Saturday nights, 10pm to midnight. Scholes, Wallgate, and the Market Place. Most, if not all had finished by midnight. The Friday night dance at the Empress may have carried on a little later, but all other venues closed down by midnight in the fifties, and early sixties. That's as I recollect it.

I know scholes from the forties A honest down to earth place My parents had a snack bar there 1946 to 1950 Open until 10 pm and we never had any problems in the shop and. The takings were taken home every night about 11 to Darlington St. You would not dare do that now It was a much safer place then than now