Wigan Album

This I knew as the Powell Juvenile Library where I was a member from the earliest age.It was the domain of the formidable Miss Ethel Gee who could quell the turbulent queue awaiting her dismounting from her bicycle with the power of the human eye.There were desks to which were chained ancient volumes of the Boys Own

I used to go every Saturday morning on the 'bus from Ince. I loved it. There was a little museum upstairs,

All these buildings were demolished to make way for the ring road in 1985. On the corner was the Horseshoe pub, I don't know what the high building next door was but remember the low building next where the red car is (looks like a newish Honda Civic at the time) as a women's hairdressers, Then finally the Powell museum and children's library.

Visited many times to borrow my favourite books. The Secret Seven, The Famous Five, Mallory Towers and What Katy Did Next. Things were different then to today, you had to be quiet, or there was a loud 'Shush'..any bad behaviour - out you went. In the fifties there was round tables and chairs to sit and read. Another building that did not deserve to be demolished. I moved on to the adult library at 14 at the bottom of Library St, now the History Museum.

Yes I agree, another historic bit of Wigan gone for ever.Probably would have been looked afer and maintained in a town with a council who cared about such things.

Can't remember which building it was in, but there was a dental technicians thereabouts who made false gnashers, bridges and crowns etc.

That's all easy enough to say, Elizabeth - but perhaps you might imagine the centre of Wigan coping with today's traffic trying to get through on the old road system. I only drove through a few times in the mid-1960s, and it was chaotic enough then. Given the geography of the central area, and the restrictions caused by the river and the railways, clearing a way through the existing buildings was the only possible choice.

Rev , with all respect your a Liverpudlian and you only drove through a few times and it was chaotic.... that's the reason why, you don't know Wigan and don't know all the roads like us born and bred Wiganers.
In the 1960 Wigan was a great Town for the road system, if you knew Wigan and it's roads to avoid town you would have been ok.
I agree with Elizabeth much of our great buildings have been lost forever....and some building lost with the same road systems still in place.
Great photo from a bygone age.

My favourite books too Veronica.Enid Blyton. They give me the reading bug. Also we were allowed to go on our own at the age of 10 /11.That wouldn't happen today.

That's a bit racist, Arthur. As far as I know, until Beech Hill was joined up by a new bridge to the A49, there was no by-pass to Wigan town centre which didn't involve tortuous, restricted roads. Whatever they were, they would not have served today's traffic at all.

Another part of Wigan lost forever, captured for posterity by John. Thanks for posting them on Brian, they're brilliant

Why is it racist???? Are you for real ?

A light-hearted comment only, Janet. I think that's allowed. Great photo of a time remembered, thanks Brian.

Light-hearted? Us Scousers do not like nasturtiums being cast, I'd have you know.

Ha ha that is good Rev David. I Know what you mean.

I hope the old gentleman is still sitting contented in Mesnes Park. Is his shoe still being rubbed?.

I am not quite old enough to remember the buildings in this photograph but I do agree with the comments that the old road system would have caused mayhem if Riversway hadn't have been built in the late 1980s. The current road system is now buckling anyway under the heavy traffic.
The roads going up towards Ince and Whelley are quite bad now at peak times. It's such a shame the buildings in this photograph couldn't have been saved because they have real character to them.

I do missed all this as a kid and later years driving around in a little VW Derby in a one way system before everything change. Going back to my younger years remember the old Army and Navy Store on Darlington St believe to be run by two old sister if am right, looking back at now it a gold mine.