Wigan Album

Interesting photo Ron. Prices are in £ s d. 29/11 or, to write it another way, £1 9s 11d, was just under £1.50. Decimal day was 15th Feb 1971.

If you give Mr Khan 30 Bob, he would give you a penny change. Cheers.

Such a lovely man

What a lovely man he was! I have a dvd of the last days of the Old Market Hall in which my friend Geoff interviews Mr Khan and he has such a surprising Lancashire accent!

Why the surprise!!!

Because Ali is an Asian gentleman and although he had the Asian accent to his voice in the interview, it was part Lancashire as well. I had bought many things from his stall but it had always been one of his assistants who served me and it was the first time I had heard his voice and it just came as a surprise. He came across as a very warm and friendly man and I know his assistants thought very highly of him. The stall-holders in the old Market Hall were all unfailingly friendly helpful and every so often I watch the dvd and realise what we have lost.

In the 1960s my mother used to buy my trousers for school ,at a market stall just on the bottom right past Roy Hurst's record stall ,they were two brothers I think who ran it , about 1967

I am trying to pitch my memory about the old market arcade. Does anyone remember if Mr Khan and his family were still running this stall up to the old market's closure in 1987?

I vaguely remember a wool shop in the old market that my Nan used to buy her knitting supplies from in the mid 1980s.

I seem to remember a couple of Asian ladies working there. I'm trying to ascertain if this was possibly the same business from this photo?

Yes, CJAlan, Mr. Khan's stall in the Old Market Hall WAS still open up until the last day when the market hall closed in 1987. That is when my friend made the video of it and interviewed Mr. Khan. I have it now on dvd but the original film was on video. I think you can view it on youtube now. Mr Khan DID have a stall in the Market Arcade, (aka the Old Arcade) until it was demolished in 1971, then he had a shop in Market Street which I know was still going in 1974 as I bought some maternity clothes from there when expecting my son. The stall which was in the Market Hall until its closure in 1987 sold mostly jeans. I can't recall the wool stall with the Asian ladies, I'm afraid, but it could quite easily have been the same family.

Does anyone remember Margaret Razak who also sold clothes in the market arcade.

Yes, I do. I remember she sold stockings and tights. It was a very popular stall. I think, like Ali Khan, she also had a shop.

I remember that stall Maureen. I think that's where I bought my tights from and before that nylon stockings! There was always a good selection.

I can't forget when I bought a lovely jumper from her,and long before tumble dryers I was drying it in front of the fire and singed it,I loved that jumper.
I very often see an elderly lady on the bus who still dresses in the tradional style,she resembles her and I keep saying one of these days I'll ask her if she is Margaret..but I really can't think how old she was when I knew her in the arcade.

He looks like boxing legend Muhammed Ali. I don't remember him, it was before my time. He looks about 50 then, and that was before 1971, 50 years ago so will be about 100 now, and unlikely to be still alive.

To be honest, I think his clothes and hairstyle, rather old-fashioned for 1971, make him look older on the photo than he actually was, On the 1987 film of the Market Hall's closure he seems to be in his fifties.

Margaret Razak's stall was brilliant Maureen,bought lots there.

These two links about the Market Arcade and Market Hall make an interesting read.

Folks share their memories of the Market Arcade and the Market Hall, and the various stalls that Margaret Razak had are mentioned.

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/stuff/mem2.php

An essay entitled The Market Hall and Market Arcade.
Wigan Icons still much lamented. By unknown writer.

https://static.s123-cdn.com/uploads/3625811/normal_5efa6c5d0a27f.pdf

And a great photo on the Album looking down the Arcade, though Ali's and Smith's stalls on the right are just out of the shot.

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=17477&gallery=Market+Arcade&offset=0