Wigan Album

Easy that one WLT in the distance.. how clean it looks.

Wigan Little Theatre in the background.

This is where Crompton House flats is now near Wigan Little Theatre.

It's one for Maureen too,where her Mam and Dad met as teenagers,the Alliance Cinema,which later became Wigan Little Theatre.x

That one had me flummoxed, Ozy. I knew the building was somewhere I knew well but the surroundings threw me., I didn't know that area before the tall flats were built and it looks SO different!

My Auntie lived in one of those houses..so I recognised it straightaway.

The view is along Derby Terrace with the River Douglas on the left.
Great picture Ozy.
What is that person going?

True Elizabeth, my Dad always said that I caught Diptheria from my Aunties budgie when my Mam used to visit her with me as a baby… but I much prefer the first memory of them meeting one another for the first time.

All of these photos are superb, and everywhere then is ever so clean and litter free, did they ever find out who the man in the photos was?

Cyril, the man in the background looks like he is carrying a leather bag. Maybe he is a Doctor, walking towards that person in the foreground who looks on the verge of collapse!!!

Cyril,I've seen a few photos like this one..as far away down Wallgate etc..it looks like they're measuring something or other...it's a bit of a mystery.

That’s a ‘laydee’ in the background walking towards the camera. She’s wearing nylons …and that’s definitely a coat and not a man’s overcoat. It’s nice to see ladies in skirts instead of trousers. I do like my skirts. It’s hard to find them these days unless they’re half way up the thighs!

Maureen and Colin, no I mean the man holding the number board and arrow, he's from the Ordnance Survey and there was someone who was asking if anyone knew who he was, there's information here of how the arrow wielding man mapped out the towns, in the link below: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/arrow-photos-mapping-manchester

Maureen, the man with the pointy stick and the board containing letters and numbers was taking measurements for for the Ordnance Survey Map. It was in 1951. I have one of him measuring in Ince Green Lane near our house as the screensaver on my laptop.

Elizabeth, you might be right but I think it was the original home of the Salvation Army and then Canada Picture House.

Irene, have you looked at the article in the link I put on earlier, (there's also a link to the Timepix website also below) I've just been looking through it and it is interesting and there are some photos of shops of the 1940 and '50s and with the enamel advertising signs on the walls, also there's a motor garage advertising an announcement for a Hillman Minx new model and that's in March 1948, I've been having a look at them and I think it's earlier than yours because they still had running boards - well sort of, though not as wide as they once were on cars like as the police on The Untouchables would all jump on to ride to the shoot out. The link's here if you missed it: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/arrow-photos-mapping-manchester

The ones that Ozy is putting on are very good and very clear too, I've looked at a lot of the photos from around the Wigan District areas on the Timepix website, and it's well worth the time having a browse through them. https://www.timepix.uk/

Thankyou Cyril; I will have a look on the link. Our Minx "Dorothy" is from 1959. I have an original enamel advert for Brooke Bond Tea with 4d off!

Just read about Alliance picture House,when i worked at the Museum of Wigan Life,named after the Alliance colliery which was in thar area.

Eiizabath, is the some link between the Alliance picture place .,. I’ve got something in my bonce re Alliance in connection to WLT and sure my dad used to work at Canada Piicture place and somewhere at the back of my mind that was related to WLT…I do wish that I’d asked more when I had the chance.

I know exactly what you mean Maureen,so do Ias they say ''youth is wasted on the young'! X

Maureen, the little theatre was formerly known as both "The Alliance" AND "The Canada Picture House" as it was a part of the Canada Pictures group of cinemas, so both names are correct. It was the same with The Ritz on Station Road which was also known as The ABC Cinema, as it belonged to the ABC group.

Re the subject of cinemas , I have told this story before.. there used to be a cinema down Wallgate (there is a photo of it somewhere on WW) many moons ago . my grandma was watching a film when the screen flashed a message “Will Mrs McGovern please go home as your son has nearly drownded,” ..my dad like many others learned to swim in the canal, had dove in and because he was tall had hit his head and passed out.

Wow, Maureen, what a shock your Grandma, and indeed everyone watching the film, must have had! Still, she got the message quickly and efficiently despite there being no computers, mobile phones etc.....well done to the manager and staff of that cinema of so long ago!

OK Irene,thanks,a few places were known with more than one name.x