Wigan Album

Martin is stood a the top of the arcade facing Woolworths

I'll stick my neck out and say......I don't think this is Wigan. The buildings don't seem to fit

I agree with Gerry. At first glance, this scene is similar to Market Place, but as Gerry says, the buildings don't seem right. If it WERE Market Place, Wigan, the building on the far left would be where Woolworths stood, but Woolworths never had a sign like the one on the building shown, with an underlined name set on a slant; it always had a very plain "F.W.Woolworth" over the door.

is it Wallgate looking down to the general post office

I am certain it is not Wigan.

Yes, LDB,I think you're right.

LDB - At first glance I thought it might be the stretch of Wallgate you mentioned, but the upstairs windows in that row of shops (where Ashtons tobacconists used to be) are disitnctive narrow double arched ones, and not mullioned like the ones in the pic.
It's not looking across toward Woolworths from the top of the arcade. If you look at other old photos on this site of Market Place/top of Standishgate, the buildings along that stretch are entirely different.
I don't think it is Wigan. The dress of Martin Lee, format of the picture etc, suggest to me he may have been on a day out somewhere, and got caught by a street photographer.

I would say that it is looking down Wallgate.

Is it possibly Wallgate with the alley off to the right which went to the Princes cinema?

Definately not Wigan. We never had street lamps like that in our town centre. Ous where iron and painted green.

Is Martin, Joe Lee,s dad ?

What a mystery. Certain aspects are like Wigan. Would love to know where he is.

The place where it is taken is very reminiscent of the market place/wallgate/library st. junction is (as if he were stood with his back towards wallgate) but the architecture just does not match, nor does it match near where woolies would have been. Stil, a great photo!!

Not sure where it is but it is definitely not Wigan.

Thanks for your comments. I think the photo was taken approx late 1940's. He lived in Wigan at the time. Yes, he was Joe Lee's father - also father to Jimmy, Billy, Sarah, Norah, Mick and Winnie. In the late 50's he left for London,and ended his days in Mansfield Notts. I only ever met him about three times.

i know that face from hr ince top of lane i knew billy lee best, he was in front of me in the que at the ritz for beatles tickets a very good looking lad,but as soon as i saw this pic i recognised him not that i would have remembered who he was , it looks a bit like top of library st to me thomas cooks in background on a corner he would be standing near moon under water ?

this is definatly wigan top of library st the shops are long gone its moon now , and thomas cook in background mr lee lived top of belle green lane when i was little in the 50s and there were more irish people there than anywhere it was called little ireland .

come on you WIGANERS how can you not recognise this area ha ha.get your thinking caps on .

I think its outside the moon looking down wallgate or top of wigan were the old toilets were?

I think I'll have a pint of what Josie and Jenny are drinking.

it is jenny,looking toward old toilets from library st thomas cook on corner.

The windows that can be seen, are similar to windows,that are,or were,above the Wigan Corporation Transport offices. Comparing other photographs of the Market Square.

I was in wigan today..the windows are nowt like this photo

Sorry, but the buildings are nothing like the row where the corporation transport offices were, and Thomas Cook is now.
Look at these pics from the Market Place Album:-
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=21378&gallery=Market+Place%2C+Wigan&offset=100
And
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=20142&gallery=Market+Place%2C+Wigan&offset=80
And
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=6235&gallery=Market+Place%2C+Wigan&offset=40

Where is the tudor timbering, which has always been on those buildings?
Also, if this photo was taken at the corner of Library Street and Market Place, the sun would have had to be shining from the north when it was taken, and that ain't never gonna happen.

the tudor timbering is not original it was added but i dont know what year im'e sure someone will know,and also i think it could also be like someone allready said martin is looking towards woollworths on market place ?

Josie, the tudor timbering has been on the buildings since they were first put up, in about 1904, a good 40 years before this pic was taken.
There are numerous photos from before World War One of the transport offices to be found on this site . One of these is a postcard, postmarked 1908. All of them show this timberwork.
It can't be Market Place/Standishgate looking towards Woolworths - the buildings are entirely different.

I stand to be corrected re my assumption relating to the windows, on closer inspection, it is obvious,that there are another row of windows above the prominence of the shown windows. There is only one row of windows,on any other photograph of the location in question. I apologize for putting, Market Square, when I should have put Market Place.

Think this might be Talbot Road or Talbot Square in Blackpool, I grew up just round corner from there in Devonshire Rd 60 yesrs ago and it looked just like this then.