Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 14th July, 2013)

great shot of a familiar place. I've always thought that Wiend is a funny name and wondered how it originated.

It does not look inviting to walk down in day light. A muggers paradise at night

Great shot Thomas....I can see how warm it is, and those shiny tiles or bricks???.....cheers!!!

The highest steet in Wigan which I learned from my 'General Studies' course at Wigan Tech. Pity they knocked down some of the buildings. I'm sure there used to be a cinema in The Wiend.

There was an old prison in Millgate at the entrance to The Wiend suggesting that this was one of the gated town entrances.It was illegal to be in town after dusk unless you were a resident.
Maybe the old ways were best!

Who remembers Ezra Sidebottoms and the Wiend Press, I'm not sure if there was another printers here as well. I used to go to Bolton College on day release with a lad called Frank Turner from Billinge. Wonder where he is. The Wiend was different to what it is now. My mun says she used to work at a bottlers here as well, during the war.

Ray, the Empire Cinema was near to the Wiend in Coopers Row see:-

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/artycul/empire.jpg

coming up the Wiend from the market place there was an oyster bar on the right and on the left just opposite there was a wine lodge. on a Saturday night my mother did her shopping at the market hall at 9 o'clock when the prices were lowered. with the money she saved she would take me to the oyster bar for a half dozen oysters and she would go to the wine lodge and would be waiting for me in the doorway with a glass of sherry. some people had the opinion that I was spoiled rotten, however I prefer to think of it as part of my education about the finer things in life

Thomas, If you can imagine this area before there were any buildings, the Romans had a settlement at the top of the Wiend. They discovered a Hypocaust,which meant they were well settled at the side of the Duggie, and built over it.

Tom; Was this taken with a zoom lens?
For a similar view, see Dave (Oy) P-a-D 31st Oct.2012

Kath, I was told the name "Wiend" was the old English version of "Wind" meaning a street that winds. Derek I too remember Sidebottoms and a lot of the other buildings that have now been demolished. The Empire Cinema building was demolished in the late 70s and had gone over to Bingo in the early 60s.

Neil, only just seen your post.
I had a look at the link and it's my memory playing tricks. The cinema was nearby but not in The Weind.
Many thanks.

Ray The Empire was accessed via Cooper's Row across from where the John Bull pub is now though it did almost back on to The Wiend.,

Was the mens tailors Harry Jones?

My great grandfather was Samuel Willan and he had a barbers shop in the Wiend in the 1890's and early 1900's.

Hello Frances. I suspect your taking about Samuel A Willan husband to fanny Derbyshire and not his Son Samuel. I would really like to speak to you about Samuel Willan KIA 1915 in Cruinchy WW1. He is my X2 great Grandfarther. I have some very old pictures of his wifes family that i am hoping you can help me with. Please respond so that we may make contact. Many thanks Dave

Can anyone tell me about 17 Wiend? My relatives were living there from the 1890s into the 1920s.