Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 5th February, 2016)

Latimer's was on Market St. I don't remember there being a branch in Commercial Yard. Was it the back entrance to the Market Street shop?

Brilliant photo, Dave.

I remember as a lad going into that tobacconists on the right of the entrance. It had the most wonderful smells of pipe tobacco anywhere.

What a pity these shops have disappeared.

Well done.

Had many a good inexpensive lunch in 1960's at yon Tory Club.

I don't really know what to say about this? But is it really a brighter borough since the council have axed most of our best loved shops and buildings down.

Good happy memories. First visit to a pub, I was 18, my dad would have blown a gasket had he known.

Wigan had chaacter then.A soulless town now, spent many a night in the commercial pub, well run establishment when Jack Lathom was landlord.Moot hall barbers and Latimers grocers were also in the yard.

This does bring back memories. You do forget what buildings were in the Yard, but wasn't Davies' Fish Merchants in there?

Remember going to Harry Mayall's a lot on errands for Aspinall's Decorators....was at the bottom of Commercial Yard.

Meant McGregors although I used to go to Harry Mayall's as well.

The Commercial Inn was a regular 'dinnertime' spot for a pie and a pint.

Didn't Shannons used to sell a lot of their stuff loose and weigh it out from big containers. Also - if its the place I'm thinking of - it was about the only place in Wigan in the 1950's early 60's were you could but curry powder. My dad had been in Ceylon with the Navy for part of WW2 and he used to buy Madras curry powder from here.

Remember most of these businesses well, the demolition of Commercial Yard was a great loss to Wigan.

Agree A. W. Went to Harrogate late last year. They have kept nooks and crannies such as this one. Delightful. Granted, Wigan isn't a spa town or tourist destination so, get rid is the mantra.

Dave , what year was this picture taken,look at the style of the cloths the people are wearing then look at the solitary youth to the right of the picture longish hair and tight jeans could almost be a time traveller to todays youth.

Check in tomorrow for the other plaque :)

Yes, Latimer's had an entrance in Commercial Yard as well as on Market Street; I remember going in to buy fresh yeast, (which my Mam always called "barm"), when we were making bread in Domestic Science at school. My husband Peter worked in Sawbridge's butchers in Commercial Yard when he was aged 15 to 18 in the 1960s. Wigan had so much character then. It has about as much character as a bin-bag these days!

Barm riings a bell Irene. As a child I was oddly fascinated by this substance I now realise was fresh yeast. I think that my dad used it to make home brew as opposed to bread though. Funny how these words and details come up. Thanks Dave for another super picture. You sure can pick em .

Yep; Fred Lathom and then Jack and Kay landlord's of the Commercial. In my view the yard should never have been demolished

Does anyone recall a provisions supplier EH Monks,they had a store next to the Scholes Picture House and I believe one in the Commercial yard, any clues ??

Irene did Latimers sell yeast as well as Shannons, or am I getting mixed up. Normally we would go to Shannons from the entrance in the Lane off Market Street. It used to sell pet food - eg bird seed mixtures etc as well. It used to have a big block of yeast (barm) and they would cut it off as required. With all those spices and foods the smell was amazing - in a nice way.

I've had my hair cut at Moot Hall quite a few times!

That was my Barbers in the yard in 1950s

Caroaen, I imagine Shannon's sold yeast too, but I remember going to Latimer's for mine. I can't recall Shannon's when they were in Commercial Yard and neither does Peter, who worked in Commercial Yard, although the shop was obviously there as it is mentioned on the commemorative plaque. I remember Shannon's when it was at the bottom of Market Street as I was under a specialist at Wigan Infirmary, with a stomach problem, and she advised me to use bran on my food, and told me I could get it from Shannon's.

I used to help out my friend who ran Shannons in the mid 60's. I remember going down into the cellar for some items. There were several different types of bread flour, often sold in bulk which we sometimes delivered. Yeast as you say off the block and a variety of spices that most of us hadn't heard of then. I used to get my brother's bird food from there too.
Shannons moved to a shop at the side of the Market Hall when they had to move out. Fond memories.

Well put, Michael.The previous photo of the Commercial Yard also had six missing apostrophes.

Brendell. Thanks for referring to the cellar in Shannons. I just had a flashback of being in the shop as a boy and I think the cellar was accessed by a trapdoor in the floor behind the counter. Please tell me this not my memory playing tricks .

commercial had quite a few drinks in there especially christmas ,punch etc great days

No Carolaen, you are not mistaken. Big trapdoor behind the counter. Wooden steps down to the storeroom.
Wonderful aroma.

That trapdoor puts me in mind of Arkwright's shop in "Open all Hours "! Brilliant!

Regarding the moot hall barbers I used to get my hair cut on Saturdays I used to get in at 5oclock they had a wireless on and you could get the football results happy days

Mention of Shannon`s reminds me of black peas and Wigan Fair. Their shop in Market Street was very close to the black pea saloons. There are two photo`s of Holland`s black pea saloon in Album, Places. #1399 2nd on last row on page 1 in Market Hall and #25306 2nd on 4th row in Market Square.
The following photo`s in Market Street page 1 show the block of shops outside the Market Hall and I think Shannon`s was the 2nd from the Market Square end:-
#1375 end of 1st row.
#1378 3rd on 2nd row.
#1379 last on 2nd row.