Wigan has an image problem.
To outsiders it appears to be a dirty town full of pit heaps, and mills belching out smoke and pollution. This may have been true once, but the mines have long gone and no working mills remain. The town is shrugging off its industrial past and moving towards a prosperous future.
There are many photographic opportunities in this much maligned town.
Wigan's History
Wigan has a long and varied history. It was the location of "Coccium" in Roman times, one of the four Lancastrian "ancient boroughs" in the medieval period, and people came to "take the waters" in the 18th century.
The Industrial Revolution brought greater prosperity with the expansion of the mining and textile industries - but at a great social and environmental cost.
The second half of the 20th century saw a decline in industry and much unemployment, but the new millennium brought a promise of renewed prosperity.
"A personal site about Wigan: its history, locations, events, people - with some pictures."
It provides an old man with an opportunity to combine various hobbies to fulfil a creative urge.
There are two distinctly different areas of the site - "Wigan's History", and "Pictures"
Wigan's fascinating and diverse history is explored with an emphasis on the role of ordinary Wiganers.
Modern Wigan, as I see it, is explored in the "Pictures" section .
Most of the pictures are my own. Please respect coyright restrictions. Where the images are not my own I've used open source material or obtained permission from the copyright holder.