Wish you were here: vintage postcards from Wigan

By Charles Graham

Published 6th Jan 2025, 04:55 GMT

The art of sending a postcard seems to be fading away, no doubt due to advances in technology. But once upon a time everyone was at it. And folk didn’t just restrict themselves to dispatching them from holiday resorts either. No self-respecting town was without cards of their own, not only showcasing their most attractive features but their people and industries.

Long before Wigan Pier became a tourist attraction, the town and its surrounding communities were publishing postcards of numerous scenes and people and were equally proud of their mining heritage as beauty spots. Here is a selection of cards submitted by readers over the years.

1. Wigan postcards of the past

. Photo: UGC

2. A view of Wigan's Standishgate

. Photo: Elsie Morris

3. Bamfurlong pits, three miles south of Wigan

. Photo: n/a

4. A view of Wigan Pier

. Photo: Elsie Morris

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