REWIND: archive pictures of Wigan mill staff, both at work and heading on holiday with their families

By Charles Graham

Published 30th Jun 2023, 04:55 GMT

Wigan’s cotton mills, along with the coalmines, were once a driving force of the local economy and employed tens of thousands of people, the majority of them women.

Here we have wound the clock back several decades to show pictures from the Wigan Today archives of staff at work and also on their way to holidays, with their families, during wakes weeks.

. Wakes weeks meant a mass exodus from Wigan for a fortnight

. Photo: SUBMITTED

. Another staff member at work at Irvin-Diamond clothing manufacturer

. Photo: SUBMITTED

. Three young Wigan men ready for a well-deserved break

. Photo: SUBMITTED

. A retirement presentation to a long serving employee at Empress Mill, Ince, in 1966

. Photo: Gary Brunskill

. Irvin-Diamond clothing manufacturer No 2 Eckersley Mill Wigan in 1970

. Photo: SUBMITTED

. Another picture from 1968. Retirees too took their holidays in wakes weeks

. Photo: SUBMITTED

1. Three young Wigan men ready for a well-deserved break

. Photo: SUBMITTED

2. Irvin-Diamond clothing manufacturer No 2 Eckersley Mill Wigan in 1970

. Photo: SUBMITTED

3. Wakes weeks meant a mass exodus from Wigan for a fortnight

. Photo: SUBMITTED

4. Another staff member at work at Irvin-Diamond clothing manufacturer

. Photo: SUBMITTED

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