Gordon puts Wigan on a map all the way from Queensland

A unique map dedicated to famous Wigan landmarks has been created on the other side of the world.

Gordon Cramer, from Queensland in Australia, was asked by a customer who originally hails from the borough, if he could produce the special gift for her to showcase her hometown’s heritage.

And now he is thinking the design could be replicated so a Wigan charity could sell copies locally.

His small business Seriously Wordy specialises in producing “thoughtful art and gifts” and so Gordon agreed.

Each piece contains not only graphic art but handwritten words from texts, poems, verses or special song lyrics.

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“I met her at a market in Redcliffe just outside of Brisbane.

“I looked around to see if anything similar had been created before and the answer is no, it’s very unique.

“I chose just a few points of interest.

“Wigan has so much heritage it was difficult to whittle it down.

“Its an incredible piece and is now something I am offering as part of my work.”

The map incudes highly recognisable features such as the DW Stadium, Wigan Pier, the George Formby statue and Haigh Hall, with each illustration carefully hand-sketched. Each building and Wigan landmark is also connected by significant Wigan roads.

Despite having few links to the area, Mr Cramer has visited Wigan numerous times in the past and says he has become quite taken with the town.

He added: “Wigan is so full of heritage, it is an amazing place.

“With pieces of work like this you don’t sell the copyright like you do with photographs.

“I’m hoping that in the near future the map could be used by people in the borough, allowing them to locate key sites.

“My intention is to gift the licence to print and reproduce the map design and its component pieces to a local, Wigan-based charity.

“They would have the rights to produce and sell at no cost.”

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