Places: Harrogate Street

Harrogate Street in Central Wigan was the home of several families from the tree.

Origins

On the Wigan map of 1848 Harrogate Street did not exist, instead there was a dwelling with the caption Harrowgate near it, which could be just the old spelling of Harrogate the town (see Old Towns).

There were wells or springs in this area of Wigan so the name Harrowgate could have been given to refer to the Yorkshire spa town (see Wigan Local History Society). The dwelling on the 1848 map could be the old Harrowgate cottage (see
Wigan World).

The first reference to Harrogate Street in the tree is in 1871 so the road must have been built sometime between 1848 and 1871. The full extent of the road and surrounding streets can be seen in the 1890 map of Wigan.

Barton Families At Numbers 20, 22 And 24

The first reference to Harrogate Street is in the 1871 Census taken on 2nd April when Thomas and Susannah Barton were living at number 19 with their children Henry and Edward, a relative and a servant, Thomas having occupation Grocer . On 12th November that year their son John was born at number 24, presumably on the
other side of the street, so they must have crossed the street at sometime that
year, maybe the Grocer shop was always on that side. The family lived in or ran
their Grocer shop from numbers 20, 22 and 24 Harrogate Street from then on. Daughter Ellen was born at number 24 on 30th January 1874, son Evan
was born at number 24 on 7th December 1875 and son Thomas was born
at number 24 on 27th October 1877.

Father Thomas Barton died at number 24 on 24th November 1880 with brother in law Elias Nixon in attendance. In the 1881 Census on 3rd April the rest of the family plus a servant were living at numbers 22 & 24, maybe the two houses were connected. Also in the 1881 Census a different Barton family were living at number 20, so maybe number 20 was no longer occupied by the Thomas and Susannah Barton family after that date.

Mother Susannah Barton died at number 24 on 11th February 1891 with her son Henry in attendance. In the 1891 Census on 5th April all the children were living at numbers 22 & 24, with Thomas’s mother Ellen Mawdsley also living there.

During the 1890s sons Henry, Edward and probably John all married and moved out of Harrogate Street. On 19th May 1898 daughter Ellen died, though she was living with brother Henry and his wife in nearby Darlington Street at the time. This left son Evan living alone at number 22, as shown in the 1901 Census taken on 31st March. The Grocery shop had been left to Henry and brother Evan was managing it.

On 16th May 1905 son Evan married Ethel Lamb who was living across the road at number 19 Harrogate Street at the time. This is the same address that Thomas and Susannah were living at in 1871.

Evan and Ethel lived the rest of their lives in 24 Harrogate street, son Norman being born on 23rd June 1907 and son Colin on 19th August 1910. Son Colin died at number 24 on 15th July 1922 and Ethel died at number 22 on 11th October 1924. Evan and son Norman lived on in Harrogate Street until Norman married Marian Heaton on 2nd May 1935 and Evan died at number 22 on 8th February 1937.

It is unclear what happened to numbers 22 and 24, or the Grocery, after 1937. The only rate book record is for Henry Barton occupying numbers 22 and 24 in April 1936.

Lamb Families At Numbers 19 And 21

Richard and Mary Lamb originally lived in Blackrod where Richard was a Joiner in the 1881 Census. By 1882 they had moved to Millgate Central Wigan, when Richard was still a Joiner, but they must have moved to Harrogate Street by 1883 when on 12th December 1883 their son Percival died at number 19, Richard still being recorded as a Joiner. When their daughter Laura was born at number 19 on 1st June 1885 Richard was recorded as a Provision Dealer. By 1891 Census on 5th April the Lamb family were living at numbers 19 and 21, Richard occupied as a Grocer.

On 20th January 1897 daughter Elva Lamb married Nathaniel Eckersley Ryder who came from nearby Foy Street, but by 1901 Census on 31st March Elva was back living at number 21 with her son Reginald Ryder and the rest of the Lamb family. During the 1900s children Ethel, Mabel and Sydney all married and moved out of Harrogate Street, except Ethel who moved across the street after her marriage to Evan Barton. At the 1911 Census on 2nd April Richard and Mary were still at numbers
19 and 21 with daughter Elva (and son Reginald), and other daughters Evelyn,
Irene and Laura.

Mary Lamb died at number 19 on 16th December 1919 with husband Richard in attendance. The 1921 Census on 19th June shows Richard living at number 19 with daughters Elva, Evelyn, Irene and Laura. Grandson Reginald had been killed in the first world war.

Richard Lamb died at number 19 on 28th December 1923 with son Sydney in attendance. Richard is recorded as Grocer and Baker on his death certificate. Judging from subsequent certificates daughter Evelyn took over running the Grocery business. Daughter Laura died at a TB hospital on 26th March 1924, but her residence was recorded as 19 Harrogate Street. Irene died on 10th April 1931 in Billinge (maybe a nursing home) with residence recorded as 19 Harrogate Street. Elva died at number 19 on 31st October 1935 with sister Evelyn in attendance.

In the 1939 Register on 29th September daughter Evelyn was living alone at numbers 19 and 21, occupied as a Grocer. It is unclear what happens to numbers 19 and 21, or the Grocery, after 1939. Evelyn died on 2nd May 1974 at Springfield Hostel in Wigan, with her sister Ethel’s son Norman Barton in attendance.

Related Barton Family At Number 20

In the 1881 Census on 3rd April an Edward and Anne Barton are recorded living with their family at 20 Harrogate Street. This Anne was in fact the sister of Thomas Barton who has coincidently married Edward from a distinct Barton family. Maybe the connection between Anne and Thomas meant they could move into number 20 (Thomas had died before the 1881 Census, in 1880). The related Barton family had moved elsewhere by the 1891 Census.

Nixon Family At Number 24

Susannah Barton was born a Nixon in Winstanley Wigan. Her brother Richard was a bachelor who died on 11th September 1945 in the Wigan Workhouse with residence given as Spring View. However the grave details from Lower Ince Cemetery cite 24 Harrogate Street as the death place so maybe he had some connection with Susannah’s offspring. Her son Henry, the owner of the Grocery business coincidently died on the same date.

Lamb Family In Atherton Street

The son of Richard and Mary, Sydney, his wife Catherine and their family lived at 13 Atherton Street which was off Harrogate Street, until at least 1922. They had moved to Scholes Wigan by 1936.

Demolition

The whole of the Harrogate Street area was demolished, probably in the early 1960s. Although Wigan World has a 1968 directory listing two people still living there, maybe the rest of the street had been demolished.

This Wigan World thread has a photo from the 1930s, and some comments, including a reference to demolition in early 1960s.

Modern Day

Later a police station was built on Harrogate Street, which has subsequently been converted into a Premier Inn. The street still exists but is now just a traffic route between other roads, with a municipal car park.