Wigan Blue Plaque

[dedji1955]

How about a blue plaque for the Empress Hall? you lot weren't the first people to dance in that gaff

the emp.PNG

Most of the older Wiganers new it as The Emp up to it being demolished

There was also The Empress Cafe adjoining the Casino

[Barry]

Most of the older Wiganers new it as The Emp up to it being demolished

There was also The Empress Cafe adjoining the Casino

 

,,,not forgetting The Lite Bite

[macca]

I can remember a Wigan born engineer at the place I worked in the late 70s frowning contemptuously when I told him I'd been up there quite a few times. "You're one them buggers, are you? Bloody drug 'ole these days. I remember the big bands in the 40s when the Yanks were stationed here. They were fantastic times. I met me wife there.." said Harry Brown. I'd love top be transported to the place in the 20s too. Did they do the black bottom there I wonder. Northern Soul fans don't own exclusive rights to that building, no señor.

[John A]

I can remember a Wigan born engineer at the place I worked in the late 70s frowning contemptuously when I told him I'd been up there quite a few times. "You're one them buggers, are you? Bloody drug 'ole these days. I remember the big bands in the 40s when the Yanks were stationed here. They were fantastic times. I met me wife there.." said Harry Brown. I'd love top be transported to the place in the 20s too. Did they do the black bottom there I wonder. Northern Soul fans don't own exclusive rights to that building, no señor.

Exactly..It always amazes me why certain sections of "the scene" think they are the enlightened ones,the chosen few...Most people from all walks of life hold treasured memories from when they are young what ever they did or were into...the vast majority of the population couldn't give two hoots about the northern scene even if they'd even heard of it!

[Barry]

....

[Barry]

I don't see anyone else rushing to put The Emp on the map

[Barry]

macca, on 31 Jul 2013 - 9:27 PM, said:

I can remember a Wigan born engineer at the place I worked in the late 70s frowning contemptuously when I told him I'd been up there quite a few times. "You're one them buggers, are you? Bloody drug 'ole these days. I remember the big bands in the 40s when the Yanks were stationed here. They were fantastic times. I met me wife there.." said Harry Brown. I'd love top be transported to the place in the 20s too. Did they do the black bottom there I wonder. Northern Soul fans don't own exclusive rights to that building, no señor.

   

[Barry]

It always amazes me why certain sections of "the scene" think they are the enlightened ones,the chosen few...

 

 

What a ridiculous, RIDICULOUS thing to say btw

[Agentsmith]

I agree to an extent Barry. On its own it is a commendable thing ( apart from the Heritage thing Ha ha ! ) But possibly, to me , the wrong moment in time. Films and TV Programmes are rife with Soul references at the moment and even a couple of high profile ones which are set/based on the Northern Scene.  The BBC are just shooting a 1/2 Hr Prog for the Culture Show. It seems as though everywhere we turn it is NS. Last time this happened we had an influx of folk comimg along to gawp at the Baggy Trousers and Big Skirts jumping around.  Nearly destroyed us. I fear we are on the edge of another abbys and we may not be able to recover this time. But as I said, I am a cynic !

Memorial Plaque - go for it, I would gladly chip in but be discrete !!

destroy us?....surely we're older and wiser....our cynicism has strengthened our resolve to ensure no one can sell us short, we don't suffer fools gladly anymore...we're awaiting the release of a film with measured assurity, because the right people want to strike the right chord, portrayal has always been a difficult obstacle to overcome, such is the complex nature of the scene....exactly what has always set it aside from any other musical format. no one yet is talking about making a documentary about the unveiling of a plaque in remembrance to the casino and i really doubt, out of respect, that such an idea would be suseptable to commercial exploitation. a blue plaque undoubtedly is deserving, though ultimately late as already stated and before its too late for the vast majority of us middle agers...i was proud to be in temple street, wolverhampton when the catacombs dedication took place....i believe an even wider audience would show their appreciation for a venue that for many, was their schooling in northern soul.

[Mike Lofthouse]

What a ridiculous, RIDICULOUS thing to say btw

so why did you click 'Like' when John posted it?

[Barry]

so why did you click 'Like' when John posted it?

 

...cos I was laughing mate.

[Barry]

I don't think it should offend anyone...a little blue plaque up on a wall in a shopping centre...I mean really!?

 

 

[Tezza]

destroy us?....surely we're older and wiser....our cynicism has strengthened our resolve to ensure no one can sell us short, we don't suffer fools gladly anymore...we're awaiting the release of a film with measured assurity, because the right people want to strike the right chord, portrayal has always been a difficult obstacle to overcome, such is the complex nature of the scene....exactly what has always set it aside from any other musical format. no one yet is talking about making a documentary about the unveiling of a plaque in remembrance to the casino and i really doubt, out of respect, that such an idea would be suseptable to commercial exploitation. a blue plaque undoubtedly is deserving, though ultimately late as already stated and before its too late for the vast majority of us middle agers...i was proud to be in temple street, wolverhampton when the catacombs dedication took place....i believe an even wider audience would show their appreciation for a venue that for many, was their schooling in northern soul.

I think that we have reached an impass. My views differ from yours and I cannot see a common ground. I am too cynical whereas you are hopeful for the future and its past. Again, I must reitterate. No problem with the Plaque idea as a Plaque but as a Heritage Site ? That is where this began. This will not be a private Funeral or Service of Remembrance, it will be pounced upon by the media, but again, that's my cynicism creeping in.

Too many of the old guard have left because of the 'dumbing down' of the scene over the years and the little things are just adding fuel to the fire. May not seem much on its own but as an overall disturbance  You only have to read what is a multitude of threads on here and see how many say ' the reason i left the scene is because of this, or that ' and these are not kids we are talking about. As big and strong as a building may look, undermine the foundations and it is only a matter of time before she topples over into a pile of rubble. When that time comes we will all be there to pinch a brick and remember the great times. 

I hope to the great invisible sky wizard that I am wrong and we all get through the other side unscathed and our Souls intact. 

Happy August XX

[Dave Rimmer]

Most of the older Wiganers new it as The Emp up to it being demolished

There was also The Empress Cafe adjoining the Casino

 

Being from a Wigan family, it came as no surpise to me to discover that my parents did their courting at Wigan 'Emp'

[Mal C]

'The great invisible sky wizard' absolutely Brilliant! laughs

 

And said in the same sentence as Wigan Casino, Now I know Soul Collectors are all essentially MAD!!!

 

And all this over a little Blue plaque...Boys, time to leave the party..

 

Mal>c

[Tezza]

'The great invisible sky wizard' absolutely Brilliant! laughs

 

And said in the same sentence as Wigan Casino, Now I know Soul Collectors are all essentially MAD!!!

 

And all this over a little Blue plaque...Boys, time to leave the party..

 

Mal>c

I think I got in a bit too deep there.  I'll get in the Taxi with you Mal .. 

[Agentsmith]

I think that we have reached an impass. My views differ from yours and I cannot see a common ground. I am too cynical whereas you are hopeful for the future and its past. Again, I must reitterate. No problem with the Plaque idea as a Plaque but as a Heritage Site ? That is where this began. This will not be a private Funeral or Service of Remembrance, it will be pounced upon by the media, but again, that's my cynicism creeping in.

Too many of the old guard have left because of the 'dumbing down' of the scene over the years and the little things are just adding fuel to the fire. May not seem much on its own but as an overall disturbance  You only have to read what is a multitude of threads on here and see how many say ' the reason i left the scene is because of this, or that ' and these are not kids we are talking about. As big and strong as a building may look, undermine the foundations and it is only a matter of time before she topples over into a pile of rubble. When that time comes we will all be there to pinch a brick and remember the great times. 

I hope to the great invisible sky wizard that I am wrong and we all get through the other side unscathed and our Souls intact. 

Happy August XX

no arguments about heritage tez, plain-as-day fact is, the venue is no longer standing, so it has to be purely a memorial......perhaps it's our generation who were responsible for opening the wider public's eyes to the fact so many heritage sites were demolished without forethought from the beginning of the last century. there have been many varied documentaries about literally thousands of what would have been in our lifetime, classified as listed buildings that were just raised to the ground, unbelievably ornate architecture, that through decay & ruin, wasn't considered worth saving, be it because of, for instance, the depression of the 20's/30's and probably the intermittent years between the second world war and 60's consumerism. apart from photographs to prove their existance, these grandios and palatial edifices are not even distant memories for us, so long ago gone are they, but  if you put that into context of what happened with redevelopement on a massive scale in the late 60's and throughout the 70's, it's comparison is all too similar. i think ray davis's eulogy "come dancing" summed that up perfect...about the things and places you remember in childhood and how wide eyed you could be, and the sadness at seeing them being torn down and disappearing as years flew by......

Edited August 1, 2013 by AGENTSMITH

[Roburt]

What a ridiculous, RIDICULOUS thing to say btw

Not ridiculous at all IMHO.

Those that didn't care for lots of the music played at the Casino (all the stompers & pop crap) couldn't give a fig bout the place during those years.

I'm sure loads of soul tracks were played there in the 60's and so I'd have preferred attending back then.

So the Casino crowd deffo weren't the 'chosen ones' to me (even though they all seem to believe an 'oldies nite' means a night of Wiganwasters.

[Back Street Blue]

if you didn't go................................you don't f*ckin' know

 

some people really missed out and have been overcompensating eversince

[Roburt]

The Casino was a nightclub, special to those who went & loved it ............

...... but to those who didn't, it's just the name of another club. A place OTHERS wax lyrical about.

Seems that when folk come on here to ask for support for say the Wheel, they are dissed by guys who were too young to attend the place & dance to those old 'youth club tunes' (a real put down term if I ever heard one).

But when an old stager comes on to say .. the Casino was just another niter venue & one that played way too many stompers & crap pop tunes ...

.... they become fair game it seems.

Talk about f*ckin' double standards !!!

Edited August 2, 2013 by Roburt

[Back Street Blue]

The Casino was a nightclub, special to those who went & loved it ............

...... but to those who didn't, it's just the name of another club. A place OTHERS wax lyrical about.

Seems that when folk come on here to ask for support for say the Wheel, they are dissed by guys who were too young to attend the place & dance to those old 'youth club tunes' (a real put down term if I ever heard one).

But when an old stager comes on to say .. the Casino was just another niter venue & one that played way too many stompers & crap pop tunes ...

.... they become fair game it seems.

Talk about f*ckin' double standards !!!

 

Won't ever hear me dissin' the Wheel or it's music mate.....massive respect for the old guard and have never referred to any soul as YC music.

 

Often wonder why the Mecca & Cleethorpes don't get more time on here so not a one-track Wigan mind.........but bored rigid with the constant put-downs like the front end of the Wigan era wasn't legit..............it was to me and its because of it that I've never stopped dancing to the music 

[Back Street Blue]

But when an old stager comes on to say .. the Casino was just another niter venue & one that played way too many stompers & crap pop tunes ...

.... they become fair game it seems.

Talk about f*ckin' double standards !!!

 

Sorry bout that Roburt.....you the man.......got out of wrong side of bed/ wrong time of month......and need to get brain in gear before operating virtual gob 

[Back Street Blue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NiiYEQ-QmY

 

off to put things back in my pram now......have a nice weekend all you groovy m*therf***ers

[Barry]

Not ridiculous at all IMHO.

Those that didn't care for lots of the music played at the Casino (all the stompers & pop crap) couldn't give a fig bout the place during those years.

I'm sure loads of soul tracks were played there in the 60's and so I'd have preferred attending back then.

So the Casino crowd deffo weren't the 'chosen ones' to me (even though they all seem to believe an 'oldies nite' means a night of Wiganwasters.

 

Sit down - you have no idea.

[Mark S]

Dave Godin coined the phrase Northern Soul our very own Roburt has just coined the phrase Wiganwaster  brilliant

[Roburt]

Dave Godin coined the phrase Northern Soul our very own Roburt has just coined the phrase Wiganwaster  brilliant

Just to be clear (as I don't want to be deluged with abuse) .............

..... a WIGANWASTER ...... is a poor track played at the Casino ... AND NOT ..... a NSoulie who attended the club.

[Steve G]

I can't get excited if people want to pay for a plaque and stick it on a wall somewhere......let em get on with it, it ain't harming anyone.....Jesus the amount of plaques I see scattered around for things and people I've never heard of in London is amazing. "Fred Bloggs lived here 1673-1674" Etc.

 

I get the irony point however, since most locals didn't like the Niters in "their town", and we had to march through a war zone to get there sometimes with bottles being thrown, soul people being chased up the road by thugs etc. The council hated it too if Russ's book is at least accurate on that aspect. Local police bullies stop & search etc. But all part of life's rich tapestry I guess!

 

Don't ask me for a donation though, and Roburt get off yer high horse man! We all know about the pop, done it to death in countless threads on here, there were also some fab records played there too and some great nights had by many....

Edited August 2, 2013 by Steve G