Nostalgic memories of South Wigston's local history

Share your own memories of South Wigston and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 16 in total

The little shop was owned by my father Ernie Garnett. He worked long hours with just half day closing for a few hours on a Wednesday and then back for the Leicester Mercury to be delivered.
my brother and I have just looked at the photographs of South wigston. Jack hill was our father who owned the shop until he passed and then mum and our brother John carried it on until sadly our brother passed approx 20 yrs ago. A fantastic shop and a lot of memories for an awful lot of people. Customers became friends and dad was very well respected in the community. Kevin and Karen hill
On a Saturday morning my sister and I would go and do some shopping for granny. In particular I remember going to get half and ounce of snuff from a little shop near the cinema. Who remembers the Ritz picture house on this road? Our aunty took us to see The Al Jolson Story, it was the first time we had ever been to the cinema. I was born in Jordon Ave, South Wigston. When the fair came to town it ...see more
This reminds me of John Rawlinson, Timothy Greenhow, Paul Manning and Anthony....? all good friends I left behind me when my family moved away from Leicester to Lyme Regis, Dorset in 1964. These pictures match my memories of South Wigston and surrounding area when it seems to have been a curious mix of vigorous industrial activity (my mates all seemed to want to go straight to ...see more
I was born at 30 Marstown Avenue on 29-04-1938, now living in Nijmegen, Holland. I went to the Bassert Street school and the Sec Mod school. Played rugby for school and county, have good memories from the s.w.o.b. and very good memories of good friends and times we had. The Clarense Arms and the Leicestershire Regimental army bar also remembered. I left in 1958 to join the RAFand went to live in Holland in 1963.
I used to walk home this way from school in the early 1970's passing "Jack Hills", a grocery store that is just out of shot to the left of this picture. I remember the little roadabout with a lamp post on it in front of the hairdressers - my mam and nan used to go each week. It was an odd shaped building at the Junction of Orange Street and Countesthorpe Road. Really weired seeing a picture of how it was..
Wide spread floods; the raised footpath to Countesthorpe, the canal freezing over, the bridal path to Blaby and playing in the ruins of Nabisco Freers biscuit factory after the fire. Great times eh? It makes you wonder how we survived, running down the Spion Cop hill to beat the train looping round to South Wigston station. I live in France now so it was grand to find this sit; the photographs brought back lots of happy memories, can't hink of any bad memories and the sun was out every day!
We lived on Arnold Ave, Wigston previous to 1947. My great great grandfather’s name was Heathcote, he lived on Lansdown Rd. He was quite old then. I am looking for info on the Heathcotes'.
I work in this area nowadays, the SLCS is still going strong but is now a small branch of SAINSBURYS. The flats and shops look in pretty good nick for their age, though round the back they look a little seedy! The flat with the space underneath it now has a fish and chip in the space!
We lived in Arnold Avenue off Lansdowne Grove until I was 11, that would have been about 1959. I remember the footbridge over the railway where we used to stand and wait for a train to go under we used to love the the thick smoke and steam all around us (I don't suppose it was very good for us but we didn't care). I remember Hadens the paper shop and Whiteheads chip shop. Charlie Moore's music shop was always ...see more