IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 16 - 22 JUNE 1925
This week's many stories include the dangerous Taylor Park paddling pool, the man that fired a gun outside a police station, the spectacles that were stolen from Woolies, the charabanc passengers that were chucking bottles onto Rainford's roads and St Helens visitors to Blackpool are warned not to play monkey tricks with the Tower tiger.
We begin on the 16th with the inquest into the death of William Radcliffe who had died as a result of an accident at Pilkington's Ravenhead works. The 20-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Eldon Street had fractured his skull after falling 40 feet off scaffolding and died at St Helens Hospital soon after his arrival.
A paddling pool for toddlers that's eight-feet deep is clearly more of a drowning pool than one for paddling in. But that was how the council's Deputy Borough Engineer found part of the pool in Taylor Park after two potentially serious incidents had occurred.
On the 17th he told the members of the Parks Committee that he had fenced off part of the water as it had become very dangerous. The rest of the pool was considered safe being only 12 inches deep, although its bottom was rather muddy with weeds.
The Engineer added that he had referred the matter to the council's Unemployment Committee to see if a scheme of work could be created. If given the green light unemployed men would be hired to install a concrete bottom and create a safe paddling pool over the whole area.
James Dillon of Church Street appeared in court this week charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm in the street. And the place he chose to fire his gun was outside a police station in Arthur Street. PC Spedding told the Bench that he had been on duty on the corner of Arthur Street and Liverpool Road when he heard a shot being fired.
The officer said he saw Dillon and three other men opposite the police station surrounded by a cloud of smoke. As he approached the group he saw Dillon fire another shot and then the gunman said to PC Spedding: "It's all right; it's not a firearm; it doesn't come under the regulations."
Upon examining the pistol the officer said he found it contained five live cartridges, although when fired they would effectively become blanks. Inspector Anders had dashed out of his station when he heard the sound of a revolver being fired and when going towards Dillon said he heard a gunshot and saw a flash.
Upon asking the man what right he had to use the revolver, Dillon replied that he was not doing any harm and could let it off as often as he liked. The inspector asked him who would be responsible if a horse took fright at the sound of the shots and dashed through a shop window and Dillon replied it would be nothing to do with him.
The Chairman admitted that the gun was not dangerous in itself but said it could be made into a very dangerous weapon and fined Dillon £1. The defendant was quite stroppy throughout the hearing and when told of his fine said: "I am afraid you will have to look for it".
"St. Helens visitors to Blackpool should not play monkey tricks with the tower tiger." That was the introduction to an article in the Reporter on the 19th that described how a foolish young man had climbed over the barrier separating the public from the cages in the Blackpool Tower menagerie and started teasing one of the tigers.
The incident had taken place at 10 pm when the place was crowded and for a while the animal took no notice of the intruder. But suddenly the tiger sprang at him and with its teeth or claws caught his right hand, tearing off portions of flesh. The mystery man's friends pulled him away and helped him out of the building before the attendants could provide assistance or even obtain his name and address.
Arthur Williams of Platt Street in St Helens appeared in the Police Court this week charged with wife desertion. There was nothing wrong in law in a husband leaving his wife, as long as he made provision for her and his family. But men who walked out of their homes in anger rarely did.
Arthur's wife, Elizabeth, told the court that her husband had left her on two occasions. The first time happened after neighbours had complained of Arthur gambling with boys on the corner of the street and after she'd spoken to him about it he went to live in Pitt Street.
The second occasion was at Christmas when she said she'd told Arthur he ought to stay home with her and the baby instead of stopping out all night. Elizabeth explained to the court how she had made up her husband's dinner for him to take to his work but he didn't return home. Unusually, Mr Williams seems to have offered no defence against the claims and was ordered to pay his separated wife 10 shillings per week maintenance.
In 1920 the Chief Constable of St Helens, Arthur Ellerington, had a letter published in the Reporter complaining about the nuisance of charabancs. Amongst a number of other criticisms he wrote:
"It is also a source of great annoyance that the users of chars-a-bancs cast their refuse into the street as the vehicle travels along, without a care as to where the banana skin or other missile is going to “land,” and returning to the Borough in the early hours of the morning with the occupants singing songs and creating a great noise to the disturbance of the folk living along the route. Unless there is a drastic alteration of tactics, such practice will find a sequel in the Police Court."
Just how the police were expected to book litter bugs and noisy revellers when they had no motorised vehicles of their own to chase after them was not explained! Which is probably why at this week's meeting of Rainford Urban District Council the subject was again raised and the council agreed on this resolution: "That Supt. Lewis and the local police be notified with a view to preventing bottles and other articles being thrown out of motor coaches on to the roads."
It was clearly extremely difficult to catch people in the act of chucking stuff out of fast moving "sharries" on to the road, so just how they thought it possible to stop them from doing it in the first place I do not know. Perhaps, the Rainford bobbies would have to pedal after charabancs on their bikes, yelling "Don't chuck out any bottles or I'll book you!" The Reporter's headline to their article describing what was said at the meeting was "When the Sharries Homeward Fly".
More signage was starting to appear on the roads within the St Helens district and the council also agreed on "danger signs" being fixed near to all the schools in Rainford. Lord Derby had donated the land for the recreation ground at the rear of Rainford Parish Church a few years ago. But it was not for everyone to use. It was stated at the meeting that the ground was intended only for the children who attended the National School in Cross Pit Lane – and not Roman Catholics, or any other denomination.
Councillor Eden asked if there was any news on the proposed government scheme that would provide electricity to Rainford residents. And the answer he was given was essentially "no". The council clerk said that was because the government had been "flabbergasted" by the number of applications received from rural councils.
In a court case in St Helens this week we learn that Woolworths of Church Street sold spectacles and that there was an Army and Navy Stores in Market Street. Those two facts are known because Thomas O’Brien had pinched glasses and boots from them. The Reporter said: "…he doesn’t aspire to sleeping in feather beds, preferring to doze in the common lodging houses of the town."
And it was in one of those houses in Salisbury Street where two police officers had collared O’Brien. The man admitted taking a pair of boots from a shop in Market Street and another pair from the Army and Navy stores. And from Woolies he had stolen 14 fountain pens, 7 eye glasses and several pairs of spectacles.
Many people did not go to specialist opticians to get specially made spectacles. But instead they tried on various cheap glasses from a selection in a shop to see if any improved their vision. O’Brien had six previous convictions for theft and was sent to prison for two months hard labour.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Gerards Bridge miner who did not want to pay his wife's debts, the mile-long police chase after youthful card players, the stone throwing at rooks in Victoria Park and the infants' portrayal of Rumplestiltskin.
We begin on the 16th with the inquest into the death of William Radcliffe who had died as a result of an accident at Pilkington's Ravenhead works. The 20-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Eldon Street had fractured his skull after falling 40 feet off scaffolding and died at St Helens Hospital soon after his arrival.
On the 17th he told the members of the Parks Committee that he had fenced off part of the water as it had become very dangerous. The rest of the pool was considered safe being only 12 inches deep, although its bottom was rather muddy with weeds.
The Engineer added that he had referred the matter to the council's Unemployment Committee to see if a scheme of work could be created. If given the green light unemployed men would be hired to install a concrete bottom and create a safe paddling pool over the whole area.
James Dillon of Church Street appeared in court this week charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm in the street. And the place he chose to fire his gun was outside a police station in Arthur Street. PC Spedding told the Bench that he had been on duty on the corner of Arthur Street and Liverpool Road when he heard a shot being fired.
The officer said he saw Dillon and three other men opposite the police station surrounded by a cloud of smoke. As he approached the group he saw Dillon fire another shot and then the gunman said to PC Spedding: "It's all right; it's not a firearm; it doesn't come under the regulations."
Upon examining the pistol the officer said he found it contained five live cartridges, although when fired they would effectively become blanks. Inspector Anders had dashed out of his station when he heard the sound of a revolver being fired and when going towards Dillon said he heard a gunshot and saw a flash.
Upon asking the man what right he had to use the revolver, Dillon replied that he was not doing any harm and could let it off as often as he liked. The inspector asked him who would be responsible if a horse took fright at the sound of the shots and dashed through a shop window and Dillon replied it would be nothing to do with him.
The Chairman admitted that the gun was not dangerous in itself but said it could be made into a very dangerous weapon and fined Dillon £1. The defendant was quite stroppy throughout the hearing and when told of his fine said: "I am afraid you will have to look for it".
"St. Helens visitors to Blackpool should not play monkey tricks with the tower tiger." That was the introduction to an article in the Reporter on the 19th that described how a foolish young man had climbed over the barrier separating the public from the cages in the Blackpool Tower menagerie and started teasing one of the tigers.
The incident had taken place at 10 pm when the place was crowded and for a while the animal took no notice of the intruder. But suddenly the tiger sprang at him and with its teeth or claws caught his right hand, tearing off portions of flesh. The mystery man's friends pulled him away and helped him out of the building before the attendants could provide assistance or even obtain his name and address.
Arthur Williams of Platt Street in St Helens appeared in the Police Court this week charged with wife desertion. There was nothing wrong in law in a husband leaving his wife, as long as he made provision for her and his family. But men who walked out of their homes in anger rarely did.
Arthur's wife, Elizabeth, told the court that her husband had left her on two occasions. The first time happened after neighbours had complained of Arthur gambling with boys on the corner of the street and after she'd spoken to him about it he went to live in Pitt Street.
The second occasion was at Christmas when she said she'd told Arthur he ought to stay home with her and the baby instead of stopping out all night. Elizabeth explained to the court how she had made up her husband's dinner for him to take to his work but he didn't return home. Unusually, Mr Williams seems to have offered no defence against the claims and was ordered to pay his separated wife 10 shillings per week maintenance.
"It is also a source of great annoyance that the users of chars-a-bancs cast their refuse into the street as the vehicle travels along, without a care as to where the banana skin or other missile is going to “land,” and returning to the Borough in the early hours of the morning with the occupants singing songs and creating a great noise to the disturbance of the folk living along the route. Unless there is a drastic alteration of tactics, such practice will find a sequel in the Police Court."
Just how the police were expected to book litter bugs and noisy revellers when they had no motorised vehicles of their own to chase after them was not explained! Which is probably why at this week's meeting of Rainford Urban District Council the subject was again raised and the council agreed on this resolution: "That Supt. Lewis and the local police be notified with a view to preventing bottles and other articles being thrown out of motor coaches on to the roads."
It was clearly extremely difficult to catch people in the act of chucking stuff out of fast moving "sharries" on to the road, so just how they thought it possible to stop them from doing it in the first place I do not know. Perhaps, the Rainford bobbies would have to pedal after charabancs on their bikes, yelling "Don't chuck out any bottles or I'll book you!" The Reporter's headline to their article describing what was said at the meeting was "When the Sharries Homeward Fly".
More signage was starting to appear on the roads within the St Helens district and the council also agreed on "danger signs" being fixed near to all the schools in Rainford. Lord Derby had donated the land for the recreation ground at the rear of Rainford Parish Church a few years ago. But it was not for everyone to use. It was stated at the meeting that the ground was intended only for the children who attended the National School in Cross Pit Lane – and not Roman Catholics, or any other denomination.
Councillor Eden asked if there was any news on the proposed government scheme that would provide electricity to Rainford residents. And the answer he was given was essentially "no". The council clerk said that was because the government had been "flabbergasted" by the number of applications received from rural councils.
In a court case in St Helens this week we learn that Woolworths of Church Street sold spectacles and that there was an Army and Navy Stores in Market Street. Those two facts are known because Thomas O’Brien had pinched glasses and boots from them. The Reporter said: "…he doesn’t aspire to sleeping in feather beds, preferring to doze in the common lodging houses of the town."
And it was in one of those houses in Salisbury Street where two police officers had collared O’Brien. The man admitted taking a pair of boots from a shop in Market Street and another pair from the Army and Navy stores. And from Woolies he had stolen 14 fountain pens, 7 eye glasses and several pairs of spectacles.
Many people did not go to specialist opticians to get specially made spectacles. But instead they tried on various cheap glasses from a selection in a shop to see if any improved their vision. O’Brien had six previous convictions for theft and was sent to prison for two months hard labour.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Gerards Bridge miner who did not want to pay his wife's debts, the mile-long police chase after youthful card players, the stone throwing at rooks in Victoria Park and the infants' portrayal of Rumplestiltskin.
This week's many stories include the dangerous Taylor Park paddling pool, the man that fired a gun outside a police station, the spectacles that were stolen from Woolies, the charabanc passengers that were chucking bottles on to Rainford's roads and St Helens visitors to Blackpool are warned not to play any monkey tricks with the Tower tiger.
We begin on the 16th with the inquest into the death of William Radcliffe who had died as a result of an accident at Pilkington's Ravenhead works.
The 20-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Eldon Street had fractured his skull after falling 40 feet off scaffolding and died at St Helens Hospital soon after his arrival.
A paddling pool for toddlers that's eight-feet deep is clearly more of a drowning pool than one for paddling in.
But that was how the council's Deputy Borough Engineer found part of the pool in Taylor Park after two potentially serious incidents had occurred.
On the 17th he told the members of the Parks Committee that he had fenced off part of the water as it had become very dangerous.
The rest of the pool was considered safe being only 12 inches deep, although its bottom was rather muddy with weeds.
The Engineer added that he had referred the matter to the council's Unemployment Committee to see if a scheme of work could be created.
If given the green light unemployed men would be hired to install a concrete bottom and create a safe paddling pool over the whole area.
James Dillon of Church Street appeared in court this week charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm in the street.
And the place he chose to fire his gun was outside a police station in Arthur Street.
PC Spedding told the Bench that he had been on duty on the corner of Arthur Street and Liverpool Road when he heard a shot being fired.
The officer said he saw Dillon and three other men opposite the police station surrounded by a cloud of smoke.
As he approached the group he saw Dillon fire another shot and then the gunman said to PC Spedding:
"It's all right; it's not a firearm; it doesn't come under the regulations."
Upon examining the pistol the officer said he found it contained five live cartridges, although when fired they would effectively become blanks.
Inspector Anders had dashed out of his station when he heard the sound of a revolver being fired and when going towards Dillon said he heard a gunshot and saw a flash.
Upon asking the man what right he had to use the revolver, Dillon replied that he was not doing any harm and could let it off as often as he liked.
The inspector asked him who would be responsible if a horse took fright at the sound of the shots and dashed through a shop window and Dillon replied it would be nothing to do with him.
The Chairman admitted that the gun was not dangerous in itself but said it could be made into a very dangerous weapon and fined Dillon £1.
The defendant was quite stroppy throughout the hearing and when told of his fine said: "I am afraid you will have to look for it".
"St. Helens visitors to Blackpool should not play monkey tricks with the tower tiger."
That was the introduction to an article in the Reporter on the 19th that described how a foolish young man had climbed over the barrier separating the public from the cages in the Blackpool Tower menagerie and started teasing one of the tigers.
The incident had taken place at 10 pm when the place was crowded and for a while the animal took no notice of the intruder.
But suddenly the tiger sprang at him and with its teeth or claws caught his right hand, tearing off portions of flesh.
The mystery man's friends pulled him away and helped him out of the building before the attendants could provide assistance or even obtain his name and address.
Arthur Williams of Platt Street in St Helens appeared in the Police Court this week charged with wife desertion.
There was nothing wrong in law in a husband leaving his wife, as long as he made provision for her and his family. But men who walked out of their homes in anger rarely did.
Arthur's wife, Elizabeth, told the court that her husband had left her on two occasions.
The first time happened after neighbours had complained of Arthur gambling with boys on the corner of the street and after she'd spoken to him about it he went to live in Pitt Street.
The second occasion was at Christmas when she said she'd told Arthur he ought to stay home with her and the baby instead of stopping out all night.
Elizabeth explained to the court how she had made up her husband's dinner for him to take to his work but he didn't return home.
Unusually, Mr Williams seems to have offered no defence against the claims and was ordered to pay his separated wife 10 shillings per week maintenance.
In 1920 the Chief Constable of St Helens, Arthur Ellerington, had a letter published in the Reporter complaining about the nuisance of charabancs. Amongst a number of other criticisms he wrote:
"It is also a source of great annoyance that the users of chars-a-bancs cast their refuse into the street as the vehicle travels along, without a care as to where the banana skin or other missile is going to “land,” and returning to the Borough in the early hours of the morning with the occupants singing songs and creating a great noise to the disturbance of the folk living along the route. Unless there is a drastic alteration of tactics, such practice will find a sequel in the Police Court."
Just how the police were expected to book litter bugs and noisy revellers when they had no motorised vehicles of their own to chase after them was not explained!
Which is probably why at this week's meeting of Rainford Urban District Council the subject was again raised and the council agreed on this resolution:
"That Supt. Lewis and the local police be notified with a view to preventing bottles and other articles being thrown out of motor coaches on to the roads."
It was clearly extremely difficult to catch people in the act of chucking stuff out of fast moving "sharries" on to the road, so just how they thought it possible to stop them from doing it in the first place I do not know.
Perhaps, the Rainford bobbies would have to pedal after charabancs on their bikes, yelling "Don't chuck out any bottles or I'll book you!"
The Reporter's headline to their article describing what was said at the meeting was "When the Sharries Homeward Fly".
More signage was starting to appear on the roads within the St Helens district and the council also agreed on "danger signs" being fixed near to all the schools in Rainford.
Lord Derby had donated the land for the recreation ground at the rear of Rainford Parish Church a few years ago.
But it was not for everyone to use. It was stated at the meeting that the ground was intended only for the children who attended the National School in Cross Pit Lane – and not Roman Catholics, or any other denomination.
Councillor Eden asked if there was any news on the proposed government scheme that would provide electricity to Rainford residents.
And the answer he was given was essentially "no". The council clerk said that was because the government had been "flabbergasted" by the number of applications received from rural councils.
In a court case in St Helens this week we learn that Woolworths of Church Street sold spectacles and that there was an Army and Navy Stores in Market Street.
Those two facts are known because Thomas O’Brien had pinched glasses and boots from them.
The Reporter said: "…he doesn’t aspire to sleeping in feather beds, preferring to doze in the common lodging houses of the town."
And it was in one of those houses in Salisbury Street where two police officers had collared O’Brien.
The man admitted taking a pair of boots from a shop in Market Street and another pair from the Army and Navy stores.
And from Woolies he had stolen 14 fountain pens, 7 eye glasses and several pairs of spectacles.
Many people did not go to specialist opticians to get specially made spectacles. But instead they tried on various cheap glasses from a selection in a shop to see if any improved their vision.
O’Brien had six previous convictions for theft and was sent to prison for two months hard labour.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Gerards Bridge miner who did not want to pay his wife's debts, the mile-long police chase after youthful card players, the stone throwing at rooks in Victoria Park and the infants' portrayal of Rumplestiltskin.
We begin on the 16th with the inquest into the death of William Radcliffe who had died as a result of an accident at Pilkington's Ravenhead works.
The 20-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Eldon Street had fractured his skull after falling 40 feet off scaffolding and died at St Helens Hospital soon after his arrival.
But that was how the council's Deputy Borough Engineer found part of the pool in Taylor Park after two potentially serious incidents had occurred.
On the 17th he told the members of the Parks Committee that he had fenced off part of the water as it had become very dangerous.
The rest of the pool was considered safe being only 12 inches deep, although its bottom was rather muddy with weeds.
The Engineer added that he had referred the matter to the council's Unemployment Committee to see if a scheme of work could be created.
If given the green light unemployed men would be hired to install a concrete bottom and create a safe paddling pool over the whole area.
James Dillon of Church Street appeared in court this week charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm in the street.
And the place he chose to fire his gun was outside a police station in Arthur Street.
PC Spedding told the Bench that he had been on duty on the corner of Arthur Street and Liverpool Road when he heard a shot being fired.
The officer said he saw Dillon and three other men opposite the police station surrounded by a cloud of smoke.
As he approached the group he saw Dillon fire another shot and then the gunman said to PC Spedding:
"It's all right; it's not a firearm; it doesn't come under the regulations."
Upon examining the pistol the officer said he found it contained five live cartridges, although when fired they would effectively become blanks.
Inspector Anders had dashed out of his station when he heard the sound of a revolver being fired and when going towards Dillon said he heard a gunshot and saw a flash.
Upon asking the man what right he had to use the revolver, Dillon replied that he was not doing any harm and could let it off as often as he liked.
The inspector asked him who would be responsible if a horse took fright at the sound of the shots and dashed through a shop window and Dillon replied it would be nothing to do with him.
The Chairman admitted that the gun was not dangerous in itself but said it could be made into a very dangerous weapon and fined Dillon £1.
The defendant was quite stroppy throughout the hearing and when told of his fine said: "I am afraid you will have to look for it".
"St. Helens visitors to Blackpool should not play monkey tricks with the tower tiger."
That was the introduction to an article in the Reporter on the 19th that described how a foolish young man had climbed over the barrier separating the public from the cages in the Blackpool Tower menagerie and started teasing one of the tigers.
The incident had taken place at 10 pm when the place was crowded and for a while the animal took no notice of the intruder.
But suddenly the tiger sprang at him and with its teeth or claws caught his right hand, tearing off portions of flesh.
The mystery man's friends pulled him away and helped him out of the building before the attendants could provide assistance or even obtain his name and address.
Arthur Williams of Platt Street in St Helens appeared in the Police Court this week charged with wife desertion.
There was nothing wrong in law in a husband leaving his wife, as long as he made provision for her and his family. But men who walked out of their homes in anger rarely did.
Arthur's wife, Elizabeth, told the court that her husband had left her on two occasions.
The first time happened after neighbours had complained of Arthur gambling with boys on the corner of the street and after she'd spoken to him about it he went to live in Pitt Street.
The second occasion was at Christmas when she said she'd told Arthur he ought to stay home with her and the baby instead of stopping out all night.
Elizabeth explained to the court how she had made up her husband's dinner for him to take to his work but he didn't return home.
Unusually, Mr Williams seems to have offered no defence against the claims and was ordered to pay his separated wife 10 shillings per week maintenance.
"It is also a source of great annoyance that the users of chars-a-bancs cast their refuse into the street as the vehicle travels along, without a care as to where the banana skin or other missile is going to “land,” and returning to the Borough in the early hours of the morning with the occupants singing songs and creating a great noise to the disturbance of the folk living along the route. Unless there is a drastic alteration of tactics, such practice will find a sequel in the Police Court."
Just how the police were expected to book litter bugs and noisy revellers when they had no motorised vehicles of their own to chase after them was not explained!
Which is probably why at this week's meeting of Rainford Urban District Council the subject was again raised and the council agreed on this resolution:
"That Supt. Lewis and the local police be notified with a view to preventing bottles and other articles being thrown out of motor coaches on to the roads."
It was clearly extremely difficult to catch people in the act of chucking stuff out of fast moving "sharries" on to the road, so just how they thought it possible to stop them from doing it in the first place I do not know.
Perhaps, the Rainford bobbies would have to pedal after charabancs on their bikes, yelling "Don't chuck out any bottles or I'll book you!"
The Reporter's headline to their article describing what was said at the meeting was "When the Sharries Homeward Fly".
More signage was starting to appear on the roads within the St Helens district and the council also agreed on "danger signs" being fixed near to all the schools in Rainford.
Lord Derby had donated the land for the recreation ground at the rear of Rainford Parish Church a few years ago.
But it was not for everyone to use. It was stated at the meeting that the ground was intended only for the children who attended the National School in Cross Pit Lane – and not Roman Catholics, or any other denomination.
Councillor Eden asked if there was any news on the proposed government scheme that would provide electricity to Rainford residents.
And the answer he was given was essentially "no". The council clerk said that was because the government had been "flabbergasted" by the number of applications received from rural councils.
In a court case in St Helens this week we learn that Woolworths of Church Street sold spectacles and that there was an Army and Navy Stores in Market Street.
Those two facts are known because Thomas O’Brien had pinched glasses and boots from them.
The Reporter said: "…he doesn’t aspire to sleeping in feather beds, preferring to doze in the common lodging houses of the town."
And it was in one of those houses in Salisbury Street where two police officers had collared O’Brien.
The man admitted taking a pair of boots from a shop in Market Street and another pair from the Army and Navy stores.
And from Woolies he had stolen 14 fountain pens, 7 eye glasses and several pairs of spectacles.
Many people did not go to specialist opticians to get specially made spectacles. But instead they tried on various cheap glasses from a selection in a shop to see if any improved their vision.
O’Brien had six previous convictions for theft and was sent to prison for two months hard labour.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the Gerards Bridge miner who did not want to pay his wife's debts, the mile-long police chase after youthful card players, the stone throwing at rooks in Victoria Park and the infants' portrayal of Rumplestiltskin.