IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1st - 7th MAY 1923)
This week's many stories include the blind doormat thief, work begins on building the new parish church, Labour's great rally at Carr Mill Dam, a rogue talent agent is sent to prison, one of the worst women in St Helens returns to court and the man nicknamed Liverpool Johnny causes mayhem in Sutton.
These days there are, of course, a few different ways to get your luggage to the railway station – including wheeling it there or sticking it in your car. But in the days when few people had motor vehicles and luggage was heavy and not so portable, it must have been a real pain when families were going away by train. I expect many packed the absolute minimum amount of clothing and possessions that they would need for their journey.
However, there was another solution – get the railway company to come to you to collect your suitcase and transport it to your destination. On May 1st the charge for collecting passengers' luggage was reduced from half-a-crown to 2 shillings per package. The St Helens Reporter revealed that bags and suitcases could be forwarded a day in advance of the passenger's journey and may be addressed "To Be Called For" at the cloakroom of the destination station.
Also on the 1st a rogue talent agent was sent to prison for two months with hard labour in Liverpool City Police Court. Amongst his list of offences James Cameron had arranged for a concert party to appear at St Helens but failed to pay them and a collection had to be made in the town to help out the artistes. And three children that belonged to a troupe attached to the concert party were forced to walk home to Liverpool from Prescot. The Liverpool Echo also reported that there had been complaints "with regard to his dealings with young girls".
Walter Thorpe was described by the Reporter as a "well-known figure in the town, an invalid and partially blind man" who lived with his sister in Rodney Street, near Boundary Road. In St Helens Police Court on the 1st the 38-year-old was charged with stealing eight doormats from outside people's homes.
The thefts had taken place over two years and had puzzled the police until Thorpe was recently spotted stealing one and then he admitted taking all the others. When asked in court why he had stolen the mats, he replied: "I did it for foolery; I was having a game." But Thorpe admitted selling one of the mats and was bound over and ordered to pay a 30-shilling fine. The Reporter's headline was "A Very Queer Game".
"Labour's Great Rally At Carr Mill Dam" was the headline to an advert on the front page of the Reporter on the 4th. James Sexton, the "borough member" – which is how the town's MP was usually described – would address "The Great Mass Meeting" in which men and women electors were invited to "rally in thousands".
Roberts & Bromley were tailors with premises in Church Street, opposite Hall Street, and said in their advert in the Reporter: "Don't hesitate any longer. Come to-day and select your summer suit. We can turn you out “POSH”." The firm had testimonials from two St Helens-born footballers that they presumably had given suits. Their ad continued: "Listen to what Alex Finney & Billy Murphy, England's coming internationals both say: “Our suits are greatly admired in every town we play in”." Both players seem to have come from Peasley Cross, with Finney a full back at Bolton and "Spud" Murphy a winger at Manchester City.
Some men clearly married in order to have a free cook and housekeeper – as well as enjoy certain bedtime benefits. They thought marriage would not interfere with their lifestyle and became angry if their wives thought otherwise. The Reporter described how a man known locally as "Liverpool Johnny" – but whose real name was the less romantic John Smith – had been in court bemoaning his lot. "I have been married three years in August and had no pleasure since," he complained.
Smith from Watery Lane in Sutton certainly seemed a candidate for the "I should be able to do what I want" brigade. PC Holland told the court that when he arrived at the house he found Smith shouting and pushing a table over. The man's wife, children and father-in-law were "terrified" and Smith's conduct worsened and so he arrested him. The police, he added, were repeatedly being called to the house.
The father-in-law was Thomas Kenwright and he told the court that Smith made him afraid for his life, adding: "The same game has been going on for three years and it was time a stop was put to it." The most recent incident had taken place on a Saturday teatime and it appeared that the man had been drinking all afternoon since finishing work.
"Liverpool Johnny" had only been charged with shouting and making a disturbance and was bound over to keep the peace for twelve months. However, Smith would himself have to find a surety of £5 and come up with two other persons prepared to risk £1 each. Whether the prospect of losing some cash made him a calmer husband and more able to adjust to married life is debatable.
Women's hairdressers were starting to advertise more and this week Herbert Lockhart from George Street was promoting his "permanent hair waving" in the Reporter. His services were not cheap with a "full head" costing £4 and "side pieces" from ten shillings. I wonder how many men in St Helens treated their wives to a full perm that would have cost them around a week's wages? Probably not "Liverpool Johnny"!
The Reporter also wrote that at long last an extensive scheme to remedy the chronic flooding in the Watery Lane / Moss Nook district (as pictured above) was in the works and would provide jobs for some unemployed men:
"The most definite attempt to remedy the scandal of the Sutton floods that has so far been brought before the Council is detailed in the minutes of the Health Committee, who have decided to recommend the adoption of the scheme outlined some time ago by Dr. Bates, and that the necessary agreements be entered into with the colliery company and the land owners concerned and application is to be made to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a grant in respect of the works."
It was very common for those with long records of drunken behaviour to say that the police unfairly picked on them. There might have been some truth in their claim but probably only in the sense that when causing a nuisance, they'd be immediately arrested while others might be told to go home. Margaret Frost of Raglan Street in St Helens certainly thought the police had it in for her.
In court this week accused of committing a breach of the peace, the Chairman of the Bench commented how she had been before them on 21 occasions. To that Margaret replied: "Yes, and that is what they play on." PC Reynolds and Sgt. Latus described to the magistrates how they had been on duty in Westfield Street shortly after 10 o’clock on the previous Saturday night. They said they saw a great disturbance taking place outside a pub and found the woman in a drunken condition using filthy language.
She then went off but continued to be abusive and so the police entered her home and marched her to the police station. PC Reynolds said throughout the journey she was very obstructive and used the most disgusting language to them. And Sergeant Latus added that Margaret Frost was one of the worst women in the town and they'd had to struggle to get her into the station. Alfred Brown, who lived with the woman, claimed that the police were the real offenders, saying while removing her from her home they had dragged her headfirst down the stairs. However, the magistrates rarely accepted such claims and bound Margaret over to keep the peace for 12 months.
And finally, the old St Helens Parish Church (pictured above) had burnt down in December 1916 after an electrical fire. On the 7th after over six years of planning and various setbacks, work on building a replacement church finally began. The opportunity was also taken to widen Church Street by locating the new building a little further back than its predecessor. The Reporter wrote:
"Modifications, alterations [to building plans], and postponements have been forced upon the authorities in turn, and now the commencement of the long and arduous but straightforward task of building is practically assured, the congregations will sigh thankfully and await the climb of the delicate lines of the new church into the sky with eager anticipation."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's many stories will include the boating tragedy on Taylor Park lake, the miner's odd drowning in an Eccleston stream, the Rainford row over a black eye, Providence Hospital's flower day and the glasses that could damage your eyesight.
These days there are, of course, a few different ways to get your luggage to the railway station – including wheeling it there or sticking it in your car. But in the days when few people had motor vehicles and luggage was heavy and not so portable, it must have been a real pain when families were going away by train. I expect many packed the absolute minimum amount of clothing and possessions that they would need for their journey.
However, there was another solution – get the railway company to come to you to collect your suitcase and transport it to your destination. On May 1st the charge for collecting passengers' luggage was reduced from half-a-crown to 2 shillings per package. The St Helens Reporter revealed that bags and suitcases could be forwarded a day in advance of the passenger's journey and may be addressed "To Be Called For" at the cloakroom of the destination station.
Also on the 1st a rogue talent agent was sent to prison for two months with hard labour in Liverpool City Police Court. Amongst his list of offences James Cameron had arranged for a concert party to appear at St Helens but failed to pay them and a collection had to be made in the town to help out the artistes. And three children that belonged to a troupe attached to the concert party were forced to walk home to Liverpool from Prescot. The Liverpool Echo also reported that there had been complaints "with regard to his dealings with young girls".
Walter Thorpe was described by the Reporter as a "well-known figure in the town, an invalid and partially blind man" who lived with his sister in Rodney Street, near Boundary Road. In St Helens Police Court on the 1st the 38-year-old was charged with stealing eight doormats from outside people's homes.
The thefts had taken place over two years and had puzzled the police until Thorpe was recently spotted stealing one and then he admitted taking all the others. When asked in court why he had stolen the mats, he replied: "I did it for foolery; I was having a game." But Thorpe admitted selling one of the mats and was bound over and ordered to pay a 30-shilling fine. The Reporter's headline was "A Very Queer Game".
"Labour's Great Rally At Carr Mill Dam" was the headline to an advert on the front page of the Reporter on the 4th. James Sexton, the "borough member" – which is how the town's MP was usually described – would address "The Great Mass Meeting" in which men and women electors were invited to "rally in thousands".
Roberts & Bromley were tailors with premises in Church Street, opposite Hall Street, and said in their advert in the Reporter: "Don't hesitate any longer. Come to-day and select your summer suit. We can turn you out “POSH”." The firm had testimonials from two St Helens-born footballers that they presumably had given suits. Their ad continued: "Listen to what Alex Finney & Billy Murphy, England's coming internationals both say: “Our suits are greatly admired in every town we play in”." Both players seem to have come from Peasley Cross, with Finney a full back at Bolton and "Spud" Murphy a winger at Manchester City.
Some men clearly married in order to have a free cook and housekeeper – as well as enjoy certain bedtime benefits. They thought marriage would not interfere with their lifestyle and became angry if their wives thought otherwise. The Reporter described how a man known locally as "Liverpool Johnny" – but whose real name was the less romantic John Smith – had been in court bemoaning his lot. "I have been married three years in August and had no pleasure since," he complained.
Smith from Watery Lane in Sutton certainly seemed a candidate for the "I should be able to do what I want" brigade. PC Holland told the court that when he arrived at the house he found Smith shouting and pushing a table over. The man's wife, children and father-in-law were "terrified" and Smith's conduct worsened and so he arrested him. The police, he added, were repeatedly being called to the house.
The father-in-law was Thomas Kenwright and he told the court that Smith made him afraid for his life, adding: "The same game has been going on for three years and it was time a stop was put to it." The most recent incident had taken place on a Saturday teatime and it appeared that the man had been drinking all afternoon since finishing work.
"Liverpool Johnny" had only been charged with shouting and making a disturbance and was bound over to keep the peace for twelve months. However, Smith would himself have to find a surety of £5 and come up with two other persons prepared to risk £1 each. Whether the prospect of losing some cash made him a calmer husband and more able to adjust to married life is debatable.
Women's hairdressers were starting to advertise more and this week Herbert Lockhart from George Street was promoting his "permanent hair waving" in the Reporter. His services were not cheap with a "full head" costing £4 and "side pieces" from ten shillings. I wonder how many men in St Helens treated their wives to a full perm that would have cost them around a week's wages? Probably not "Liverpool Johnny"!
"The most definite attempt to remedy the scandal of the Sutton floods that has so far been brought before the Council is detailed in the minutes of the Health Committee, who have decided to recommend the adoption of the scheme outlined some time ago by Dr. Bates, and that the necessary agreements be entered into with the colliery company and the land owners concerned and application is to be made to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a grant in respect of the works."
It was very common for those with long records of drunken behaviour to say that the police unfairly picked on them. There might have been some truth in their claim but probably only in the sense that when causing a nuisance, they'd be immediately arrested while others might be told to go home. Margaret Frost of Raglan Street in St Helens certainly thought the police had it in for her.
In court this week accused of committing a breach of the peace, the Chairman of the Bench commented how she had been before them on 21 occasions. To that Margaret replied: "Yes, and that is what they play on." PC Reynolds and Sgt. Latus described to the magistrates how they had been on duty in Westfield Street shortly after 10 o’clock on the previous Saturday night. They said they saw a great disturbance taking place outside a pub and found the woman in a drunken condition using filthy language.
She then went off but continued to be abusive and so the police entered her home and marched her to the police station. PC Reynolds said throughout the journey she was very obstructive and used the most disgusting language to them. And Sergeant Latus added that Margaret Frost was one of the worst women in the town and they'd had to struggle to get her into the station. Alfred Brown, who lived with the woman, claimed that the police were the real offenders, saying while removing her from her home they had dragged her headfirst down the stairs. However, the magistrates rarely accepted such claims and bound Margaret over to keep the peace for 12 months.
"Modifications, alterations [to building plans], and postponements have been forced upon the authorities in turn, and now the commencement of the long and arduous but straightforward task of building is practically assured, the congregations will sigh thankfully and await the climb of the delicate lines of the new church into the sky with eager anticipation."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's many stories will include the boating tragedy on Taylor Park lake, the miner's odd drowning in an Eccleston stream, the Rainford row over a black eye, Providence Hospital's flower day and the glasses that could damage your eyesight.
This week's many stories include the blind doormat thief, work begins on building the new parish church, Labour's great rally at Carr Mill Dam, a rogue talent agent is sent to prison, one of the worst women in St Helens returns to court and the man nicknamed Liverpool Johnny causes mayhem in Sutton.
These days there are, of course, a few different ways to get your luggage to the railway station – including wheeling it there or sticking it in your car.
But in the days when few people had motor vehicles and luggage was heavy and not so portable, it must have been a real pain when families were going away by train.
I expect many packed the absolute minimum amount of clothing and possessions that they would need for their journey.
However, there was another solution – get the railway company to come to you to collect your suitcase and transport it to your destination.
On May 1st the charge for collecting passengers' luggage was reduced from half-a-crown to 2 shillings per package.
The St Helens Reporter revealed that bags and suitcases could be forwarded a day in advance of the passenger's journey and may be addressed "To Be Called For" at the cloakroom of the destination station.
Also on the 1st a rogue talent agent was sent to prison for two months with hard labour in Liverpool City Police Court.
Amongst his list of offences James Cameron had arranged for a concert party to appear at St Helens but failed to pay them and a collection had to be made in the town to help out the artistes.
And three children that belonged to a troupe attached to the concert party were forced to walk home to Liverpool from Prescot.
The Liverpool Echo also reported that there had been complaints "with regard to his dealings with young girls".
Walter Thorpe was described by the Reporter as a "well-known figure in the town, an invalid and partially blind man" who lived with his sister in Rodney Street, near Boundary Road.
In St Helens Police Court on the 1st the 38-year-old was charged with stealing eight doormats from outside people's homes.
The thefts had taken place over two years and had puzzled the police until Thorpe was recently spotted stealing one and then he admitted taking all the others.
When asked in court why he had stolen the mats, he replied: "I did it for foolery; I was having a game."
But Thorpe admitted selling one of the mats and was bound over and ordered to pay a 30-shilling fine. The Reporter's headline was "A Very Queer Game".
"Labour's Great Rally At Carr Mill Dam" was the headline to an advert on the front page of the Reporter on the 4th.
James Sexton, the "borough member" – which is how the town's MP was usually described – would address "The Great Mass Meeting" in which men and women electors were invited to "rally in thousands".
Roberts & Bromley were tailors with premises in Church Street, opposite Hall Street, and said in their advert in the Reporter:
"Don't hesitate any longer. Come to-day and select your summer suit. We can turn you out “POSH”."
The firm had testimonials from two St Helens-born footballers that they presumably had given suits. Their ad continued:
"Listen to what Alex Finney & Billy Murphy, England's coming internationals both say: “Our suits are greatly admired in every town we play in”."
Both players seem to have come from Peasley Cross, with Finney a full back at Bolton and "Spud" Murphy a winger at Manchester City.
Some men clearly married in order to have a free cook and housekeeper – as well as enjoy certain bedtime benefits.
They thought marriage would not interfere with their lifestyle and became angry if their wives thought otherwise.
The Reporter described how a man known locally as "Liverpool Johnny" – but whose real name was the less romantic John Smith – had been in court bemoaning his lot.
"I have been married three years in August and had no pleasure since," he complained.
Smith from Watery Lane in Sutton certainly seemed a candidate for the "I should be able to do what I want" brigade.
PC Holland told the court that when he arrived at the house he found Smith shouting and pushing a table over.
The man's wife, children and father-in-law were "terrified" and Smith's conduct worsened and so he arrested him. The police, he added, were repeatedly being called to the house.
The father-in-law was Thomas Kenwright and he told the court that Smith made him afraid for his life, adding:
"The same game has been going on for three years and it was time a stop was put to it."
The most recent incident had taken place on a Saturday teatime and it appeared that the man had been drinking all afternoon since finishing work.
"Liverpool Johnny" had only been charged with shouting and making a disturbance and was bound over to keep the peace for twelve months.
However, Smith would himself have to find a surety of £5 and come up with two other persons prepared to risk £1 each.
Whether the prospect of losing some cash made him a calmer husband and more able to adjust to married life is debatable.
Women's hairdressers were starting to advertise more and this week Herbert Lockhart from George Street was promoting his "permanent hair waving" in the Reporter.
His services were not cheap with a "full head" costing £4 and "side pieces" from ten shillings.
I wonder how many men in St Helens treated their wives to a full perm that would have cost them around a week's wages? Probably not "Liverpool Johnny"!
The Reporter also wrote that at long last an extensive scheme to remedy the chronic flooding in the Watery Lane / Moss Nook district (as pictured above) was in the works and would provide jobs for some unemployed men:
"The most definite attempt to remedy the scandal of the Sutton floods that has so far been brought before the Council is detailed in the minutes of the Health Committee, who have decided to recommend the adoption of the scheme outlined some time ago by Dr. Bates, and that the necessary agreements be entered into with the colliery company and the land owners concerned and application is to be made to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a grant in respect of the works."
It was very common for those with long records of drunken behaviour to say that the police unfairly picked on them.
There might have been some truth in their claim but probably only in the sense that when causing a nuisance, they'd be immediately arrested while others might be told to go home.
Margaret Frost of Raglan Street in St Helens certainly thought the police had it in for her.
In court this week accused of committing a breach of the peace, the Chairman of the Bench commented how she had been before them on 21 occasions. To that Margaret replied: "Yes, and that is what they play on."
PC Reynolds and Sgt. Latus described to the magistrates how they had been on duty in Westfield Street shortly after 10 o’clock on the previous Saturday night.
They said they saw a great disturbance taking place outside a pub and found the woman in a drunken condition using filthy language.
She then went off but continued to be abusive and so the police entered her home and marched her to the police station.
PC Reynolds said throughout the journey she was very obstructive and used the most disgusting language to them.
And Sergeant Latus added that Margaret Frost was one of the worst women in the town and they'd had to struggle to get her into the station.
Alfred Brown, who lived with the woman, claimed that the police were the real offenders, saying while removing her from her home they had dragged her headfirst down the stairs.
However, the magistrates rarely accepted such claims and bound Margaret over to keep the peace for 12 months.
And finally, the old St Helens Parish Church (pictured above) had burnt down in December 1916 after an electrical fire.
On the 7th after over six years of planning and various setbacks, work on building a replacement church finally began.
The opportunity was also taken to widen Church Street by locating the new building a little further back than its predecessor. The Reporter wrote:
"Modifications, alterations [to building plans], and postponements have been forced upon the authorities in turn, and now the commencement of the long and arduous but straightforward task of building is practically assured, the congregations will sigh thankfully and await the climb of the delicate lines of the new church into the sky with eager anticipation."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's many stories will include the boating tragedy on Taylor Park lake, the miner's odd drowning in an Eccleston stream, the Rainford row over a black eye, Providence Hospital's flower day and the glasses that could damage your eyesight.
These days there are, of course, a few different ways to get your luggage to the railway station – including wheeling it there or sticking it in your car.
But in the days when few people had motor vehicles and luggage was heavy and not so portable, it must have been a real pain when families were going away by train.
I expect many packed the absolute minimum amount of clothing and possessions that they would need for their journey.
However, there was another solution – get the railway company to come to you to collect your suitcase and transport it to your destination.
On May 1st the charge for collecting passengers' luggage was reduced from half-a-crown to 2 shillings per package.
The St Helens Reporter revealed that bags and suitcases could be forwarded a day in advance of the passenger's journey and may be addressed "To Be Called For" at the cloakroom of the destination station.
Also on the 1st a rogue talent agent was sent to prison for two months with hard labour in Liverpool City Police Court.
Amongst his list of offences James Cameron had arranged for a concert party to appear at St Helens but failed to pay them and a collection had to be made in the town to help out the artistes.
And three children that belonged to a troupe attached to the concert party were forced to walk home to Liverpool from Prescot.
The Liverpool Echo also reported that there had been complaints "with regard to his dealings with young girls".
Walter Thorpe was described by the Reporter as a "well-known figure in the town, an invalid and partially blind man" who lived with his sister in Rodney Street, near Boundary Road.
In St Helens Police Court on the 1st the 38-year-old was charged with stealing eight doormats from outside people's homes.
The thefts had taken place over two years and had puzzled the police until Thorpe was recently spotted stealing one and then he admitted taking all the others.
When asked in court why he had stolen the mats, he replied: "I did it for foolery; I was having a game."
But Thorpe admitted selling one of the mats and was bound over and ordered to pay a 30-shilling fine. The Reporter's headline was "A Very Queer Game".
"Labour's Great Rally At Carr Mill Dam" was the headline to an advert on the front page of the Reporter on the 4th.
James Sexton, the "borough member" – which is how the town's MP was usually described – would address "The Great Mass Meeting" in which men and women electors were invited to "rally in thousands".
Roberts & Bromley were tailors with premises in Church Street, opposite Hall Street, and said in their advert in the Reporter:
"Don't hesitate any longer. Come to-day and select your summer suit. We can turn you out “POSH”."
The firm had testimonials from two St Helens-born footballers that they presumably had given suits. Their ad continued:
"Listen to what Alex Finney & Billy Murphy, England's coming internationals both say: “Our suits are greatly admired in every town we play in”."
Both players seem to have come from Peasley Cross, with Finney a full back at Bolton and "Spud" Murphy a winger at Manchester City.
Some men clearly married in order to have a free cook and housekeeper – as well as enjoy certain bedtime benefits.
They thought marriage would not interfere with their lifestyle and became angry if their wives thought otherwise.
The Reporter described how a man known locally as "Liverpool Johnny" – but whose real name was the less romantic John Smith – had been in court bemoaning his lot.
"I have been married three years in August and had no pleasure since," he complained.
Smith from Watery Lane in Sutton certainly seemed a candidate for the "I should be able to do what I want" brigade.
PC Holland told the court that when he arrived at the house he found Smith shouting and pushing a table over.
The man's wife, children and father-in-law were "terrified" and Smith's conduct worsened and so he arrested him. The police, he added, were repeatedly being called to the house.
The father-in-law was Thomas Kenwright and he told the court that Smith made him afraid for his life, adding:
"The same game has been going on for three years and it was time a stop was put to it."
The most recent incident had taken place on a Saturday teatime and it appeared that the man had been drinking all afternoon since finishing work.
"Liverpool Johnny" had only been charged with shouting and making a disturbance and was bound over to keep the peace for twelve months.
However, Smith would himself have to find a surety of £5 and come up with two other persons prepared to risk £1 each.
Whether the prospect of losing some cash made him a calmer husband and more able to adjust to married life is debatable.
Women's hairdressers were starting to advertise more and this week Herbert Lockhart from George Street was promoting his "permanent hair waving" in the Reporter.
His services were not cheap with a "full head" costing £4 and "side pieces" from ten shillings.
I wonder how many men in St Helens treated their wives to a full perm that would have cost them around a week's wages? Probably not "Liverpool Johnny"!
"The most definite attempt to remedy the scandal of the Sutton floods that has so far been brought before the Council is detailed in the minutes of the Health Committee, who have decided to recommend the adoption of the scheme outlined some time ago by Dr. Bates, and that the necessary agreements be entered into with the colliery company and the land owners concerned and application is to be made to the Unemployment Grants Committee for a grant in respect of the works."
It was very common for those with long records of drunken behaviour to say that the police unfairly picked on them.
There might have been some truth in their claim but probably only in the sense that when causing a nuisance, they'd be immediately arrested while others might be told to go home.
Margaret Frost of Raglan Street in St Helens certainly thought the police had it in for her.
In court this week accused of committing a breach of the peace, the Chairman of the Bench commented how she had been before them on 21 occasions. To that Margaret replied: "Yes, and that is what they play on."
PC Reynolds and Sgt. Latus described to the magistrates how they had been on duty in Westfield Street shortly after 10 o’clock on the previous Saturday night.
They said they saw a great disturbance taking place outside a pub and found the woman in a drunken condition using filthy language.
She then went off but continued to be abusive and so the police entered her home and marched her to the police station.
PC Reynolds said throughout the journey she was very obstructive and used the most disgusting language to them.
And Sergeant Latus added that Margaret Frost was one of the worst women in the town and they'd had to struggle to get her into the station.
Alfred Brown, who lived with the woman, claimed that the police were the real offenders, saying while removing her from her home they had dragged her headfirst down the stairs.
However, the magistrates rarely accepted such claims and bound Margaret over to keep the peace for 12 months.
On the 7th after over six years of planning and various setbacks, work on building a replacement church finally began.
The opportunity was also taken to widen Church Street by locating the new building a little further back than its predecessor. The Reporter wrote:
"Modifications, alterations [to building plans], and postponements have been forced upon the authorities in turn, and now the commencement of the long and arduous but straightforward task of building is practically assured, the congregations will sigh thankfully and await the climb of the delicate lines of the new church into the sky with eager anticipation."
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's many stories will include the boating tragedy on Taylor Park lake, the miner's odd drowning in an Eccleston stream, the Rainford row over a black eye, Providence Hospital's flower day and the glasses that could damage your eyesight.