IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (12th - 18th SEPTEMBER 1922)
This week's stories include the opening of the first car park in St Helens, the donkeyman exposing his critters for hire in the street, the death of Edith Hughes of Sherdley Hall, another unemployed man commits suicide in the Ravenhead Dam, the betting house in Lee Street, the pitman that fell down the shaft at Sherdley Colliery and the pinching of Corporation water by steam lorries.
We begin with another tragic death caused, seemingly, through unemployment. A fortnight ago the body of an out of work man called Walter Lunn from Owen Street in St Helens was found in the Alexandra Dam at Ravenhead after having mysteriously tied his own arms and legs together to ensure he would drown. On the 12th a workman going to his job spotted another dead body in the same dam.
It was identified as that of Edward Roberts who had travelled to St Helens from his home near Pontefract to try and find work in the town's coalmines. After several weeks of job hunting, the 63-year-old had failed to find employment. Although the jury at his inquest returned an open verdict of "Found Drowned", it was as certain as could be that another unemployed man had taken his own life.
Also on the 12th the wife of Colonel Michael Hughes of Sherdley Hall died at the couple's other property in Thornham in Suffolk. Edith Hughes was a keen social worker and extremely popular with Sutton folk. Every December Edith awarded the Sherdley "dole" and large numbers of senior citizens had a more enjoyable Christmas through her largesse. During WWI she had been instrumental in forming a St Helens branch of the British Red Cross. A memorial to Edith was erected by the "old folks" of Sutton and still exists in the graveyard of St Nicholas Church.
The Hippodrome in St Helens would become a cinema in 1923 and this year the music hall was diversifying its theatrical offerings. That was presumably because its audiences were declining and they were trying to boost attendances by experimenting with different shows. On the 12th the Liverpool Echo described how a circus was this week performing in Corporation Street: "A circus performance appeals irresistibly to children; but this week's circus at the St. Helens Hippodrome is a very smart performance, full of clever turns that excite the admiration of the grown-ups as well as the children. Clowns and acrobats keep the fun going all the time."
There were many different and horrible ways to die down a coal mine but one of the worst had to be falling down the shaft. This tended to happen when new shafts were being sunk or when repairs were being made to the pit cage. However, the inquest on William Dearden that was held on the 13th, heard that the 20-year-old had died at Sherdley Colliery whilst simply loading and unloading the cage.
At coal mines the pit cage was used to transport empty coal boxes down the mine and to wind full coal boxes back up the shaft to the surface. It had been the job of Dearden from Peter Street in St Helens and a man called Martin Fallon to remove the empty boxes from the cage and put full ones in their place. However, some sort of mistake occurred in the signalling to the engine winder and he took the cage away before the job was finished. Dearden was taken by surprise, overbalanced and fell down the shaft to his death.
Although many hauliers were now using motors wagons to transport their goods from A to B, some continued to use steam (as pictured here). These had improved a lot since their early days but were still big heavy beasts that polluted the atmosphere and damaged the roads. Like steam railway engines, they needed a lot of water to operate and so would make stops at various places to use standpipes.
At the St Helens Water Committee meeting on the 13th, the Town Clerk complained of steam lorries helping themselves to water from Corporation hydrants on the main roads. In one case, he said, thousands of gallons of water had been taken – presumably not all at the same time! The clerk said they were aware of one particular firm responsible for stealing their water and wished to know if the committee wanted to prosecute them. They did.
On the 15th a man called Fred Brown – who gave his occupation as donkeyman and address as Lowe House Fairground – appeared in St Helens Police Court. He was charged with exposing donkeys for hire and obstructing the highway and a showman called Fred Holmes was charged with aiding and abetting him. The two Freds had been giving children donkey rides in the street for a penny a time.
All went well with their enterprise until PC Allsop in plain clothes in Cooper Street spotted a crowd of 20 children gathered round three donkeys, with Fred Brown shouting "Whose turn next?" The officer saw the donkeyman receive coins from some of the boys and girls and give them each a ride of 30 yards and back.
The constable told the court that as a result of the donkey hiring, several persons in Cooper Street had been forced to run out of the donkeys' way. PC Allsop added that later in the evening, Fred Brown had also been in a crowded Central Street "plying the donkeys for hire". The Bench fined the donkeyman 6 shillings but dismissed the charges against his partner, Fred Holmes.
A new Christian movement began in St Helens on the 15th when the founders of the National Young Life Campaign gave a talk in a packed Town Hall. Brothers Frederick and Arthur Wood had started the organisation (which still exists today) to encourage and equip young people to live out the Christian life.
On the 18th James Dixon appeared in the Police Court charged with allowing his home to be used for betting. The police had been keeping the house in Lee Street in St Helens under observation – and had then raided the place. Inspector Dunn told the court that he had seized a number of betting slips and paying out sheets and had then done his maths. He calculated that over a six-day period, £55 12s 6d had been taken in as bets with £30 7s 4d paid out as winnings. That made a tidy profit of £25 – which is around £1,300 in today's money – and as a result, Dixon was fined the large sum of £20.
Joseph Winstanley of Gaskell Street in Parr was also in court charged with street betting. However, he called six witnesses to prove that he was not in a back passage taking bets, as the police had claimed. As the boys in blue had been secreted 400 yards away while observing all the comings and goings in the passage, the magistrates felt they had to dismiss the case.
The increasing numbers of motorists in St Helens were not allowed to park their cars on any road in the town for any length of time – due to the possibility of obstruction. There was no need for yellow lines to be laid down, as it was illegal to park your car on any street for longer than it took to load or unload goods. Those driving into St Helens town centre to do some shopping would likely have taken their chances by parking on the street or on some wasteland.
However, their worries of being booked were over as what appears to have been the first dedicated car park was opened in the town this week. St Helens Corporation had chosen a site on the corner of Hardshaw Street and Bickerstaffe Street for their "parking ground", as the St Helens Chief Constable called it when promoting the new facility in the Reporter. And it was free to use. In fact it was not until 1969 that St Helens Corporation introduced a charge of one shilling for a 2-hour stay in its public car parks.
And finally, appearing at the St Helens Hippodrome from the 18th were Donald Mackay ("The new star Scotch comedian"); Annie Rooney ("The newest style comedian featuring new character studies"); Albert Stanbury & Tony Barry ("In a light comedy entertainment"); Dainty Eva Linacre ("Vocalist and Speciality Dancer"); Carvet & Verona ("Art in step dancing"); Eileen Lake ("Declaiming soprano") and the Three Neslos ("Comedy gymnasts – a smart acrobatic turn").
Next week's stories will include the mother and daughter con artists, a serious accident during the building of a Prescot cinema, the improvement in the St Helens economy and the unemployed occupying the old men's hut in Queens Park.
We begin with another tragic death caused, seemingly, through unemployment. A fortnight ago the body of an out of work man called Walter Lunn from Owen Street in St Helens was found in the Alexandra Dam at Ravenhead after having mysteriously tied his own arms and legs together to ensure he would drown. On the 12th a workman going to his job spotted another dead body in the same dam.
It was identified as that of Edward Roberts who had travelled to St Helens from his home near Pontefract to try and find work in the town's coalmines. After several weeks of job hunting, the 63-year-old had failed to find employment. Although the jury at his inquest returned an open verdict of "Found Drowned", it was as certain as could be that another unemployed man had taken his own life.
The Hippodrome in St Helens would become a cinema in 1923 and this year the music hall was diversifying its theatrical offerings. That was presumably because its audiences were declining and they were trying to boost attendances by experimenting with different shows. On the 12th the Liverpool Echo described how a circus was this week performing in Corporation Street: "A circus performance appeals irresistibly to children; but this week's circus at the St. Helens Hippodrome is a very smart performance, full of clever turns that excite the admiration of the grown-ups as well as the children. Clowns and acrobats keep the fun going all the time."
There were many different and horrible ways to die down a coal mine but one of the worst had to be falling down the shaft. This tended to happen when new shafts were being sunk or when repairs were being made to the pit cage. However, the inquest on William Dearden that was held on the 13th, heard that the 20-year-old had died at Sherdley Colliery whilst simply loading and unloading the cage.
At coal mines the pit cage was used to transport empty coal boxes down the mine and to wind full coal boxes back up the shaft to the surface. It had been the job of Dearden from Peter Street in St Helens and a man called Martin Fallon to remove the empty boxes from the cage and put full ones in their place. However, some sort of mistake occurred in the signalling to the engine winder and he took the cage away before the job was finished. Dearden was taken by surprise, overbalanced and fell down the shaft to his death.
At the St Helens Water Committee meeting on the 13th, the Town Clerk complained of steam lorries helping themselves to water from Corporation hydrants on the main roads. In one case, he said, thousands of gallons of water had been taken – presumably not all at the same time! The clerk said they were aware of one particular firm responsible for stealing their water and wished to know if the committee wanted to prosecute them. They did.
On the 15th a man called Fred Brown – who gave his occupation as donkeyman and address as Lowe House Fairground – appeared in St Helens Police Court. He was charged with exposing donkeys for hire and obstructing the highway and a showman called Fred Holmes was charged with aiding and abetting him. The two Freds had been giving children donkey rides in the street for a penny a time.
All went well with their enterprise until PC Allsop in plain clothes in Cooper Street spotted a crowd of 20 children gathered round three donkeys, with Fred Brown shouting "Whose turn next?" The officer saw the donkeyman receive coins from some of the boys and girls and give them each a ride of 30 yards and back.
The constable told the court that as a result of the donkey hiring, several persons in Cooper Street had been forced to run out of the donkeys' way. PC Allsop added that later in the evening, Fred Brown had also been in a crowded Central Street "plying the donkeys for hire". The Bench fined the donkeyman 6 shillings but dismissed the charges against his partner, Fred Holmes.
A new Christian movement began in St Helens on the 15th when the founders of the National Young Life Campaign gave a talk in a packed Town Hall. Brothers Frederick and Arthur Wood had started the organisation (which still exists today) to encourage and equip young people to live out the Christian life.
On the 18th James Dixon appeared in the Police Court charged with allowing his home to be used for betting. The police had been keeping the house in Lee Street in St Helens under observation – and had then raided the place. Inspector Dunn told the court that he had seized a number of betting slips and paying out sheets and had then done his maths. He calculated that over a six-day period, £55 12s 6d had been taken in as bets with £30 7s 4d paid out as winnings. That made a tidy profit of £25 – which is around £1,300 in today's money – and as a result, Dixon was fined the large sum of £20.
Joseph Winstanley of Gaskell Street in Parr was also in court charged with street betting. However, he called six witnesses to prove that he was not in a back passage taking bets, as the police had claimed. As the boys in blue had been secreted 400 yards away while observing all the comings and goings in the passage, the magistrates felt they had to dismiss the case.
The increasing numbers of motorists in St Helens were not allowed to park their cars on any road in the town for any length of time – due to the possibility of obstruction. There was no need for yellow lines to be laid down, as it was illegal to park your car on any street for longer than it took to load or unload goods. Those driving into St Helens town centre to do some shopping would likely have taken their chances by parking on the street or on some wasteland.
However, their worries of being booked were over as what appears to have been the first dedicated car park was opened in the town this week. St Helens Corporation had chosen a site on the corner of Hardshaw Street and Bickerstaffe Street for their "parking ground", as the St Helens Chief Constable called it when promoting the new facility in the Reporter. And it was free to use. In fact it was not until 1969 that St Helens Corporation introduced a charge of one shilling for a 2-hour stay in its public car parks.
And finally, appearing at the St Helens Hippodrome from the 18th were Donald Mackay ("The new star Scotch comedian"); Annie Rooney ("The newest style comedian featuring new character studies"); Albert Stanbury & Tony Barry ("In a light comedy entertainment"); Dainty Eva Linacre ("Vocalist and Speciality Dancer"); Carvet & Verona ("Art in step dancing"); Eileen Lake ("Declaiming soprano") and the Three Neslos ("Comedy gymnasts – a smart acrobatic turn").
Next week's stories will include the mother and daughter con artists, a serious accident during the building of a Prescot cinema, the improvement in the St Helens economy and the unemployed occupying the old men's hut in Queens Park.
This week's stories include the opening of the first car park in St Helens, the donkeyman exposing his critters for hire in the street, the death of Edith Hughes of Sherdley Hall, another unemployed man commits suicide in the Ravenhead Dam, the betting house in Lee Street, the pitman that fell down the shaft at Sherdley Colliery and the pinching of Corporation water by steam lorries.
We begin with another tragic death caused, seemingly, through unemployment.
A fortnight ago the body of an out of work man called Walter Lunn from Owen Street in St Helens was found in the Alexandra Dam at Ravenhead after having mysteriously tied his own arms and legs together to ensure he would drown.
On the 12th a workman going to his job spotted another dead body in the same dam. It was identified as that of Edward Roberts who had travelled to St Helens from his home near Pontefract to try and find work in the town's coalmines.
After several weeks of job hunting, the 63-year-old had failed to find employment.
Although the jury at his inquest returned an open verdict of "Found Drowned", it was as certain as could be that another unemployed man had taken his own life.
Also on the 12th the wife of Colonel Michael Hughes of Sherdley Hall died at the couple's other property in Thornham in Suffolk.
Edith Hughes was a keen social worker and extremely popular with Sutton folk. Every December Edith awarded the Sherdley "dole" and large numbers of senior citizens had a more enjoyable Christmas through her largesse.
During WWI she had been instrumental in forming a St Helens branch of the British Red Cross.
A memorial to Edith was erected by the "old folks" of Sutton and still exists in the graveyard of St Nicholas Church.
The Hippodrome in St Helens would become a cinema in 1923 and this year the music hall was diversifying its theatrical offerings.
That was presumably because its audiences were declining and they were trying to boost attendances by experimenting with different shows. On the 12th the Liverpool Echo described how a circus was this week performing in Corporation Street:
"A circus performance appeals irresistibly to children; but this week's circus at the St. Helens Hippodrome is a very smart performance, full of clever turns that excite the admiration of the grown-ups as well as the children. Clowns and acrobats keep the fun going all the time."
There were many different and horrible ways to die down a coal mine but one of the worst had to be falling down the shaft.
This tended to happen when new shafts were being sunk or when repairs were being made to the pit cage.
However, the inquest on William Dearden that was held on the 13th, heard that the 20-year-old had died at Sherdley Colliery whilst simply loading and unloading the cage.
At coalmines the pit cage was used to transport empty coal boxes down the mine and to wind full coal boxes back up the shaft to the surface.
It had been the job of Dearden from Peter Street in St Helens and a man called Martin Fallon to remove the empty boxes from the cage and put full ones in their place.
However, some sort of mistake occurred in the signalling to the engine winder and he took the cage away before the job was finished.
Dearden was taken by surprise, overbalanced and fell down the shaft to his death.
Although many hauliers were now using motors wagons to transport their goods from A to B, some continued to use steam (as pictured here).
These had improved a lot since their early days but were still big heavy beasts that polluted the atmosphere and damaged the roads.
Like steam railway engines, they needed a lot of water to operate and so would make stops at various places to use standpipes.
At the St Helens Water Committee meeting on the 13th, the Town Clerk complained of steam lorries helping themselves to water from Corporation hydrants on the main roads.
In one case, he said, thousands of gallons of water had been taken – presumably not all at the same time!
The clerk said they were aware of one particular firm responsible for stealing their water and wished to know if the committee wanted to prosecute them. They did.
On the 15th a man called Fred Brown – who gave his occupation as donkeyman and address as Lowe House Fairground – appeared in St Helens Police Court.
He was charged with exposing donkeys for hire and obstructing the highway and a showman called Fred Holmes was charged with aiding and abetting him.
The two Freds had been giving children donkey rides in the street for a penny a time.
All went well with their enterprise until PC Allsop in plain clothes in Cooper Street spotted a crowd of 20 children gathered round three donkeys, with Fred Brown shouting "Whose turn next?"
The officer saw the donkeyman receive coins from some of the boys and girls and give them each a ride of 30 yards and back.
The constable told the court that as a result of the donkey hiring, several persons in Cooper Street had been forced to run out of the donkeys' way.
PC Allsop added that later in the evening, Fred Brown had also been in a crowded Central Street "plying the donkeys for hire".
The Bench fined the donkeyman 6 shillings but dismissed the charges against his partner, Fred Holmes.
A new Christian movement began in St Helens on the 15th when the founders of the National Young Life Campaign gave a talk in a packed Town Hall.
Brothers Frederick and Arthur Wood had started the organisation (which still exists today) to encourage and equip young people to live out the Christian life.
On the 18th James Dixon appeared in the Police Court charged with allowing his home to be used for betting.
The police had been keeping the house in Lee Street in St Helens under observation – and had then raided the place.
Inspector Dunn told the court that he had seized a number of betting slips and paying out sheets and had then done his maths.
He calculated that over a six-day period, £55 12s 6d had been taken in as bets with £30 7s 4d paid out as winnings.
That made a tidy profit of £25 – which is around £1,300 in today's money – and as a result, Dixon was fined the large sum of £20.
Joseph Winstanley of Gaskell Street in Parr was also in court charged with street betting.
However, he called six witnesses to prove that he was not in a back passage taking bets, as the police had claimed.
As the boys in blue had been secreted 400 yards away while observing all the comings and goings in the passage, the magistrates felt they had to dismiss the case.
The increasing numbers of motorists in St Helens were not allowed to park their cars on any road in the town for any length of time – due to the possibility of obstruction.
There was no need for yellow lines to be laid down, as it was illegal to park your car on any street for longer than it took to load or unload goods.
Those driving into St Helens town centre to do some shopping would likely have taken their chances by parking on the street or on some wasteland.
However, their worries of being booked were over as what appears to have been the first dedicated car park was opened in the town this week.
St Helens Corporation had chosen a site on the corner of Hardshaw Street and Bickerstaffe Street for their "parking ground", as the St Helens Chief Constable called it when promoting the new facility in the Reporter.
And it was free to use. In fact it was not until 1969 that St Helens Corporation introduced a charge of one shilling for a 2-hour stay in its public car parks.
And finally, appearing at the St Helens Hippodrome from the 18th were Donald Mackay ("The new star Scotch comedian"); Annie Rooney ("The newest style comedian featuring new character studies"); Albert Stanbury & Tony Barry ("In a light comedy entertainment"); Dainty Eva Linacre ("Vocalist and Speciality Dancer"); Carvet & Verona ("Art in step dancing"); Eileen Lake ("Declaiming soprano") and the Three Neslos ("Comedy gymnasts – a smart acrobatic turn").
Next week's stories will include the mother and daughter con artists, a serious accident during the building of a Prescot cinema, the improvement in the St Helens economy and the unemployed occupying the old men's hut in Queens Park.
We begin with another tragic death caused, seemingly, through unemployment.
A fortnight ago the body of an out of work man called Walter Lunn from Owen Street in St Helens was found in the Alexandra Dam at Ravenhead after having mysteriously tied his own arms and legs together to ensure he would drown.
On the 12th a workman going to his job spotted another dead body in the same dam. It was identified as that of Edward Roberts who had travelled to St Helens from his home near Pontefract to try and find work in the town's coalmines.
After several weeks of job hunting, the 63-year-old had failed to find employment.
Although the jury at his inquest returned an open verdict of "Found Drowned", it was as certain as could be that another unemployed man had taken his own life.
Also on the 12th the wife of Colonel Michael Hughes of Sherdley Hall died at the couple's other property in Thornham in Suffolk.
Edith Hughes was a keen social worker and extremely popular with Sutton folk. Every December Edith awarded the Sherdley "dole" and large numbers of senior citizens had a more enjoyable Christmas through her largesse.
During WWI she had been instrumental in forming a St Helens branch of the British Red Cross.
The Hippodrome in St Helens would become a cinema in 1923 and this year the music hall was diversifying its theatrical offerings.
That was presumably because its audiences were declining and they were trying to boost attendances by experimenting with different shows. On the 12th the Liverpool Echo described how a circus was this week performing in Corporation Street:
"A circus performance appeals irresistibly to children; but this week's circus at the St. Helens Hippodrome is a very smart performance, full of clever turns that excite the admiration of the grown-ups as well as the children. Clowns and acrobats keep the fun going all the time."
There were many different and horrible ways to die down a coal mine but one of the worst had to be falling down the shaft.
This tended to happen when new shafts were being sunk or when repairs were being made to the pit cage.
However, the inquest on William Dearden that was held on the 13th, heard that the 20-year-old had died at Sherdley Colliery whilst simply loading and unloading the cage.
At coalmines the pit cage was used to transport empty coal boxes down the mine and to wind full coal boxes back up the shaft to the surface.
It had been the job of Dearden from Peter Street in St Helens and a man called Martin Fallon to remove the empty boxes from the cage and put full ones in their place.
However, some sort of mistake occurred in the signalling to the engine winder and he took the cage away before the job was finished.
Dearden was taken by surprise, overbalanced and fell down the shaft to his death.
These had improved a lot since their early days but were still big heavy beasts that polluted the atmosphere and damaged the roads.
Like steam railway engines, they needed a lot of water to operate and so would make stops at various places to use standpipes.
At the St Helens Water Committee meeting on the 13th, the Town Clerk complained of steam lorries helping themselves to water from Corporation hydrants on the main roads.
In one case, he said, thousands of gallons of water had been taken – presumably not all at the same time!
The clerk said they were aware of one particular firm responsible for stealing their water and wished to know if the committee wanted to prosecute them. They did.
On the 15th a man called Fred Brown – who gave his occupation as donkeyman and address as Lowe House Fairground – appeared in St Helens Police Court.
He was charged with exposing donkeys for hire and obstructing the highway and a showman called Fred Holmes was charged with aiding and abetting him.
The two Freds had been giving children donkey rides in the street for a penny a time.
All went well with their enterprise until PC Allsop in plain clothes in Cooper Street spotted a crowd of 20 children gathered round three donkeys, with Fred Brown shouting "Whose turn next?"
The officer saw the donkeyman receive coins from some of the boys and girls and give them each a ride of 30 yards and back.
The constable told the court that as a result of the donkey hiring, several persons in Cooper Street had been forced to run out of the donkeys' way.
PC Allsop added that later in the evening, Fred Brown had also been in a crowded Central Street "plying the donkeys for hire".
The Bench fined the donkeyman 6 shillings but dismissed the charges against his partner, Fred Holmes.
A new Christian movement began in St Helens on the 15th when the founders of the National Young Life Campaign gave a talk in a packed Town Hall.
Brothers Frederick and Arthur Wood had started the organisation (which still exists today) to encourage and equip young people to live out the Christian life.
On the 18th James Dixon appeared in the Police Court charged with allowing his home to be used for betting.
The police had been keeping the house in Lee Street in St Helens under observation – and had then raided the place.
Inspector Dunn told the court that he had seized a number of betting slips and paying out sheets and had then done his maths.
He calculated that over a six-day period, £55 12s 6d had been taken in as bets with £30 7s 4d paid out as winnings.
That made a tidy profit of £25 – which is around £1,300 in today's money – and as a result, Dixon was fined the large sum of £20.
Joseph Winstanley of Gaskell Street in Parr was also in court charged with street betting.
However, he called six witnesses to prove that he was not in a back passage taking bets, as the police had claimed.
As the boys in blue had been secreted 400 yards away while observing all the comings and goings in the passage, the magistrates felt they had to dismiss the case.
The increasing numbers of motorists in St Helens were not allowed to park their cars on any road in the town for any length of time – due to the possibility of obstruction.
There was no need for yellow lines to be laid down, as it was illegal to park your car on any street for longer than it took to load or unload goods.
Those driving into St Helens town centre to do some shopping would likely have taken their chances by parking on the street or on some wasteland.
However, their worries of being booked were over as what appears to have been the first dedicated car park was opened in the town this week.
St Helens Corporation had chosen a site on the corner of Hardshaw Street and Bickerstaffe Street for their "parking ground", as the St Helens Chief Constable called it when promoting the new facility in the Reporter.
And it was free to use. In fact it was not until 1969 that St Helens Corporation introduced a charge of one shilling for a 2-hour stay in its public car parks.
And finally, appearing at the St Helens Hippodrome from the 18th were Donald Mackay ("The new star Scotch comedian"); Annie Rooney ("The newest style comedian featuring new character studies"); Albert Stanbury & Tony Barry ("In a light comedy entertainment"); Dainty Eva Linacre ("Vocalist and Speciality Dancer"); Carvet & Verona ("Art in step dancing"); Eileen Lake ("Declaiming soprano") and the Three Neslos ("Comedy gymnasts – a smart acrobatic turn").
Next week's stories will include the mother and daughter con artists, a serious accident during the building of a Prescot cinema, the improvement in the St Helens economy and the unemployed occupying the old men's hut in Queens Park.