IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (13th - 19th MARCH 1923)
This week's many stories include the French actor's indecent act on a St Helens train, the man gassed to death at the St Helens Smelting Works, a foundation stone for the new Lowe House church is laid, the proposed new maternity block for St Helens Hospital, the Raleigh bike that was guaranteed to last for ever and Silcocks are accused of breaking gaming laws on their Napier Street funfair.
We begin on the 13th when an application was made in St Helens Police Court for a music licence. It was in connection with the Carr Mill estate, which, it was reported, had been converted into a "pleasure ground". The magistrates granted a temporary licence for fourteen days over Easter but stipulated that there should be no music played there on Sundays.
A young woman taking a train journey on her own could be a risky experience in the days when trains were made up of separate compartments. Sexual predators and drunks could take advantage of their situation, particularly if they found themselves on their own with a woman. Richard Mayoult appeared in the St Helens court charged with indecency in a railway train. Exactly what the man was accused of doing was, as usual, not revealed in the newspaper account of the proceedings.
What we do know is that Mayoult claimed to be an actor from Paris, who had boarded an early morning train at Liverpool and on the journey to St Helens Junction had committed an act against a young woman. Upon the train arriving at the Junction, she had got out and complained to the guard. While the guard was taking his name, Mayoult bolted and ran off into the goods yard.
Nothing more was seen of him until two days later when the Frenchman was arrested in Huddersfield. Det. Cust travelled to Yorkshire to bring Mayoult back to St Helens and upon charging him the actor replied: "I am very sorry I did it. I was under the influence of drink and did not know what I was doing." The young man was sent to prison for thirty days hard labour.
At a Health Committee meeting on the 14th consideration was given to whether the Corporation should contribute to the cost of building a maternity block at St Helens Hospital. Ald. Henry Bates, the chairman of the committee, said they had been considering building a new maternity home for some time.
And so had St Helens Hospital (pictured above) and on the previous day he had met hospital representatives to see whether their resources could be combined. It was possible that the council could make a grant and reserve certain maternity beds for public use, with others occupied by hospital subscribers. It was decided to defer any decision until the committee's next meeting.
On the 16th Silcocks appeared in St Helens Police Court accused of allowing gaming in their funfair, which had been operating on land near Napier Street. No, they had not set up a roulette board or something similar in a marquee. Lawrence Silcock and his assistant Edward Nicholls had broken the strict gambling laws in a much more mundane fashion. This is how Superintendent Dunn described the set up to the Bench:
"Nicholls was in charge of a board which revolved twelve horses. A screen showed lights in succession near the names of the horses, those lights being controlled by an electric contact under the board. A man revolved the horses at full speed and shouted to the twelve people who were taking part in the game to “Press.” These people had each paid 2d to play, and when they pressed an electric button it slowed up the horses passing the point of contact.
"Whichever horse stopped at the winning post the person betting on that horse won half-a-pound box of chocolates. When a horse had passed the post its “backer” ceased to press until the horse was coming round again. By skilfully doing this and choosing the correct moment when the horses were slowing down it was possible to pull up the horse when they pressed the button." Despite the game seemingly being one of skill and not of chance, the magistrates fined the two defendants 40 shillings each.
Then Edward Silcock joined his brother Lawrence in the dock charged with playing "Housey, Housey", as it was called. Twenty-four players took part in each game that Silcocks ran, with each person paying 2d and the winner receiving a 2s 6d box of chocolates. Lawrence Silcock said he knew that "Housey, Housey" had been objected to in Newcastle but the court there had dismissed the charges and so he thought it was all right to play the game in St Helens. However, the town was renowned for its tough interpretation of rules concerning any aspect of entertainment and the magistrates fined the brothers 40 shillings each.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 16th how the foundation stone for the sacristies (vestries) of the new Lowe House church had been laid. An appeal to build a new church had opened in January 1914 but the war led to fundraising having to be suspended. Sisters Mary and Elizabeth Wilcock – who for over 50 years had been in charge of the sacristy at the old church – were given the honour of laying the stone. The sacristies would include a large hall suitable for meetings and entertainment but it would not be until 1930 that the new church would finally be finished.
There was an advert in the Reporter for Raleigh "the all-steel bicycle", which cost from £8 10 shillings, or by "easy payments" from 12 shillings per month. The local retailers were Cook's of Church Street in St Helens; Bob Dutton's garage near the Wheatsheaf in Rainford; Tither's of Market Street in Rainhill and Percy Pownall of St Helens Road in Prescot. The advert said: "See the beauties of your own country on a Raleigh, which provides the finest and cheapest way of getting about. It is built to last a lifetime and guaranteed for ever".
And Cholertons had this ad in the Reporter: "Broadcasting is now in full swing. Hear the world's greatest singers without leaving your own fireside. The ideal home is not complete without a wireless receiver. Stroll round to 52, Bridge Street and hear the latest RADIO SETS demonstrated."
Buying expensive goods on what we might call HP was becoming popular. They were hard times but many were still working and could afford the repayments. Motor cars were still too expensive for most people – but not motorbikes. There was a real boom in such vehicles in St Helens during the 1920s with, or without, sidecars (as shown above). This week W. H. Dunwoody of 28 Duke Street in St Helens was advertising Rudge motorcycles. "Pay £17 - 17 - 8 down and you can ride it away", promised Dunwoody, with the balance to be paid in monthly instalments.
On the 19th the inquest on John Sephton from Albert Street in St Helens heard that the 64-year-old had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Mr Sephton had been employed at the St Helens Smelting Works in Ravenhead and his duties included maintaining the pipes that carried fumes away from the oxide gas chambers.
Upon failing to return to his home after his shift, Mr Sephton’s relatives went to his works and a search of the premises found him dead. His body was discovered lying on top of a chamber over furnaces where he'd been stopping leaks in gas pipes. Mr Sephton's death had all the hallmarks of another worker involved in a dangerous practice without proper protection.
And finally, these were the acts that began a week of performances at the Hippodrome from the 19th: The 10 Loonies ("The world-famous musical comedians"); Alice Gill ("The Lancashire nightingale"); Shirley and Mason ("Comedy jugglers"); Claude Lester ("The sorrow & wrinkle remover – star comedian with sparrow legs"); Le Dair and Lady ("Magic and mirth"); Lena Brown ("Who sings, patters, whistles – the new Lancashire star") and The Egyptologists ("Direct from Egypt").
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the slippery milk spill at St Helens Station, the young St Helens women that worked out for the mayor, Rainhill's top football referee is forced to quit and the Greenbank woman making a racket over spousal abuse.
We begin on the 13th when an application was made in St Helens Police Court for a music licence. It was in connection with the Carr Mill estate, which, it was reported, had been converted into a "pleasure ground". The magistrates granted a temporary licence for fourteen days over Easter but stipulated that there should be no music played there on Sundays.
A young woman taking a train journey on her own could be a risky experience in the days when trains were made up of separate compartments. Sexual predators and drunks could take advantage of their situation, particularly if they found themselves on their own with a woman. Richard Mayoult appeared in the St Helens court charged with indecency in a railway train. Exactly what the man was accused of doing was, as usual, not revealed in the newspaper account of the proceedings.
What we do know is that Mayoult claimed to be an actor from Paris, who had boarded an early morning train at Liverpool and on the journey to St Helens Junction had committed an act against a young woman. Upon the train arriving at the Junction, she had got out and complained to the guard. While the guard was taking his name, Mayoult bolted and ran off into the goods yard.
Nothing more was seen of him until two days later when the Frenchman was arrested in Huddersfield. Det. Cust travelled to Yorkshire to bring Mayoult back to St Helens and upon charging him the actor replied: "I am very sorry I did it. I was under the influence of drink and did not know what I was doing." The young man was sent to prison for thirty days hard labour.
At a Health Committee meeting on the 14th consideration was given to whether the Corporation should contribute to the cost of building a maternity block at St Helens Hospital. Ald. Henry Bates, the chairman of the committee, said they had been considering building a new maternity home for some time.
On the 16th Silcocks appeared in St Helens Police Court accused of allowing gaming in their funfair, which had been operating on land near Napier Street. No, they had not set up a roulette board or something similar in a marquee. Lawrence Silcock and his assistant Edward Nicholls had broken the strict gambling laws in a much more mundane fashion. This is how Superintendent Dunn described the set up to the Bench:
"Nicholls was in charge of a board which revolved twelve horses. A screen showed lights in succession near the names of the horses, those lights being controlled by an electric contact under the board. A man revolved the horses at full speed and shouted to the twelve people who were taking part in the game to “Press.” These people had each paid 2d to play, and when they pressed an electric button it slowed up the horses passing the point of contact.
"Whichever horse stopped at the winning post the person betting on that horse won half-a-pound box of chocolates. When a horse had passed the post its “backer” ceased to press until the horse was coming round again. By skilfully doing this and choosing the correct moment when the horses were slowing down it was possible to pull up the horse when they pressed the button." Despite the game seemingly being one of skill and not of chance, the magistrates fined the two defendants 40 shillings each.
Then Edward Silcock joined his brother Lawrence in the dock charged with playing "Housey, Housey", as it was called. Twenty-four players took part in each game that Silcocks ran, with each person paying 2d and the winner receiving a 2s 6d box of chocolates. Lawrence Silcock said he knew that "Housey, Housey" had been objected to in Newcastle but the court there had dismissed the charges and so he thought it was all right to play the game in St Helens. However, the town was renowned for its tough interpretation of rules concerning any aspect of entertainment and the magistrates fined the brothers 40 shillings each.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 16th how the foundation stone for the sacristies (vestries) of the new Lowe House church had been laid. An appeal to build a new church had opened in January 1914 but the war led to fundraising having to be suspended. Sisters Mary and Elizabeth Wilcock – who for over 50 years had been in charge of the sacristy at the old church – were given the honour of laying the stone. The sacristies would include a large hall suitable for meetings and entertainment but it would not be until 1930 that the new church would finally be finished.
There was an advert in the Reporter for Raleigh "the all-steel bicycle", which cost from £8 10 shillings, or by "easy payments" from 12 shillings per month. The local retailers were Cook's of Church Street in St Helens; Bob Dutton's garage near the Wheatsheaf in Rainford; Tither's of Market Street in Rainhill and Percy Pownall of St Helens Road in Prescot. The advert said: "See the beauties of your own country on a Raleigh, which provides the finest and cheapest way of getting about. It is built to last a lifetime and guaranteed for ever".
And Cholertons had this ad in the Reporter: "Broadcasting is now in full swing. Hear the world's greatest singers without leaving your own fireside. The ideal home is not complete without a wireless receiver. Stroll round to 52, Bridge Street and hear the latest RADIO SETS demonstrated."
On the 19th the inquest on John Sephton from Albert Street in St Helens heard that the 64-year-old had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Mr Sephton had been employed at the St Helens Smelting Works in Ravenhead and his duties included maintaining the pipes that carried fumes away from the oxide gas chambers.
Upon failing to return to his home after his shift, Mr Sephton’s relatives went to his works and a search of the premises found him dead. His body was discovered lying on top of a chamber over furnaces where he'd been stopping leaks in gas pipes. Mr Sephton's death had all the hallmarks of another worker involved in a dangerous practice without proper protection.
And finally, these were the acts that began a week of performances at the Hippodrome from the 19th: The 10 Loonies ("The world-famous musical comedians"); Alice Gill ("The Lancashire nightingale"); Shirley and Mason ("Comedy jugglers"); Claude Lester ("The sorrow & wrinkle remover – star comedian with sparrow legs"); Le Dair and Lady ("Magic and mirth"); Lena Brown ("Who sings, patters, whistles – the new Lancashire star") and The Egyptologists ("Direct from Egypt").
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the slippery milk spill at St Helens Station, the young St Helens women that worked out for the mayor, Rainhill's top football referee is forced to quit and the Greenbank woman making a racket over spousal abuse.
This week's many stories include the French actor's indecent act on a St Helens train, the man gassed to death at the St Helens Smelting Works, a foundation stone for the new Lowe House church is laid, the proposed new maternity block for St Helens Hospital, the Raleigh bike that was guaranteed to last for ever and Silcocks are accused of breaking gaming laws on their Napier Street funfair.
We begin on the 13th when an application was made in St Helens Police Court for a music licence.
It was in connection with the Carr Mill estate, which, it was reported, had been converted into a "pleasure ground".
The magistrates granted a temporary licence for fourteen days over Easter but stipulated that there should be no music played there on Sundays.
A young woman taking a train journey on her own could be a risky experience in the days when trains were made up of separate compartments.
Sexual predators and drunks could take advantage of their situation, particularly if they found themselves on their own with a woman.
Richard Mayoult appeared in the St Helens court charged with indecency in a railway train.
Exactly what the man was accused of doing was, as usual, not revealed in the newspaper account of the proceedings.
What we do know is that Mayoult claimed to be an actor from Paris, who had boarded an early morning train at Liverpool and on the journey to St Helens Junction had committed an act against a young woman.
Upon the train arriving at the Junction, she had got out and complained to the guard. While the guard was taking his name, Mayoult bolted and ran off into the goods yard.
Nothing more was seen of him until two days later when the Frenchman was arrested in Huddersfield.
Det. Cust travelled to Yorkshire to bring Mayoult back to St Helens and upon charging him the actor replied:
"I am very sorry I did it. I was under the influence of drink and did not know what I was doing." The young man was sent to prison for thirty days hard labour.
At a Health Committee meeting on the 14th consideration was given to whether the Corporation should contribute to the cost of building a maternity block at St Helens Hospital.
Ald. Henry Bates, the chairman of the committee, said they had been considering building a new maternity home for some time.
And so had St Helens Hospital (pictured above) and on the previous day he had met hospital representatives to see whether their resources could be combined.
It was possible that the council could make a grant and reserve certain maternity beds for public use, with others occupied by hospital subscribers. It was decided to defer any decision until the committee's next meeting.
On the 16th Silcocks appeared in St Helens Police Court accused of allowing gaming in their funfair, which had been operating on land near Napier Street.
No, they had not set up a roulette board or something similar in a marquee.
Lawrence Silcock and his assistant Edward Nicholls had broken the strict gambling laws in a much more mundane fashion. This is how Superintendent Dunn described the set up to the Bench:
"Nicholls was in charge of a board which revolved twelve horses. A screen showed lights in succession near the names of the horses, those lights being controlled by an electric contact under the board.
"A man revolved the horses at full speed and shouted to the twelve people who were taking part in the game to “Press.”
"These people had each paid 2d to play, and when they pressed an electric button it slowed up the horses passing the point of contact.
"Whichever horse stopped at the winning post the person betting on that horse won half-a-pound box of chocolates. When a horse had passed the post its “backer” ceased to press until the horse was coming round again.
"By skilfully doing this and choosing the correct moment when the horses were slowing down it was possible to pull up the horse when they pressed the button."
Despite the game seemingly being one of skill and not of chance, the magistrates fined the two defendants 40 shillings each.
Then Edward Silcock joined his brother Lawrence in the dock charged with playing "Housey, Housey", as it was called.
Twenty-four players took part in each game that Silcocks ran, with each person paying 2d and the winner receiving a 2s 6d box of chocolates.
Lawrence Silcock said he knew that "Housey, Housey" had been objected to in Newcastle but the court there had dismissed the charges and so he thought it was all right to play the game in St Helens.
However, the town was renowned for its tough interpretation of rules concerning any aspect of entertainment and the magistrates fined the brothers 40 shillings each.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 16th how the foundation stone for the sacristies (vestries) of the new Lowe House church had been laid.
An appeal to build a new church had opened in January 1914 but the war led to fundraising having to be suspended.
Sisters Mary and Elizabeth Wilcock – who for over 50 years had been in charge of the sacristy at the old church – were given the honour of laying the stone.
The sacristies would include a large hall suitable for meetings and entertainment but it would not be until 1930 that the new church would finally be finished.
There was an advert in the Reporter for Raleigh "the all-steel bicycle", which cost from £8 10 shillings, or by "easy payments" from 12 shillings per month.
The local retailers were Cook's of Church Street in St Helens; Bob Dutton's garage near the Wheatsheaf in Rainford; Tither's of Market Street in Rainhill and Percy Pownall of St Helens Road in Prescot.
The advert said: "See the beauties of your own country on a Raleigh, which provides the finest and cheapest way of getting about. It is built to last a lifetime and guaranteed for ever". And Cholertons had this ad in the Reporter:
"Broadcasting is now in full swing. Hear the world's greatest singers without leaving your own fireside. The ideal home is not complete without a wireless receiver. Stroll round to 52, Bridge Street and hear the latest RADIO SETS demonstrated."
Buying expensive goods on what we might call HP was becoming popular. They were hard times but many were still working and could afford the repayments.
Motor cars were still too expensive for most people – but not motorbikes. There was a real boom in such vehicles in St Helens during the 1920s with, or without, sidecars (as shown above).
This week W. H. Dunwoody of 28 Duke Street in St Helens was advertising Rudge motorcycles.
"Pay £17 - 17 - 8 down and you can ride it away", promised Dunwoody, with the balance to be paid in monthly instalments.
On the 19th the inquest on John Sephton from Albert Street in St Helens heard that the 64-year-old had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mr Sephton had been employed at the St Helens Smelting Works in Ravenhead and his duties included maintaining the pipes that carried fumes away from the oxide gas chambers.
Upon failing to return to his home after his shift, Mr Sephton’s relatives went to his works and a search of the premises found him dead.
His body was discovered lying on top of a chamber over furnaces where he'd been stopping leaks in gas pipes.
Mr Sephton's death had all the hallmarks of another worker involved in a dangerous practice without proper protection.
And finally, these were the acts that began a week of performances at the Hippodrome from the 19th:
The 10 Loonies ("The world-famous musical comedians"); Alice Gill ("The Lancashire nightingale"); Shirley and Mason ("Comedy jugglers"); Claude Lester ("The sorrow & wrinkle remover – star comedian with sparrow legs"); Le Dair and Lady ("Magic and mirth"); Lena Brown ("Who sings, patters, whistles – the new Lancashire star") and The Egyptologists ("Direct from Egypt").
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the slippery milk spill at St Helens Station, the young St Helens women that worked out for the mayor, Rainhill's top football referee is forced to quit and the Greenbank woman making a racket over spousal abuse.
We begin on the 13th when an application was made in St Helens Police Court for a music licence.
It was in connection with the Carr Mill estate, which, it was reported, had been converted into a "pleasure ground".
The magistrates granted a temporary licence for fourteen days over Easter but stipulated that there should be no music played there on Sundays.
A young woman taking a train journey on her own could be a risky experience in the days when trains were made up of separate compartments.
Sexual predators and drunks could take advantage of their situation, particularly if they found themselves on their own with a woman.
Richard Mayoult appeared in the St Helens court charged with indecency in a railway train.
Exactly what the man was accused of doing was, as usual, not revealed in the newspaper account of the proceedings.
What we do know is that Mayoult claimed to be an actor from Paris, who had boarded an early morning train at Liverpool and on the journey to St Helens Junction had committed an act against a young woman.
Upon the train arriving at the Junction, she had got out and complained to the guard. While the guard was taking his name, Mayoult bolted and ran off into the goods yard.
Nothing more was seen of him until two days later when the Frenchman was arrested in Huddersfield.
Det. Cust travelled to Yorkshire to bring Mayoult back to St Helens and upon charging him the actor replied:
"I am very sorry I did it. I was under the influence of drink and did not know what I was doing." The young man was sent to prison for thirty days hard labour.
At a Health Committee meeting on the 14th consideration was given to whether the Corporation should contribute to the cost of building a maternity block at St Helens Hospital.
Ald. Henry Bates, the chairman of the committee, said they had been considering building a new maternity home for some time.
It was possible that the council could make a grant and reserve certain maternity beds for public use, with others occupied by hospital subscribers. It was decided to defer any decision until the committee's next meeting.
On the 16th Silcocks appeared in St Helens Police Court accused of allowing gaming in their funfair, which had been operating on land near Napier Street.
No, they had not set up a roulette board or something similar in a marquee.
Lawrence Silcock and his assistant Edward Nicholls had broken the strict gambling laws in a much more mundane fashion. This is how Superintendent Dunn described the set up to the Bench:
"Nicholls was in charge of a board which revolved twelve horses. A screen showed lights in succession near the names of the horses, those lights being controlled by an electric contact under the board.
"A man revolved the horses at full speed and shouted to the twelve people who were taking part in the game to “Press.”
"These people had each paid 2d to play, and when they pressed an electric button it slowed up the horses passing the point of contact.
"Whichever horse stopped at the winning post the person betting on that horse won half-a-pound box of chocolates. When a horse had passed the post its “backer” ceased to press until the horse was coming round again.
"By skilfully doing this and choosing the correct moment when the horses were slowing down it was possible to pull up the horse when they pressed the button."
Despite the game seemingly being one of skill and not of chance, the magistrates fined the two defendants 40 shillings each.
Then Edward Silcock joined his brother Lawrence in the dock charged with playing "Housey, Housey", as it was called.
Twenty-four players took part in each game that Silcocks ran, with each person paying 2d and the winner receiving a 2s 6d box of chocolates.
Lawrence Silcock said he knew that "Housey, Housey" had been objected to in Newcastle but the court there had dismissed the charges and so he thought it was all right to play the game in St Helens.
However, the town was renowned for its tough interpretation of rules concerning any aspect of entertainment and the magistrates fined the brothers 40 shillings each.
The St Helens Reporter described on the 16th how the foundation stone for the sacristies (vestries) of the new Lowe House church had been laid.
An appeal to build a new church had opened in January 1914 but the war led to fundraising having to be suspended.
Sisters Mary and Elizabeth Wilcock – who for over 50 years had been in charge of the sacristy at the old church – were given the honour of laying the stone.
The sacristies would include a large hall suitable for meetings and entertainment but it would not be until 1930 that the new church would finally be finished.
There was an advert in the Reporter for Raleigh "the all-steel bicycle", which cost from £8 10 shillings, or by "easy payments" from 12 shillings per month.
The local retailers were Cook's of Church Street in St Helens; Bob Dutton's garage near the Wheatsheaf in Rainford; Tither's of Market Street in Rainhill and Percy Pownall of St Helens Road in Prescot.
The advert said: "See the beauties of your own country on a Raleigh, which provides the finest and cheapest way of getting about. It is built to last a lifetime and guaranteed for ever". And Cholertons had this ad in the Reporter:
"Broadcasting is now in full swing. Hear the world's greatest singers without leaving your own fireside. The ideal home is not complete without a wireless receiver. Stroll round to 52, Bridge Street and hear the latest RADIO SETS demonstrated."
Buying expensive goods on what we might call HP was becoming popular. They were hard times but many were still working and could afford the repayments.
This week W. H. Dunwoody of 28 Duke Street in St Helens was advertising Rudge motorcycles.
"Pay £17 - 17 - 8 down and you can ride it away", promised Dunwoody, with the balance to be paid in monthly instalments.
On the 19th the inquest on John Sephton from Albert Street in St Helens heard that the 64-year-old had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mr Sephton had been employed at the St Helens Smelting Works in Ravenhead and his duties included maintaining the pipes that carried fumes away from the oxide gas chambers.
Upon failing to return to his home after his shift, Mr Sephton’s relatives went to his works and a search of the premises found him dead.
His body was discovered lying on top of a chamber over furnaces where he'd been stopping leaks in gas pipes.
Mr Sephton's death had all the hallmarks of another worker involved in a dangerous practice without proper protection.
And finally, these were the acts that began a week of performances at the Hippodrome from the 19th:
The 10 Loonies ("The world-famous musical comedians"); Alice Gill ("The Lancashire nightingale"); Shirley and Mason ("Comedy jugglers"); Claude Lester ("The sorrow & wrinkle remover – star comedian with sparrow legs"); Le Dair and Lady ("Magic and mirth"); Lena Brown ("Who sings, patters, whistles – the new Lancashire star") and The Egyptologists ("Direct from Egypt").
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next week's stories will include the slippery milk spill at St Helens Station, the young St Helens women that worked out for the mayor, Rainhill's top football referee is forced to quit and the Greenbank woman making a racket over spousal abuse.