IOO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 30 SEPT - 6 OCT 1924
This week's many stories include the 17-year-old girl from Hope Street charged with attempting suicide, the flooding in North Road caused by a drop in the road, the Lowe House Carnival featuring gorgeous golden scenic dragons, the telegraph poles that were set to spoil picturesque Bleak Hill, why the price of coal had risen and the boys prosecuted for tearing a poster off an advertising hoarding in Corporation Street.
The use of electricity in St Helens was primarily by industry with only 6% of British homes connected in 1920. But during that year the council's Electricity Committee elected to spend the equivalent of about £1½ million in today's money to expand the electricity network in St Helens. And this week it was stated that a new scheme was being considered that would supply electricity to Rainford, Haydock and Ashton.
Bringing those despairing folk that had attempted suicide before the courts could be said to be a cruel practice. But essentially it was about ensuring that such persons received appropriate care, usually from their families, and would not repeat their act. That said, some individuals did spend time in police custody or in prison. Having their case heard in public with detailed write-ups in the newspapers was arguably the harshest and most unnecessary aspect of the way the suicidal were treated.
When Gladys Williams appeared in St Helens Police Court on September 30th the 17-year-old from Hope Street was described as "much distressed". She had been employed at a house in Rutland Street and had been questioned over some missing money. Later she was found lying on a bed with a bottle of liniment in her hand and was taken to Providence Hospital where she remained for several days. Upon Gladys promising to go into a home and declaring that she would not repeat her act, the magistrates dismissed the case against her.
On October 1st at the council's Education Committee meeting, Cllr Woodward drew attention to the poor provision of schools in parts of Parr. In reply Alderman Hamblett, the committee's chairman, said they were "aware of the hardships of Parr and intended to facilitate the matter". That was to be done by erecting a new school to educate children aged 11 to 15, although a site had yet to be earmarked.
Also on the 1st at the monthly Town Council meeting there were what the St Helens Reporter described as the "usual crop of complaints as to the condition of roads in the Borough". Lack of men and materials during the war had created a large backlog of poor roads in St Helens that badly needed improvement. And the present financial austerity meant there was not the money available to undertake a huge amount of repair work.
The two roads in the councillors' firing line at this month's meeting were Warwick Street (off Dunriding Lane) and North Road. It was claimed that in Warwick Street road jacks often had to be summoned to lift up motor cars stuck in the slush. And in North Road a drop in the road had created problems with flooding. A suggestion had been made that the kerb be raised but Cllr McCormick said he had discussed the matter with many of the street's traders who weren't happy with the idea. However, the councillor thought that the conditions were so bad in North Road that the tradespeople would agree to almost anything that might help remedy the situation.
Although display advertising on the streets of St Helens is still popular today, it generally involves a giant poster stuck on a billboard – with an increasing number of electronic versions being installed displaying a slideshow of adverts. Both types are difficult to vandalise. But street advertising in the 1920s mainly involved billposter firms being paid to stick much smaller posters advertising products, businesses or events along long hoardings. The billposters rented the space to place their hoardings from property or land owners and charged their clients a fee that depended on the poster's size and the length of time it would be displayed.
On the 2nd in St Helens Juvenile Court two boys were accused of tearing off part of a poster. This had been advertising a well-known soap and had been attached to the long hoarding situated in Corporation Street. A representative of the billposting firm told the court that they were not being vindictive in bringing the prosecution but every year they had to spend a large sum repairing damaged posters. But after being given a warning from the Bench and promising not to repeat their offence, the boys were allowed to leave the court upon payment of costs of four shillings each.
The Lowe House Carnival and Fun Fair was advertised in the Reporter on the 3rd. The event held on the Volunteer Field in the grounds of the old Lowe House church was in aid of the grand new church building that was currently under construction. In describing the 1919 carnival the Reporter had written:
"Amongst recent arrivals has been Manders' American menagerie, where real lions ramp and rage, and where a real man goes into their cages and makes them go through most terrifying evolutions. Mr. Mitchell [the fair organiser] has won the hearts of the children by extending invitations to several schools in the town to come to the fair on certain afternoons “free, gratis and for nothing”. They came in droves with their teachers, and had the time of their lives."
There were no lions listed in the advertisement for this year's carnival – but there were dragons! "Gorgeous golden scenic dragons" were promised without explaining what that meant, as well as a "massive 110-key organ and real waterfalls".
It had been reported in August that St Helens was going to have its first mining school, with land near the Town Hall set to be acquired by the Corporation for that purpose. This week a chap from Bridgend called Adams was appointed to be the first head of what was officially known as the Municipal Technical School. It had only taken more than 400 years for prospective miners to be sent to a school before being sent down a dangerous coal mine but, as they say, better late than never!
The Reporter also described how an automatic stamp machine was going to be installed in St Helens. The first modern coin-operated vending machines date back to the 1880s – but they do not appear to have become widespread in St Helens until the inter-war years. The stamp machine would be located outside the main post office at the top of St Mary's Street.
The Reporter also wrote: "Householders in St. Helens did not welcome the 1st of October with any joy. When the milkman came round in the morning he brought the unwelcome tidings that milk was now a penny a quart more, and at that price apparently it will now continue throughout the winter months. A little later, when the coalman came along, he added coals of fire by imparting the information that the price of coal has gone up a penny a bag."
The coal bosses gave as an explanation that they were having to pay their workers more and consequently had been making a loss. That, they reckoned, during May to July in Lancashire and Cheshire had meant an average deficit of over 9d per ton. What was not stated in the article was that demand for coal would have been lower during those months than in winter.
Billinge residents have recently been campaigning against plans to install telegraph poles carrying high-speed broadband, arguing that the masts would be a blot on their landscape and calling for them to go underground. However, in the 1920s it was the landline telegraph poles pockmarking the country landscape that was the concern.
The Reporter described how the growing residential district of Bleak Hill in Eccleston – which they described as having "some of the most picturesque country in this district" – was badly in need of the telephone for its residents but they did not want any unsightly telegraph poles. Like the Billinge residents today, Whiston Rural District Council had been calling for the telephone cabling to go underground.
Such demands went back to the 1890s but had usually been resisted by the Post Office because of the additional cost and difficulties with access when their engineers needed to rectify faults. In addition, if the Post Office gave into one pressure group demanding underground phone lines they would set a precedent that others would follow.
The Reporter published copies of correspondence between Whiston Council and the Post Office's Engineering Department in Manchester in which it was stated that financial assistance would be given by the council towards the cost of installing the cables underground – but the Post Office had stood fast and refused to comply.
And finally on the 3rd a shocking murder and suicide took place in Robins Lane in Sutton, of which its curious circumstances will be described next week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include murder and suicide in Robins Lane, the violent row over linnets in Bridge Street, the grievous bodily harm over a kettle in Salisbury Street and the madcap Milk Street neighbours.
The use of electricity in St Helens was primarily by industry with only 6% of British homes connected in 1920. But during that year the council's Electricity Committee elected to spend the equivalent of about £1½ million in today's money to expand the electricity network in St Helens. And this week it was stated that a new scheme was being considered that would supply electricity to Rainford, Haydock and Ashton.
Bringing those despairing folk that had attempted suicide before the courts could be said to be a cruel practice. But essentially it was about ensuring that such persons received appropriate care, usually from their families, and would not repeat their act. That said, some individuals did spend time in police custody or in prison. Having their case heard in public with detailed write-ups in the newspapers was arguably the harshest and most unnecessary aspect of the way the suicidal were treated.
When Gladys Williams appeared in St Helens Police Court on September 30th the 17-year-old from Hope Street was described as "much distressed". She had been employed at a house in Rutland Street and had been questioned over some missing money. Later she was found lying on a bed with a bottle of liniment in her hand and was taken to Providence Hospital where she remained for several days. Upon Gladys promising to go into a home and declaring that she would not repeat her act, the magistrates dismissed the case against her.
On October 1st at the council's Education Committee meeting, Cllr Woodward drew attention to the poor provision of schools in parts of Parr. In reply Alderman Hamblett, the committee's chairman, said they were "aware of the hardships of Parr and intended to facilitate the matter". That was to be done by erecting a new school to educate children aged 11 to 15, although a site had yet to be earmarked.
Also on the 1st at the monthly Town Council meeting there were what the St Helens Reporter described as the "usual crop of complaints as to the condition of roads in the Borough". Lack of men and materials during the war had created a large backlog of poor roads in St Helens that badly needed improvement. And the present financial austerity meant there was not the money available to undertake a huge amount of repair work.
The two roads in the councillors' firing line at this month's meeting were Warwick Street (off Dunriding Lane) and North Road. It was claimed that in Warwick Street road jacks often had to be summoned to lift up motor cars stuck in the slush. And in North Road a drop in the road had created problems with flooding. A suggestion had been made that the kerb be raised but Cllr McCormick said he had discussed the matter with many of the street's traders who weren't happy with the idea. However, the councillor thought that the conditions were so bad in North Road that the tradespeople would agree to almost anything that might help remedy the situation.
On the 2nd in St Helens Juvenile Court two boys were accused of tearing off part of a poster. This had been advertising a well-known soap and had been attached to the long hoarding situated in Corporation Street. A representative of the billposting firm told the court that they were not being vindictive in bringing the prosecution but every year they had to spend a large sum repairing damaged posters. But after being given a warning from the Bench and promising not to repeat their offence, the boys were allowed to leave the court upon payment of costs of four shillings each.
The Lowe House Carnival and Fun Fair was advertised in the Reporter on the 3rd. The event held on the Volunteer Field in the grounds of the old Lowe House church was in aid of the grand new church building that was currently under construction. In describing the 1919 carnival the Reporter had written:
"Amongst recent arrivals has been Manders' American menagerie, where real lions ramp and rage, and where a real man goes into their cages and makes them go through most terrifying evolutions. Mr. Mitchell [the fair organiser] has won the hearts of the children by extending invitations to several schools in the town to come to the fair on certain afternoons “free, gratis and for nothing”. They came in droves with their teachers, and had the time of their lives."
There were no lions listed in the advertisement for this year's carnival – but there were dragons! "Gorgeous golden scenic dragons" were promised without explaining what that meant, as well as a "massive 110-key organ and real waterfalls".
It had been reported in August that St Helens was going to have its first mining school, with land near the Town Hall set to be acquired by the Corporation for that purpose. This week a chap from Bridgend called Adams was appointed to be the first head of what was officially known as the Municipal Technical School. It had only taken more than 400 years for prospective miners to be sent to a school before being sent down a dangerous coal mine but, as they say, better late than never!
The Reporter also described how an automatic stamp machine was going to be installed in St Helens. The first modern coin-operated vending machines date back to the 1880s – but they do not appear to have become widespread in St Helens until the inter-war years. The stamp machine would be located outside the main post office at the top of St Mary's Street.
The Reporter also wrote: "Householders in St. Helens did not welcome the 1st of October with any joy. When the milkman came round in the morning he brought the unwelcome tidings that milk was now a penny a quart more, and at that price apparently it will now continue throughout the winter months. A little later, when the coalman came along, he added coals of fire by imparting the information that the price of coal has gone up a penny a bag."
The coal bosses gave as an explanation that they were having to pay their workers more and consequently had been making a loss. That, they reckoned, during May to July in Lancashire and Cheshire had meant an average deficit of over 9d per ton. What was not stated in the article was that demand for coal would have been lower during those months than in winter.
Billinge residents have recently been campaigning against plans to install telegraph poles carrying high-speed broadband, arguing that the masts would be a blot on their landscape and calling for them to go underground. However, in the 1920s it was the landline telegraph poles pockmarking the country landscape that was the concern.
The Reporter described how the growing residential district of Bleak Hill in Eccleston – which they described as having "some of the most picturesque country in this district" – was badly in need of the telephone for its residents but they did not want any unsightly telegraph poles. Like the Billinge residents today, Whiston Rural District Council had been calling for the telephone cabling to go underground.
Such demands went back to the 1890s but had usually been resisted by the Post Office because of the additional cost and difficulties with access when their engineers needed to rectify faults. In addition, if the Post Office gave into one pressure group demanding underground phone lines they would set a precedent that others would follow.
The Reporter published copies of correspondence between Whiston Council and the Post Office's Engineering Department in Manchester in which it was stated that financial assistance would be given by the council towards the cost of installing the cables underground – but the Post Office had stood fast and refused to comply.
And finally on the 3rd a shocking murder and suicide took place in Robins Lane in Sutton, of which its curious circumstances will be described next week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include murder and suicide in Robins Lane, the violent row over linnets in Bridge Street, the grievous bodily harm over a kettle in Salisbury Street and the madcap Milk Street neighbours.
This week's many stories include the 17-year-old girl from Hope Street charged with attempting suicide, the flooding in North Road caused by a drop in the road, the Lowe House Carnival featuring gorgeous golden scenic dragons, the telegraph poles that were set to spoil picturesque Bleak Hill, why the price of coal had risen and the boys prosecuted for tearing a poster off an advertising hoarding in Corporation Street.
The use of electricity in St Helens was primarily by industry with only 6% of British homes connected in 1920.
But during that year the council's Electricity Committee elected to spend the equivalent of about £1½ million in today's money to expand the electricity network in St Helens.
And this week it was stated that a new scheme was being considered that would supply electricity to Rainford, Haydock and Ashton.
Bringing those despairing folk that had attempted suicide before the courts could be said to be a cruel practice.
But essentially it was about ensuring that such persons received appropriate care, usually from their families, and would not repeat their act. That said, some individuals did spend time in police custody or in prison.
Having their case heard in public with detailed write-ups in the newspapers was arguably the harshest and most unnecessary aspect of the way the suicidal were treated.
When Gladys Williams appeared in St Helens Police Court on September 30th the 17-year-old from Hope Street was described as "much distressed".
She had been employed at a house in Rutland Street and had been questioned over some missing money.
Later she was found lying on a bed with a bottle of liniment in her hand and was taken to Providence Hospital where she remained for several days.
Upon Gladys promising to go into a home and declaring that she would not repeat her act, the magistrates dismissed the case against her.
On October 1st at the council's Education Committee meeting, Cllr Woodward drew attention to the poor provision of schools in parts of Parr.
In reply Alderman Hamblett, the committee's chairman, said they were "aware of the hardships of Parr and intended to facilitate the matter".
That was to be done by erecting a new school to educate children aged 11 to 15, although a site had yet to be earmarked.
Also on the 1st at the monthly Town Council meeting there were what the St Helens Reporter described as the "usual crop of complaints as to the condition of roads in the Borough".
Lack of men and materials during the war had created a large backlog of poor roads in St Helens that badly needed improvement.
And the present financial austerity meant there was not the money available to undertake a huge amount of repair work.
The two roads in the councillors' firing line at this month's meeting were Warwick Street (off Dunriding Lane) and North Road.
It was claimed that in Warwick Street road jacks often had to be summoned to lift up motor cars stuck in the slush.
And in North Road a drop in the road had created problems with flooding.
A suggestion had been made that the kerb be raised but Cllr McCormick said he had discussed the matter with many of the street's traders who weren't happy with the idea.
However, the councillor thought that the conditions were so bad in North Road that the tradespeople would agree to almost anything that might help remedy the situation.
Although display advertising on the streets of St Helens is still popular today, it generally involves a giant poster stuck on a billboard – with an increasing number of electronic versions being installed displaying a slideshow of adverts. Both types are difficult to vandalise.
But street advertising in the 1920s mainly involved billposter firms being paid to stick much smaller posters advertising products, businesses or events along long hoardings.
The billposters rented the space to place their hoardings from property or land owners and charged their clients a fee that depended on the poster's size and the length of time it would be displayed.
On the 2nd in St Helens Juvenile Court two boys were accused of tearing off part of a poster.
This had been advertising a well-known soap and had been attached to the long hoarding situated in Corporation Street.
A representative of the billposting firm told the court that they were not being vindictive in bringing the prosecution but every year they had to spend a large sum repairing damaged posters.
But after being given a warning from the Bench and promising not to repeat their offence, the boys were allowed to leave the court upon payment of costs of four shillings each.
The Lowe House Carnival and Fun Fair was advertised in the Reporter on the 3rd. The event held on the Volunteer Field in the grounds of the old Lowe House church was in aid of the grand new church building that was currently under construction.
In describing the 1919 carnival the Reporter had written: "Amongst recent arrivals has been Manders' American menagerie, where real lions ramp and rage, and where a real man goes into their cages and makes them go through most terrifying evolutions.
"Mr. Mitchell [the fair organiser] has won the hearts of the children by extending invitations to several schools in the town to come to the fair on certain afternoons “free, gratis and for nothing”. They came in droves with their teachers, and had the time of their lives."
There were no lions listed in the advertisement for this year's carnival – but there were dragons!
"Gorgeous golden scenic dragons" were promised without explaining what that meant, as well as a "massive 110-key organ and real waterfalls".
It had been reported in August that St Helens was going to have its first mining school, with land near the Town Hall set to be acquired by the Corporation for that purpose.
This week a chap from Bridgend called Adams was appointed to be the first head of what was officially known as the Municipal Technical School.
It had only taken more than 400 years for prospective miners to be sent to a school before being sent down a dangerous coal mine but, as they say, better late than never!
The Reporter also described how an automatic stamp machine was going to be installed in St Helens.
The first modern coin-operated vending machines date back to the 1880s – but they do not appear to have become widespread in St Helens until the inter-war years.
The stamp machine would be located outside the main post office at the top of St Mary's Street.
The Reporter also wrote: "Householders in St. Helens did not welcome the 1st of October with any joy.
"When the milkman came round in the morning he brought the unwelcome tidings that milk was now a penny a quart more, and at that price apparently it will now continue throughout the winter months.
"A little later, when the coalman came along, he added coals of fire by imparting the information that the price of coal has gone up a penny a bag."
The coal bosses gave as an explanation that they were having to pay their workers more and consequently had been making a loss.
That, they reckoned, during May to July in Lancashire and Cheshire had meant an average deficit of over 9d per ton.
What was not stated in the article was that demand for coal would have been lower during those months than in winter.
Billinge residents have recently been campaigning against plans to install telegraph poles carrying high-speed broadband, arguing that the masts would be a blot on their landscape and calling for them to go underground.
However, in the 1920s it was the landline telegraph poles pockmarking the country landscape that was the concern.
The Reporter described how the growing residential district of Bleak Hill in Eccleston – which they described as having "some of the most picturesque country in this district" – was badly in need of the telephone for its residents but they did not want any unsightly telegraph poles.
Like the Billinge residents today, Whiston Rural District Council had been calling for the telephone cabling to go underground.
Such demands went back to the 1890s but had usually been resisted by the Post Office because of the additional cost and difficulties with access when their engineers needed to rectify faults.
In addition, if the Post Office gave into one pressure group demanding underground phone lines they would set a precedent that others would follow.
The Reporter published copies of correspondence between Whiston Council and the Post Office's Engineering Department in Manchester in which it was stated that financial assistance would be given by the council towards the cost of installing the cables underground – but the Post Office had stood fast and refused to comply.
And finally on the 3rd a shocking murder and suicide took place in Robins Lane in Sutton, of which its curious circumstances will be described next week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include murder and suicide in Robins Lane, the violent row over linnets in Bridge Street, the grievous bodily harm over a kettle in Salisbury Street and the madcap Milk Street neighbours.
The use of electricity in St Helens was primarily by industry with only 6% of British homes connected in 1920.
But during that year the council's Electricity Committee elected to spend the equivalent of about £1½ million in today's money to expand the electricity network in St Helens.
And this week it was stated that a new scheme was being considered that would supply electricity to Rainford, Haydock and Ashton.
Bringing those despairing folk that had attempted suicide before the courts could be said to be a cruel practice.
But essentially it was about ensuring that such persons received appropriate care, usually from their families, and would not repeat their act. That said, some individuals did spend time in police custody or in prison.
Having their case heard in public with detailed write-ups in the newspapers was arguably the harshest and most unnecessary aspect of the way the suicidal were treated.
When Gladys Williams appeared in St Helens Police Court on September 30th the 17-year-old from Hope Street was described as "much distressed".
She had been employed at a house in Rutland Street and had been questioned over some missing money.
Later she was found lying on a bed with a bottle of liniment in her hand and was taken to Providence Hospital where she remained for several days.
Upon Gladys promising to go into a home and declaring that she would not repeat her act, the magistrates dismissed the case against her.
On October 1st at the council's Education Committee meeting, Cllr Woodward drew attention to the poor provision of schools in parts of Parr.
In reply Alderman Hamblett, the committee's chairman, said they were "aware of the hardships of Parr and intended to facilitate the matter".
That was to be done by erecting a new school to educate children aged 11 to 15, although a site had yet to be earmarked.
Also on the 1st at the monthly Town Council meeting there were what the St Helens Reporter described as the "usual crop of complaints as to the condition of roads in the Borough".
Lack of men and materials during the war had created a large backlog of poor roads in St Helens that badly needed improvement.
And the present financial austerity meant there was not the money available to undertake a huge amount of repair work.
The two roads in the councillors' firing line at this month's meeting were Warwick Street (off Dunriding Lane) and North Road.
It was claimed that in Warwick Street road jacks often had to be summoned to lift up motor cars stuck in the slush.
And in North Road a drop in the road had created problems with flooding.
A suggestion had been made that the kerb be raised but Cllr McCormick said he had discussed the matter with many of the street's traders who weren't happy with the idea.
However, the councillor thought that the conditions were so bad in North Road that the tradespeople would agree to almost anything that might help remedy the situation.
But street advertising in the 1920s mainly involved billposter firms being paid to stick much smaller posters advertising products, businesses or events along long hoardings.
The billposters rented the space to place their hoardings from property or land owners and charged their clients a fee that depended on the poster's size and the length of time it would be displayed.
On the 2nd in St Helens Juvenile Court two boys were accused of tearing off part of a poster.
This had been advertising a well-known soap and had been attached to the long hoarding situated in Corporation Street.
A representative of the billposting firm told the court that they were not being vindictive in bringing the prosecution but every year they had to spend a large sum repairing damaged posters.
But after being given a warning from the Bench and promising not to repeat their offence, the boys were allowed to leave the court upon payment of costs of four shillings each.
The Lowe House Carnival and Fun Fair was advertised in the Reporter on the 3rd. The event held on the Volunteer Field in the grounds of the old Lowe House church was in aid of the grand new church building that was currently under construction.
In describing the 1919 carnival the Reporter had written: "Amongst recent arrivals has been Manders' American menagerie, where real lions ramp and rage, and where a real man goes into their cages and makes them go through most terrifying evolutions.
"Mr. Mitchell [the fair organiser] has won the hearts of the children by extending invitations to several schools in the town to come to the fair on certain afternoons “free, gratis and for nothing”. They came in droves with their teachers, and had the time of their lives."
There were no lions listed in the advertisement for this year's carnival – but there were dragons!
"Gorgeous golden scenic dragons" were promised without explaining what that meant, as well as a "massive 110-key organ and real waterfalls".
It had been reported in August that St Helens was going to have its first mining school, with land near the Town Hall set to be acquired by the Corporation for that purpose.
This week a chap from Bridgend called Adams was appointed to be the first head of what was officially known as the Municipal Technical School.
It had only taken more than 400 years for prospective miners to be sent to a school before being sent down a dangerous coal mine but, as they say, better late than never!
The Reporter also described how an automatic stamp machine was going to be installed in St Helens.
The first modern coin-operated vending machines date back to the 1880s – but they do not appear to have become widespread in St Helens until the inter-war years.
The stamp machine would be located outside the main post office at the top of St Mary's Street.
The Reporter also wrote: "Householders in St. Helens did not welcome the 1st of October with any joy.
"When the milkman came round in the morning he brought the unwelcome tidings that milk was now a penny a quart more, and at that price apparently it will now continue throughout the winter months.
"A little later, when the coalman came along, he added coals of fire by imparting the information that the price of coal has gone up a penny a bag."
The coal bosses gave as an explanation that they were having to pay their workers more and consequently had been making a loss.
That, they reckoned, during May to July in Lancashire and Cheshire had meant an average deficit of over 9d per ton.
What was not stated in the article was that demand for coal would have been lower during those months than in winter.
Billinge residents have recently been campaigning against plans to install telegraph poles carrying high-speed broadband, arguing that the masts would be a blot on their landscape and calling for them to go underground.
However, in the 1920s it was the landline telegraph poles pockmarking the country landscape that was the concern.
The Reporter described how the growing residential district of Bleak Hill in Eccleston – which they described as having "some of the most picturesque country in this district" – was badly in need of the telephone for its residents but they did not want any unsightly telegraph poles.
Like the Billinge residents today, Whiston Rural District Council had been calling for the telephone cabling to go underground.
Such demands went back to the 1890s but had usually been resisted by the Post Office because of the additional cost and difficulties with access when their engineers needed to rectify faults.
In addition, if the Post Office gave into one pressure group demanding underground phone lines they would set a precedent that others would follow.
The Reporter published copies of correspondence between Whiston Council and the Post Office's Engineering Department in Manchester in which it was stated that financial assistance would be given by the council towards the cost of installing the cables underground – but the Post Office had stood fast and refused to comply.
And finally on the 3rd a shocking murder and suicide took place in Robins Lane in Sutton, of which its curious circumstances will be described next week.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include murder and suicide in Robins Lane, the violent row over linnets in Bridge Street, the grievous bodily harm over a kettle in Salisbury Street and the madcap Milk Street neighbours.