150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 5 - 11 JANUARY 1876
This week's many stories include the attempt to stop Ex Terra Lucem becoming the town's motto, concern over acids from chemical waste heaps that were flowing into brooks, the drowning in a Cowley Hill clay hole, the nurses at Whiston Workhouse receive a pay rise, the Water Street fight with a policeman and the death at St Helens railway station.
In December a special meeting of St Helens Town Council had taken place to select a coat of arms and motto for the borough. The former was agreed but the proposed motto beneath the shield was more controversial. It said 'Adjurante Deolabore Proficimus' (meaning "with the assistance of God, we have prospered by labour").
However, some councillors were opposed to the slogan and Richard Pilkington suggested 'Ex Terra Lucem' (meaning "from the earth light") instead. That he argued was more appropriate for St Helens because the town's material wealth depended largely on its coal. However, that motto had proved even more controversial with the St Helens Newspaper subsequently writing:
"Should the motto Ex terra lucem ever be allowed to figure on the arms of our Borough, we fear much that those who pass by the way will wag their heads, and conclude that if our lucem be no brighter or clearer than our Latin, our lucem is of a dim and dubious character." Their objection was largely based on the grammar of the slogan and on January 5th at a meeting of the Town Council, the matter was again brought up.
Cllr Thomason called for the motto to be reconsidered, saying: "From all I have heard outside, the public voice is unanimously against it and the united Press of the borough are also against it and, before such a tribunal, surely the council ought not to confirm it." But the meeting decided not to reconsider their decision to adopt the motto.
Last September another special meeting of St Helens Council had been held in which a decision was taken to purchase the privately owned gas works for the princely sum of £127,000. This was the start of the council placing local utilities and transport under its municipal control. However, the councillors heard that the gas company had now requested an additional £4,600, which after some discussion was agreed.
There was criticism at the meeting from Richard Pilkington that insufficient nuisance inspection and action was being conducted in St Helens. In particular, he said he was concerned about acids from the chemical waste heaps that flowed into the brooks when it rained. He remarked: "There is a great outcry about them being injurious to health. But I mind you that there are some [heaps] that are ten times more injurious to health than others; and there are certain chemical companies who still go on in the same way with these heaps and I think it's a pity that the [nuisance] inspector and the medical officer had not pointed out these new nuisances when they arose."
On the 6th the inquest was held on the body of Charles Fawke who had fallen into a water-filled clay hole in Cowley Hill and drowned earlier in the week. A mining engineer called Grimshaw had attempted to save the 24-year-old and, at the request of the inquest jury, he agreed to bring the unprotected state of these clay holes to the notice of the Borough Surveyor.
Also on the 6th, a 32-year-old farmer called James Swift from Moss Lane was fatally injured at St Helens Station while crossing the line to catch the noon train to Liverpool. He was caught by the engine of a passing train and so severely injured that he died on the following morning in St Helens Cottage Hospital. Swift's inquest was held at the Royal Alfred in Shaw Street where it was stated that a great many people crossed the railway lines every day despite warning notices telling them to use the footbridge instead.
A meeting of the Prescot Guardians – the folk who administered Whiston Workhouse – was held on the 6th. Last year a married couple called Mr and Mrs Gatwood had been appointed to nurse the so-called imbeciles in the hospital (illustrated above) that was attached to the workhouse. But since their appointment they had also been put in charge of the general hospital and for these dual duties were still receiving the same pay.
And so in early December they had written to the guardians to request an increase and their letter was referred to their Finance Committee for their consideration. The latter had now decided that their salaries should be raised from £25 to £30 for Mr Gatwood and from £20 to £30 for his wife.
There was no suggestion of the cash being backdated to when their workload had increased. And although the couple would have received board and lodgings at the workhouse, their joint salary for a very heavy workload was still just over £1 a week. It is no wonder they are not listed in the 1881 census as living at Whiston.
In this week's Newspaper published on the 8th, James Brockbank advertised that he "…begs to inform the inhabitants of St Helens and neighbourhood that in consequence of the increased demand for Boots and Shoes of his own make, he has taken the premises 48, Naylor Street, (Opposite the Wellington Hotel), for a Shoe Manufactory.
"He will thereby be enabled, with the aid of his lately-purchased Shoe Plant and Machinery, his first-class Workmen, combined with his own long experience and practical knowledge of the Trade, to make and repair weekly, any quantity or any quality, either first-class stitched, or good rivetted Boots, at the lowest possible prices. The shop at the Manufactory, 48, Naylor street, he has opened with a Stock of good Boots and Shoes which, for cheapness, style, and quality, cannot be surpassed."
There was an update in the Newspaper of the latest returns from Lancashire farms concerning the foot and mouth disease outbreak. The good news was that in St Helens and Prescot there had been no fresh outbreaks but five cattle on 5 farms in St Helens and 13 cattle on 6 farms in Prescot had been affected.
Most workers in St Helens finished for the week at lunchtime on Saturdays and then received their wages. Many men headed straight for the pub and it was no surprise that by teatime some were drunk. On the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions, Edward Lyons was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Water Street and assaulting PC Heslip.
The constable said at 5:20pm on the previous Saturday he had found the man inebriated in Water Street and had asked him for his name and address, which he gave. But Lyons disregarded the officer's order to go home and instead only moved away about 10 yards. He then commenced shouting and swearing and soon a crowd of about 200 people had surrounded him.
When PC Heslip tried to arrest Lyons, his prisoner became very violent and struck and kicked the officer several times. The policeman was knocked down and the pair then wrestled on the ground and as PC Heslip attempted to put his handcuffs on Lyons, he was bitten on both hands causing them to bleed.
The violent man then kicked the officer on his legs and tore his trousers. Most assaults on police officers in St Helens only resulted in small fines or being bound over. However, the magistrates considered the case to be a bad one and they sent Lyons to prison for three weeks.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the damning indictment of St Helens Station, the military ball held in the Volunteer Hall, the penny reading in Parr, the ice skater that drowned in Sutton and the woman that dropped dead outside the Sefton.
In December a special meeting of St Helens Town Council had taken place to select a coat of arms and motto for the borough. The former was agreed but the proposed motto beneath the shield was more controversial. It said 'Adjurante Deolabore Proficimus' (meaning "with the assistance of God, we have prospered by labour").
However, some councillors were opposed to the slogan and Richard Pilkington suggested 'Ex Terra Lucem' (meaning "from the earth light") instead. That he argued was more appropriate for St Helens because the town's material wealth depended largely on its coal. However, that motto had proved even more controversial with the St Helens Newspaper subsequently writing:
"Should the motto Ex terra lucem ever be allowed to figure on the arms of our Borough, we fear much that those who pass by the way will wag their heads, and conclude that if our lucem be no brighter or clearer than our Latin, our lucem is of a dim and dubious character." Their objection was largely based on the grammar of the slogan and on January 5th at a meeting of the Town Council, the matter was again brought up.
Cllr Thomason called for the motto to be reconsidered, saying: "From all I have heard outside, the public voice is unanimously against it and the united Press of the borough are also against it and, before such a tribunal, surely the council ought not to confirm it." But the meeting decided not to reconsider their decision to adopt the motto.
Last September another special meeting of St Helens Council had been held in which a decision was taken to purchase the privately owned gas works for the princely sum of £127,000. This was the start of the council placing local utilities and transport under its municipal control. However, the councillors heard that the gas company had now requested an additional £4,600, which after some discussion was agreed.
There was criticism at the meeting from Richard Pilkington that insufficient nuisance inspection and action was being conducted in St Helens. In particular, he said he was concerned about acids from the chemical waste heaps that flowed into the brooks when it rained. He remarked: "There is a great outcry about them being injurious to health. But I mind you that there are some [heaps] that are ten times more injurious to health than others; and there are certain chemical companies who still go on in the same way with these heaps and I think it's a pity that the [nuisance] inspector and the medical officer had not pointed out these new nuisances when they arose."
On the 6th the inquest was held on the body of Charles Fawke who had fallen into a water-filled clay hole in Cowley Hill and drowned earlier in the week. A mining engineer called Grimshaw had attempted to save the 24-year-old and, at the request of the inquest jury, he agreed to bring the unprotected state of these clay holes to the notice of the Borough Surveyor.
Also on the 6th, a 32-year-old farmer called James Swift from Moss Lane was fatally injured at St Helens Station while crossing the line to catch the noon train to Liverpool. He was caught by the engine of a passing train and so severely injured that he died on the following morning in St Helens Cottage Hospital. Swift's inquest was held at the Royal Alfred in Shaw Street where it was stated that a great many people crossed the railway lines every day despite warning notices telling them to use the footbridge instead.
And so in early December they had written to the guardians to request an increase and their letter was referred to their Finance Committee for their consideration. The latter had now decided that their salaries should be raised from £25 to £30 for Mr Gatwood and from £20 to £30 for his wife.
There was no suggestion of the cash being backdated to when their workload had increased. And although the couple would have received board and lodgings at the workhouse, their joint salary for a very heavy workload was still just over £1 a week. It is no wonder they are not listed in the 1881 census as living at Whiston.
In this week's Newspaper published on the 8th, James Brockbank advertised that he "…begs to inform the inhabitants of St Helens and neighbourhood that in consequence of the increased demand for Boots and Shoes of his own make, he has taken the premises 48, Naylor Street, (Opposite the Wellington Hotel), for a Shoe Manufactory.
"He will thereby be enabled, with the aid of his lately-purchased Shoe Plant and Machinery, his first-class Workmen, combined with his own long experience and practical knowledge of the Trade, to make and repair weekly, any quantity or any quality, either first-class stitched, or good rivetted Boots, at the lowest possible prices. The shop at the Manufactory, 48, Naylor street, he has opened with a Stock of good Boots and Shoes which, for cheapness, style, and quality, cannot be surpassed."
There was an update in the Newspaper of the latest returns from Lancashire farms concerning the foot and mouth disease outbreak. The good news was that in St Helens and Prescot there had been no fresh outbreaks but five cattle on 5 farms in St Helens and 13 cattle on 6 farms in Prescot had been affected.
Most workers in St Helens finished for the week at lunchtime on Saturdays and then received their wages. Many men headed straight for the pub and it was no surprise that by teatime some were drunk. On the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions, Edward Lyons was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Water Street and assaulting PC Heslip.
The constable said at 5:20pm on the previous Saturday he had found the man inebriated in Water Street and had asked him for his name and address, which he gave. But Lyons disregarded the officer's order to go home and instead only moved away about 10 yards. He then commenced shouting and swearing and soon a crowd of about 200 people had surrounded him.
When PC Heslip tried to arrest Lyons, his prisoner became very violent and struck and kicked the officer several times. The policeman was knocked down and the pair then wrestled on the ground and as PC Heslip attempted to put his handcuffs on Lyons, he was bitten on both hands causing them to bleed.
The violent man then kicked the officer on his legs and tore his trousers. Most assaults on police officers in St Helens only resulted in small fines or being bound over. However, the magistrates considered the case to be a bad one and they sent Lyons to prison for three weeks.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the damning indictment of St Helens Station, the military ball held in the Volunteer Hall, the penny reading in Parr, the ice skater that drowned in Sutton and the woman that dropped dead outside the Sefton.
This week's many stories include the attempt to stop Ex Terra Lucem becoming the town's motto, concern over acids from chemical waste heaps that were flowing into brooks, the drowning in a Cowley Hill clay hole, the nurses at Whiston Workhouse receive a pay rise, the Water Street fight with a policeman and the death at St Helens railway station.
In December a special meeting of St Helens Town Council had taken place to select a coat of arms and motto for the borough.
The former was agreed but the proposed motto beneath the shield was more controversial.
It said 'Adjurante Deolabore Proficimus' (meaning "with the assistance of God, we have prospered by labour").
However, some councillors were opposed to the slogan and Richard Pilkington suggested 'Ex Terra Lucem' (meaning "from the earth light") instead.
That he argued was more appropriate for St Helens because the town's material wealth depended largely on its coal.
However, that motto had proved even more controversial with the St Helens Newspaper subsequently writing:
"Should the motto Ex terra lucem ever be allowed to figure on the arms of our Borough, we fear much that those who pass by the way will wag their heads, and conclude that if our lucem be no brighter or clearer than our Latin, our lucem is of a dim and dubious character."
Their objection was largely based on the grammar of the slogan and on January 5th at a meeting of the Town Council, the matter was again brought up. Cllr Thomason called for the motto to be reconsidered, saying:
"From all I have heard outside, the public voice is unanimously against it and the united Press of the borough are also against it and, before such a tribunal, surely the council ought not to confirm it."
But the meeting decided not to reconsider their decision to adopt the motto.
Last September another special meeting of St Helens Council had been held in which a decision was taken to purchase the privately owned gas works for the princely sum of £127,000.
This was the start of the council placing local utilities and transport under its municipal control.
However, the councillors heard that the gas company had now requested an additional £4,600, which after some discussion was agreed.
There was criticism at the meeting from Richard Pilkington that insufficient nuisance inspection and action was being conducted in St Helens.
In particular, he said he was concerned about acids from the chemical waste heaps that flowed into the brooks when it rained. He remarked:
"There is a great outcry about them being injurious to health. But I mind you that there are some [heaps] that are ten times more injurious to health than others; and there are certain chemical companies who still go on in the same way with these heaps and I think it's a pity that the [nuisance] inspector and the medical officer had not pointed out these new nuisances when they arose."
On the 6th the inquest was held on the body of Charles Fawke who had fallen into a water-filled clay hole in Cowley Hill and drowned earlier in the week.
A mining engineer called Grimshaw had attempted to save the 24-year-old and, at the request of the inquest jury, he agreed to bring the unprotected state of these clay holes to the notice of the Borough Surveyor.
Also on the 6th, a 32-year-old farmer called James Swift from Moss Lane was fatally injured at St Helens Station while crossing the line to catch the noon train to Liverpool.
He was caught by the engine of a passing train and so severely injured that he died on the following morning in St Helens Cottage Hospital.
His inquest was held at the Royal Alfred in Shaw Street where it was stated that a great many people crossed the railway lines every day despite warning notices telling them to use the footbridge instead.
A meeting of the Prescot Guardians – the folk who administered Whiston Workhouse – was held on the 6th.
Last year a married couple called Mr and Mrs Gatwood had been appointed to nurse the so-called imbeciles in the hospital (illustrated above) that was attached to the workhouse.
But since their appointment they had also been put in charge of the general hospital and for these dual duties were still receiving the same pay.
And so in early December they had written to the guardians to request an increase and their letter was referred to their Finance Committee for their consideration.
The latter had now decided that their salaries should be raised from £25 to £30 for Mr Gatwood and from £20 to £30 for his wife.
There was no suggestion of the cash being backdated to when their workload had increased.
And although the couple would have received board and lodgings at the workhouse, their joint salary for a very heavy workload was still just over £1 a week. It is no wonder they are not listed in the 1881 census as living at Whiston.
In this week's Newspaper published on the 8th, James Brockbank advertised that he:
"…begs to inform the inhabitants of St Helens and neighbourhood that in consequence of the increased demand for Boots and Shoes of his own make, he has taken the premises 48, Naylor Street, (Opposite the Wellington Hotel), for a Shoe Manufactory.
"He will thereby be enabled, with the aid of his lately-purchased Shoe Plant and Machinery, his first-class Workmen, combined with his own long experience and practical knowledge of the Trade, to make and repair weekly, any quantity or any quality, either first-class stitched, or good rivetted Boots, at the lowest possible prices.
"The shop at the Manufactory, 48, Naylor street, he has opened with a Stock of good Boots and Shoes which, for cheapness, style, and quality, cannot be surpassed."
There was an update in the Newspaper of the latest returns from Lancashire farms concerning the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
The good news was that in St Helens and Prescot there had been no fresh outbreaks but five cattle on 5 farms in St Helens and 13 cattle on 6 farms in Prescot had been affected.
Most workers in St Helens finished for the week at lunchtime on Saturdays and then received their wages.
Many men headed straight for the pub and it was no surprise that by teatime some were drunk.
On the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions, Edward Lyons was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Water Street and assaulting PC Heslip.
The constable said at 5:20pm on the previous Saturday he had found the man inebriated in Water Street and had asked him for his name and address, which he gave.
But Lyons disregarded the officer's order to go home and instead only moved away about 10 yards.
He then commenced shouting and swearing and soon a crowd of about 200 people had surrounded him.
When PC Heslip tried to arrest Lyons, his prisoner became very violent and struck and kicked the officer several times.
The policeman was knocked down and the pair then wrestled on the ground and as PC Heslip attempted to put his handcuffs on Lyons, he was bitten on both hands causing them to bleed.
The violent man then kicked the officer on his legs and tore his trousers.
Most assaults on police officers in St Helens only resulted in small fines or being bound over.
However, the magistrates considered the case to be a bad one and they sent Lyons to prison for three weeks.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the damning indictment of St Helens Station, the military ball held in the Volunteer Hall, the penny reading in Parr, the ice skater that drowned in Sutton and the woman that dropped dead outside the Sefton.
In December a special meeting of St Helens Town Council had taken place to select a coat of arms and motto for the borough.
The former was agreed but the proposed motto beneath the shield was more controversial.
It said 'Adjurante Deolabore Proficimus' (meaning "with the assistance of God, we have prospered by labour").
However, some councillors were opposed to the slogan and Richard Pilkington suggested 'Ex Terra Lucem' (meaning "from the earth light") instead.
That he argued was more appropriate for St Helens because the town's material wealth depended largely on its coal.
However, that motto had proved even more controversial with the St Helens Newspaper subsequently writing:
"Should the motto Ex terra lucem ever be allowed to figure on the arms of our Borough, we fear much that those who pass by the way will wag their heads, and conclude that if our lucem be no brighter or clearer than our Latin, our lucem is of a dim and dubious character."
Their objection was largely based on the grammar of the slogan and on January 5th at a meeting of the Town Council, the matter was again brought up. Cllr Thomason called for the motto to be reconsidered, saying:
"From all I have heard outside, the public voice is unanimously against it and the united Press of the borough are also against it and, before such a tribunal, surely the council ought not to confirm it."
But the meeting decided not to reconsider their decision to adopt the motto.
Last September another special meeting of St Helens Council had been held in which a decision was taken to purchase the privately owned gas works for the princely sum of £127,000.
This was the start of the council placing local utilities and transport under its municipal control.
However, the councillors heard that the gas company had now requested an additional £4,600, which after some discussion was agreed.
There was criticism at the meeting from Richard Pilkington that insufficient nuisance inspection and action was being conducted in St Helens.
In particular, he said he was concerned about acids from the chemical waste heaps that flowed into the brooks when it rained. He remarked:
"There is a great outcry about them being injurious to health. But I mind you that there are some [heaps] that are ten times more injurious to health than others; and there are certain chemical companies who still go on in the same way with these heaps and I think it's a pity that the [nuisance] inspector and the medical officer had not pointed out these new nuisances when they arose."
On the 6th the inquest was held on the body of Charles Fawke who had fallen into a water-filled clay hole in Cowley Hill and drowned earlier in the week.
A mining engineer called Grimshaw had attempted to save the 24-year-old and, at the request of the inquest jury, he agreed to bring the unprotected state of these clay holes to the notice of the Borough Surveyor.
Also on the 6th, a 32-year-old farmer called James Swift from Moss Lane was fatally injured at St Helens Station while crossing the line to catch the noon train to Liverpool.
He was caught by the engine of a passing train and so severely injured that he died on the following morning in St Helens Cottage Hospital.
His inquest was held at the Royal Alfred in Shaw Street where it was stated that a great many people crossed the railway lines every day despite warning notices telling them to use the footbridge instead.
A meeting of the Prescot Guardians – the folk who administered Whiston Workhouse – was held on the 6th.
But since their appointment they had also been put in charge of the general hospital and for these dual duties were still receiving the same pay.
And so in early December they had written to the guardians to request an increase and their letter was referred to their Finance Committee for their consideration.
The latter had now decided that their salaries should be raised from £25 to £30 for Mr Gatwood and from £20 to £30 for his wife.
There was no suggestion of the cash being backdated to when their workload had increased.
And although the couple would have received board and lodgings at the workhouse, their joint salary for a very heavy workload was still just over £1 a week. It is no wonder they are not listed in the 1881 census as living at Whiston.
In this week's Newspaper published on the 8th, James Brockbank advertised that he:
"…begs to inform the inhabitants of St Helens and neighbourhood that in consequence of the increased demand for Boots and Shoes of his own make, he has taken the premises 48, Naylor Street, (Opposite the Wellington Hotel), for a Shoe Manufactory.
"He will thereby be enabled, with the aid of his lately-purchased Shoe Plant and Machinery, his first-class Workmen, combined with his own long experience and practical knowledge of the Trade, to make and repair weekly, any quantity or any quality, either first-class stitched, or good rivetted Boots, at the lowest possible prices.
"The shop at the Manufactory, 48, Naylor street, he has opened with a Stock of good Boots and Shoes which, for cheapness, style, and quality, cannot be surpassed."
There was an update in the Newspaper of the latest returns from Lancashire farms concerning the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
The good news was that in St Helens and Prescot there had been no fresh outbreaks but five cattle on 5 farms in St Helens and 13 cattle on 6 farms in Prescot had been affected.
Most workers in St Helens finished for the week at lunchtime on Saturdays and then received their wages.
Many men headed straight for the pub and it was no surprise that by teatime some were drunk.
On the 10th in St Helens Petty Sessions, Edward Lyons was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Water Street and assaulting PC Heslip.
The constable said at 5:20pm on the previous Saturday he had found the man inebriated in Water Street and had asked him for his name and address, which he gave.
But Lyons disregarded the officer's order to go home and instead only moved away about 10 yards.
He then commenced shouting and swearing and soon a crowd of about 200 people had surrounded him.
When PC Heslip tried to arrest Lyons, his prisoner became very violent and struck and kicked the officer several times.
The policeman was knocked down and the pair then wrestled on the ground and as PC Heslip attempted to put his handcuffs on Lyons, he was bitten on both hands causing them to bleed.
The violent man then kicked the officer on his legs and tore his trousers.
Most assaults on police officers in St Helens only resulted in small fines or being bound over.
However, the magistrates considered the case to be a bad one and they sent Lyons to prison for three weeks.
St Helens Newspaper courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the damning indictment of St Helens Station, the military ball held in the Volunteer Hall, the penny reading in Parr, the ice skater that drowned in Sutton and the woman that dropped dead outside the Sefton.