150 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (30th AUG. - 5th SEPT. 1871)
This week's many stories include a child's miraculous escape after being run over by a Doulton pottery cart, the long history of bowling in St Helens, the illegal playing of pitch and toss and how there was a pub in St Helens for every 120 adults.
Henry Doulton began his pottery firm in London in the 1840s. Once he had begun manufacturing wares in bulk, Doulton searched for a suitable works to supply towns in the north. The course clays of St Helens proved just the job and Greenbank Pottery by the St Helens Canal was acquired. During the evening of the 1st one of Doulton's horse-driven carts ran over a boy called Thomas Smith from nearby Pottery Street.
Usually death would occur after such an accident involving a heavily laden vehicle – and many children did lose their lives in that way. And although the cart was full of heavy clay and a wheel passed right over Thomas's little body, miraculously, the three-year-old was not seriously hurt. The newspapers wrote: "It was quite a marvel to every one who saw the accident how the boy escaped being crushed to death."
"Gaming Evil at St. Helens" was a typical headline to newspaper articles from a century ago that described the playing of pitch and toss. That, as you probably know, is a game in which the player who throws a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all of the players' coins, winning those that land heads up. Pretty innocuous by today's standards but a century ago it was considered "evil" – although in the 1870s far fewer cases came to court and punishments were more minor.
On the 2nd the Warrington Examiner described how Richard Davies and Charles Harrison had been charged in the Newton Petty Sessions with committing this offence. PC Holden gave evidence that he had entered the Waggon and Horses in Haydock and found the two men playing at pitch and toss for beer. One of the staff from the pub corroborated the constable's evidence but the men were only fined 1 shilling and costs.
Joseph Bayley and Thomas Bold were also in court charged with stealing turnips belonging to Joseph Forster of Ashton-in-Makerfield. The farmer told the Bench that he had sustained very considerable loss from people going into his turnip field and helping themselves and the two men were both fined 9 shillings, including costs.
Bowling was increasing in popularity in the 1870s despite there being few greens to play on in St Helens. It would not be until 1880 that the St Helens Bowling Club would be established at the end of Regents Road. There were no bowling greens in parks for the simple reason that there were no parks yet in St Helens. And you can't get a better reason than that! So the handful of bowling venues that did exist were mainly at public houses – although there was a long history of bowling in St Helens.
Matches were being held in Dentons Green as far back as 1665 and they continued at the Gerard Arms. There was also the Bird I’ th’ Hand at the end of Jacks Lane – later renamed Dunriding Lane – where bowling matches were held, as well as at the Kings Head in Church Street (where the post office would later be built). But one of the best greens was said to be at the Victoria Gardens in Thatto Heath, close to present day Whittle Street. That was where the first leg of a bowling match between St Helens and Newton-le-Willows had taken place in mid-August.
On September 2nd the second leg was played at the historic Pied Bull in Newton and the Newtonian team comprehensively won. The Wigan Observer wrote: "The weather on both occasions was favourable, and both greens were in good condition. After play the players and several friends did ample justice to good and substantial teas provided for them by Mr. Whittle, Thatto Heath, and Mrs. Corns, Pied Bull, Newton; the afternoons in each instance finishing in a most agreeable and pleasant manner."
On the 4th the Liverpool Mercury described how a treat for Sunday school pupils had taken place in St Helens: "On Saturday the scholars attending the various Sunday schools in St. Helen's to which bands of hope or temperance societies are attached formed a procession [at] about two o'clock, and marched through the principal streets of the town. Having paraded the streets they proceeded to the Volunteer Hall, and in the field adjoining they were regaled with buns and milk. A variety of amusements were provided for the youngsters, including racing, jumping, and donkey races. Some speeches and singing followed."
On the same day a porter at Rainhill railway station named William Mason was crossing the line when a passing train knocked him down. He was taken to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary where one of his legs had to be amputated.
William Simms ran the Black Horse beerhouse in Duke Street and on the 4th had the indignity of being the only one out of 350 landlords and landladies in the St Helens district to lose his licence. That was on the ground that the 30-year-old kept a badly conducted house. Like many other beerhouse keepers, Simms had another job as a miner – so financially would not have been hit too hard by the decision. The magistrates at the St Helens Licensing Sessions were the ones who had refused to renew the man's licence.
The man in charge of St Helens Police, Superintendent James Ludlam, informed the Bench that there were 165 inns / public houses and 185 beerhouses that his bobbies had to keep an eye on. That was within the townships of Windle, Eccleston, Parr, Sutton, Rainford and Bold, a total population of 52,306 – that's a drinking house for every 120 adults or so! And I don't think places like Haydock and Newton, as well as Prescot, would have been included. During the past year 886 people had been charged with drunkenness within the St Helens district as compared to 773 in the previous year.
Also on the 4th the Theatre Royal in St Helens – situated on the corner of Milk Street and Waterloo Street that we remember as The Citadel (and pictured above when run by the Salvation Army) – reopened as a concert hall and had these artistes performing: Kate Garstone ("The favourite serio-comic"); Mrs and Mrs Leonard White ("Negro duettists, vocalists, instrumentalists, trick violinists, burlesque artistes, big boot and pump dancers"); R. Hales ("A superior comic"); Miss J. Richards ("Serio-comic and balladist") and Joe Bashall & Lydia Frazer ("Duettists").
I think a serio-comic was someone with the dry style of Les Dawson. These were very popular during the 1870s, as were black performers – some of whom had come over from America after the civil war. Many were bluntly described in advertisements by the use of the far more offensive N-word than "negro".
And finally, young children made by their parents to work on the streets of St Helens were a common sight – often in bare feet. Of course, St Helens was no different to other places and this week this article was published in the Liverpool Mercury about the street children of London. It described a census of their numbers and occupations and how these children would likely be exempt from the provisions of the new Education Act:
"In the middle of July an inspection was made of the numbers and occupations of children under 13 years old observed in the streets from the Royal Exchange by Temple Bar and Regent-street to the Oxford-circus, also from Farringdon-circus along Holborn to the Marble Arch. The following is a summary of the result:-
Roadsweepers = Boys 14; Girls 0; Licensed shoeblacks = Boys 27; Girls 0; Other shoeblacks = Boys 6; Girls 0; Sellers of matches = Boys 45; Girls 11; Sellers of newspapers = Boys 42; Girls 5; Sellers of other articles = Boys 3; Girls 4. Total: 137 boys, 20 girls.
"Besides these children, there were persons in the same streets over 13 years old at the same employments – 186 men and 64 women; total 250, of whom 8 were crossing-sweepers; and in addition there were 77 persons with advertising boards between Temple-bar and the Oxford-circus. Thus in about five miles of the most frequented thoroughfares there were 157 children street-workers, or about 30 to the mile. Nearly all of these children are without any special control of their conduct.
"Their struggles to secure custom are without regulation, so that when the competitors are vigorous and active their business is impeded by their own zeal, and their disturbance of the public thoroughfare is rendered more objectionable. All these children, it must be clearly understood, are ordinarily outside the provisions of the Industrial Schools Act, as well as the usual administration of the police regulations against obstruction of the highway. Delay in applying some stringent remedy will only complicate the case with additional difficulty, because the number of children employed in the streets will be much increased when the compulsory powers of the School Board by-laws shall be put into operation.
"For among the valid excuses to be allowed under these laws for omitting ordinary attendance at school will doubtless be the plea that a child is “engaged in earning money.” To escape school, therefore, the child can be sent or can go into the street as a seller, ostensibly at least, of some light, cheap article; and he will thereby have the same ground for exemption from ordinary school attendance which must be allowed to children employed in a shop, or for errands, or for similar work. When such future circumstances arise, it will undoubtedly be difficult to make and enforce new police regulations; but if these are applied now, they can be arranged before the pressure comes, so as to co-operate with the by-laws of the school board when these shall be in operation."
Next week's stories will include the plans to build a new Town Hall in St Helens, the Ashton gold watch trick, a shocking mining explosion takes place and the Bridge Street plumber who came to a sticky end in an ashpit.
Henry Doulton began his pottery firm in London in the 1840s. Once he had begun manufacturing wares in bulk, Doulton searched for a suitable works to supply towns in the north. The course clays of St Helens proved just the job and Greenbank Pottery by the St Helens Canal was acquired. During the evening of the 1st one of Doulton's horse-driven carts ran over a boy called Thomas Smith from nearby Pottery Street.
Usually death would occur after such an accident involving a heavily laden vehicle – and many children did lose their lives in that way. And although the cart was full of heavy clay and a wheel passed right over Thomas's little body, miraculously, the three-year-old was not seriously hurt. The newspapers wrote: "It was quite a marvel to every one who saw the accident how the boy escaped being crushed to death."
"Gaming Evil at St. Helens" was a typical headline to newspaper articles from a century ago that described the playing of pitch and toss. That, as you probably know, is a game in which the player who throws a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all of the players' coins, winning those that land heads up. Pretty innocuous by today's standards but a century ago it was considered "evil" – although in the 1870s far fewer cases came to court and punishments were more minor.
On the 2nd the Warrington Examiner described how Richard Davies and Charles Harrison had been charged in the Newton Petty Sessions with committing this offence. PC Holden gave evidence that he had entered the Waggon and Horses in Haydock and found the two men playing at pitch and toss for beer. One of the staff from the pub corroborated the constable's evidence but the men were only fined 1 shilling and costs.
Joseph Bayley and Thomas Bold were also in court charged with stealing turnips belonging to Joseph Forster of Ashton-in-Makerfield. The farmer told the Bench that he had sustained very considerable loss from people going into his turnip field and helping themselves and the two men were both fined 9 shillings, including costs.
Bowling was increasing in popularity in the 1870s despite there being few greens to play on in St Helens. It would not be until 1880 that the St Helens Bowling Club would be established at the end of Regents Road. There were no bowling greens in parks for the simple reason that there were no parks yet in St Helens. And you can't get a better reason than that! So the handful of bowling venues that did exist were mainly at public houses – although there was a long history of bowling in St Helens.
Matches were being held in Dentons Green as far back as 1665 and they continued at the Gerard Arms. There was also the Bird I’ th’ Hand at the end of Jacks Lane – later renamed Dunriding Lane – where bowling matches were held, as well as at the Kings Head in Church Street (where the post office would later be built). But one of the best greens was said to be at the Victoria Gardens in Thatto Heath, close to present day Whittle Street. That was where the first leg of a bowling match between St Helens and Newton-le-Willows had taken place in mid-August.
On September 2nd the second leg was played at the historic Pied Bull in Newton and the Newtonian team comprehensively won. The Wigan Observer wrote: "The weather on both occasions was favourable, and both greens were in good condition. After play the players and several friends did ample justice to good and substantial teas provided for them by Mr. Whittle, Thatto Heath, and Mrs. Corns, Pied Bull, Newton; the afternoons in each instance finishing in a most agreeable and pleasant manner."
On the 4th the Liverpool Mercury described how a treat for Sunday school pupils had taken place in St Helens: "On Saturday the scholars attending the various Sunday schools in St. Helen's to which bands of hope or temperance societies are attached formed a procession [at] about two o'clock, and marched through the principal streets of the town. Having paraded the streets they proceeded to the Volunteer Hall, and in the field adjoining they were regaled with buns and milk. A variety of amusements were provided for the youngsters, including racing, jumping, and donkey races. Some speeches and singing followed."
On the same day a porter at Rainhill railway station named William Mason was crossing the line when a passing train knocked him down. He was taken to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary where one of his legs had to be amputated.
William Simms ran the Black Horse beerhouse in Duke Street and on the 4th had the indignity of being the only one out of 350 landlords and landladies in the St Helens district to lose his licence. That was on the ground that the 30-year-old kept a badly conducted house. Like many other beerhouse keepers, Simms had another job as a miner – so financially would not have been hit too hard by the decision. The magistrates at the St Helens Licensing Sessions were the ones who had refused to renew the man's licence.
The man in charge of St Helens Police, Superintendent James Ludlam, informed the Bench that there were 165 inns / public houses and 185 beerhouses that his bobbies had to keep an eye on. That was within the townships of Windle, Eccleston, Parr, Sutton, Rainford and Bold, a total population of 52,306 – that's a drinking house for every 120 adults or so! And I don't think places like Haydock and Newton, as well as Prescot, would have been included. During the past year 886 people had been charged with drunkenness within the St Helens district as compared to 773 in the previous year.
I think a serio-comic was someone with the dry style of Les Dawson. These were very popular during the 1870s, as were black performers – some of whom had come over from America after the civil war. Many were bluntly described in advertisements by the use of the far more offensive N-word than "negro".
And finally, young children made by their parents to work on the streets of St Helens were a common sight – often in bare feet. Of course, St Helens was no different to other places and this week this article was published in the Liverpool Mercury about the street children of London. It described a census of their numbers and occupations and how these children would likely be exempt from the provisions of the new Education Act:
"In the middle of July an inspection was made of the numbers and occupations of children under 13 years old observed in the streets from the Royal Exchange by Temple Bar and Regent-street to the Oxford-circus, also from Farringdon-circus along Holborn to the Marble Arch. The following is a summary of the result:-
Roadsweepers = Boys 14; Girls 0; Licensed shoeblacks = Boys 27; Girls 0; Other shoeblacks = Boys 6; Girls 0; Sellers of matches = Boys 45; Girls 11; Sellers of newspapers = Boys 42; Girls 5; Sellers of other articles = Boys 3; Girls 4. Total: 137 boys, 20 girls.
"Besides these children, there were persons in the same streets over 13 years old at the same employments – 186 men and 64 women; total 250, of whom 8 were crossing-sweepers; and in addition there were 77 persons with advertising boards between Temple-bar and the Oxford-circus. Thus in about five miles of the most frequented thoroughfares there were 157 children street-workers, or about 30 to the mile. Nearly all of these children are without any special control of their conduct.
"Their struggles to secure custom are without regulation, so that when the competitors are vigorous and active their business is impeded by their own zeal, and their disturbance of the public thoroughfare is rendered more objectionable. All these children, it must be clearly understood, are ordinarily outside the provisions of the Industrial Schools Act, as well as the usual administration of the police regulations against obstruction of the highway. Delay in applying some stringent remedy will only complicate the case with additional difficulty, because the number of children employed in the streets will be much increased when the compulsory powers of the School Board by-laws shall be put into operation.
"For among the valid excuses to be allowed under these laws for omitting ordinary attendance at school will doubtless be the plea that a child is “engaged in earning money.” To escape school, therefore, the child can be sent or can go into the street as a seller, ostensibly at least, of some light, cheap article; and he will thereby have the same ground for exemption from ordinary school attendance which must be allowed to children employed in a shop, or for errands, or for similar work. When such future circumstances arise, it will undoubtedly be difficult to make and enforce new police regulations; but if these are applied now, they can be arranged before the pressure comes, so as to co-operate with the by-laws of the school board when these shall be in operation."
Next week's stories will include the plans to build a new Town Hall in St Helens, the Ashton gold watch trick, a shocking mining explosion takes place and the Bridge Street plumber who came to a sticky end in an ashpit.
This week's many stories include a child's miraculous escape after being run over by a Doulton pottery cart, the long history of bowling in St Helens, the illegal playing of pitch and toss and how there was a pub in St Helens for every 120 adults.
Henry Doulton began his pottery firm in London in the 1840s. Once he had begun manufacturing wares in bulk, Doulton searched for a suitable works to supply towns in the north.
The course clays of St Helens proved just the job and Greenbank Pottery by the St Helens Canal was acquired.
During the evening of the 1st one of Doulton's horse-driven carts ran over a boy called Thomas Smith from nearby Pottery Street.
Usually death would occur after such an accident involving a heavily laden vehicle – and many children did lose their lives in that way.
And although the cart was full of heavy clay and a wheel passed right over Thomas's little body, miraculously, the three-year-old was not seriously hurt.
The newspapers wrote: "It was quite a marvel to every one who saw the accident how the boy escaped being crushed to death."
"Gaming Evil at St. Helens" was a typical headline to newspaper articles from a century ago that described the playing of pitch and toss.
That, as you probably know, is a game in which the player who throws a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all of the players' coins, winning those that land heads up.
Pretty innocuous by today's standards but a century ago it was considered "evil" – although in the 1870s far fewer cases came to court and punishments were more minor.
On the 2nd the Warrington Examiner described how Richard Davies and Charles Harrison had been charged in the Newton Petty Sessions with committing this offence.
PC Holden gave evidence that he had entered the Waggon and Horses in Haydock and found the two men playing at pitch and toss for beer.
One of the staff from the pub corroborated the constable's evidence but the men were only fined 1 shilling and costs.
Joseph Bayley and Thomas Bold were also in court charged with stealing turnips belonging to Joseph Forster of Ashton-in-Makerfield.
The farmer told the Bench that he had sustained very considerable loss from people going into his turnip field and helping themselves and the two men were both fined 9 shillings, including costs.
Bowling was increasing in popularity in the 1870s despite there being few greens to play on in St Helens.
It would not be until 1880 that the St Helens Bowling Club would be established at the end of Regents Road.
There were no bowling greens in parks for the simple reason that there were no parks yet in St Helens. And you can't get a better reason than that!
So the handful of bowling venues that did exist were mainly at public houses – although there was a long history of bowling in St Helens.
Matches were being held in Dentons Green as far back as 1665 and they continued at the Gerard Arms.
There was also the Bird I’ th’ Hand at the end of Jacks Lane – later renamed Dunriding Lane – where bowling matches were held, as well as at the Kings Head in Church Street (where the post office would later be built).
But one of the best greens was said to be at the Victoria Gardens in Thatto Heath, close to present day Whittle Street.
That was where the first leg of a bowling match between St Helens and Newton-le-Willows had taken place in mid-August.
On September 2nd the second leg was played at the historic Pied Bull in Newton and the Newtonian team comprehensively won.
The Wigan Observer wrote: "The weather on both occasions was favourable, and both greens were in good condition.
"After play the players and several friends did ample justice to good and substantial teas provided for them by Mr. Whittle, Thatto Heath, and Mrs. Corns, Pied Bull, Newton; the afternoons in each instance finishing in a most agreeable and pleasant manner."
On the 4th the Liverpool Mercury described how a treat for Sunday school pupils had taken place in St Helens:
"On Saturday the scholars attending the various Sunday schools in St. Helen's to which bands of hope or temperance societies are attached formed a procession [at] about two o'clock, and marched through the principal streets of the town.
"Having paraded the streets they proceeded to the Volunteer Hall, and in the field adjoining they were regaled with buns and milk.
"A variety of amusements were provided for the youngsters, including racing, jumping, and donkey races. Some speeches and singing followed."
On the same day a porter at Rainhill railway station named William Mason was crossing the line when a passing train knocked him down.
He was taken to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary where one of his legs had to be amputated.
William Simms ran the Black Horse beerhouse in Duke Street and on the 4th had the indignity of being the only one out of 350 landlords and landladies in the St Helens district to lose his licence.
That was on the ground that the 30-year-old kept a badly conducted house. Like many other beerhouse keepers, Simms had another job as a miner – so financially would not have been hit too hard by the decision.
The magistrates at the St Helens Licensing Sessions were the ones who had refused to renew the man's licence.
The man in charge of St Helens Police, Superintendent James Ludlam, informed the Bench that there were 165 inns / public houses and 185 beerhouses that his bobbies had to keep an eye on.
That was within the townships of Windle, Eccleston, Parr, Sutton, Rainford and Bold, a total population of 52,306 – that's a drinking house for every 120 adults or so!
And I don't think places like Haydock and Newton, as well as Prescot, would have been included.
During the past year 886 people had been charged with drunkenness within the St Helens district as compared to 773 in the previous year.
Also on the 4th the Theatre Royal in St Helens – situated on the corner of Milk Street and Waterloo Street that we remember as The Citadel (and pictured above when run by the Salvation Army) – reopened as a concert hall and had these artistes performing:
Kate Garstone ("The favourite serio-comic"); Mrs and Mrs Leonard White ("Negro duettists, vocalists, instrumentalists, trick violinists, burlesque artistes, big boot and pump dancers"); R. Hales ("A superior comic"); Miss J. Richards ("Serio-comic and balladist") and Joe Bashall & Lydia Frazer ("Duettists").
I think a serio-comic was someone with the dry style of Les Dawson. These were very popular during the 1870s, as were black performers – some of whom had come over from America after the civil war.
Many were bluntly described in advertisements by the use of the far more offensive N-word than "negro".
And finally, young children made by their parents to work on the streets of St Helens were a common sight – often in bare feet.
Of course, St Helens was no different to other places and this week this article was published in the Liverpool Mercury about the street children of London.
It described a census of their numbers and occupations and how these children would likely be exempt from the provisions of the new Education Act:
"In the middle of July an inspection was made of the numbers and occupations of children under 13 years old observed in the streets from the Royal Exchange by Temple Bar and Regent-street to the Oxford-circus, also from Farringdon-circus along Holborn to the Marble Arch. The following is a summary of the result:-
Roadsweepers = Boys 14; Girls 0
Licensed shoeblacks = Boys 27; Girls 0
Other shoeblacks = Boys 6; Girls 0
Sellers of matches = Boys 45; Girls 11
Sellers of newspapers = Boys 42; Girls 5
Sellers of other articles = Boys 3; Girls 4
Total: 137 boys, 20 girls.
"Besides these children, there were persons in the same streets over 13 years old at the same employments – 186 men and 64 women; total 250, of whom 8 were crossing-sweepers; and in addition there were 77 persons with advertising boards between Temple-bar and the Oxford-circus.
"Thus in about five miles of the most frequented thoroughfares there were 157 children street-workers, or about 30 to the mile. Nearly all of these children are without any special control of their conduct.
"Their struggles to secure custom are without regulation, so that when the competitors are vigorous and active their business is impeded by their own zeal, and their disturbance of the public thoroughfare is rendered more objectionable.
"All these children, it must be clearly understood, are ordinarily outside the provisions of the Industrial Schools Act, as well as the usual administration of the police regulations against obstruction of the highway.
"Delay in applying some stringent remedy will only complicate the case with additional difficulty, because the number of children employed in the streets will be much increased when the compulsory powers of the School Board by-laws shall be put into operation.
"For among the valid excuses to be allowed under these laws for omitting ordinary attendance at school will doubtless be the plea that a child is “engaged in earning money.”
"To escape school, therefore, the child can be sent or can go into the street as a seller, ostensibly at least, of some light, cheap article; and he will thereby have the same ground for exemption from ordinary school attendance which must be allowed to children employed in a shop, or for errands, or for similar work.
"When such future circumstances arise, it will undoubtedly be difficult to make and enforce new police regulations; but if these are applied now, they can be arranged before the pressure comes, so as to co-operate with the by-laws of the school board when these shall be in operation."
Next week's stories will include the plans to build a new Town Hall in St Helens, the Ashton gold watch trick, a shocking mining explosion takes place and the Bridge Street plumber who came to a sticky end in an ashpit.
Henry Doulton began his pottery firm in London in the 1840s. Once he had begun manufacturing wares in bulk, Doulton searched for a suitable works to supply towns in the north.
The course clays of St Helens proved just the job and Greenbank Pottery by the St Helens Canal was acquired.
During the evening of the 1st one of Doulton's horse-driven carts ran over a boy called Thomas Smith from nearby Pottery Street.
Usually death would occur after such an accident involving a heavily laden vehicle – and many children did lose their lives in that way.
And although the cart was full of heavy clay and a wheel passed right over Thomas's little body, miraculously, the three-year-old was not seriously hurt.
The newspapers wrote: "It was quite a marvel to every one who saw the accident how the boy escaped being crushed to death."
"Gaming Evil at St. Helens" was a typical headline to newspaper articles from a century ago that described the playing of pitch and toss.
That, as you probably know, is a game in which the player who throws a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all of the players' coins, winning those that land heads up.
Pretty innocuous by today's standards but a century ago it was considered "evil" – although in the 1870s far fewer cases came to court and punishments were more minor.
On the 2nd the Warrington Examiner described how Richard Davies and Charles Harrison had been charged in the Newton Petty Sessions with committing this offence.
PC Holden gave evidence that he had entered the Waggon and Horses in Haydock and found the two men playing at pitch and toss for beer.
One of the staff from the pub corroborated the constable's evidence but the men were only fined 1 shilling and costs.
Joseph Bayley and Thomas Bold were also in court charged with stealing turnips belonging to Joseph Forster of Ashton-in-Makerfield.
The farmer told the Bench that he had sustained very considerable loss from people going into his turnip field and helping themselves and the two men were both fined 9 shillings, including costs.
Bowling was increasing in popularity in the 1870s despite there being few greens to play on in St Helens.
It would not be until 1880 that the St Helens Bowling Club would be established at the end of Regents Road.
There were no bowling greens in parks for the simple reason that there were no parks yet in St Helens. And you can't get a better reason than that!
So the handful of bowling venues that did exist were mainly at public houses – although there was a long history of bowling in St Helens.
Matches were being held in Dentons Green as far back as 1665 and they continued at the Gerard Arms.
There was also the Bird I’ th’ Hand at the end of Jacks Lane – later renamed Dunriding Lane – where bowling matches were held, as well as at the Kings Head in Church Street (where the post office would later be built).
But one of the best greens was said to be at the Victoria Gardens in Thatto Heath, close to present day Whittle Street.
That was where the first leg of a bowling match between St Helens and Newton-le-Willows had taken place in mid-August.
On September 2nd the second leg was played at the historic Pied Bull in Newton and the Newtonian team comprehensively won.
The Wigan Observer wrote: "The weather on both occasions was favourable, and both greens were in good condition.
"After play the players and several friends did ample justice to good and substantial teas provided for them by Mr. Whittle, Thatto Heath, and Mrs. Corns, Pied Bull, Newton; the afternoons in each instance finishing in a most agreeable and pleasant manner."
On the 4th the Liverpool Mercury described how a treat for Sunday school pupils had taken place in St Helens:
"On Saturday the scholars attending the various Sunday schools in St. Helen's to which bands of hope or temperance societies are attached formed a procession [at] about two o'clock, and marched through the principal streets of the town.
"Having paraded the streets they proceeded to the Volunteer Hall, and in the field adjoining they were regaled with buns and milk.
"A variety of amusements were provided for the youngsters, including racing, jumping, and donkey races. Some speeches and singing followed."
On the same day a porter at Rainhill railway station named William Mason was crossing the line when a passing train knocked him down.
He was taken to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary where one of his legs had to be amputated.
William Simms ran the Black Horse beerhouse in Duke Street and on the 4th had the indignity of being the only one out of 350 landlords and landladies in the St Helens district to lose his licence.
That was on the ground that the 30-year-old kept a badly conducted house. Like many other beerhouse keepers, Simms had another job as a miner – so financially would not have been hit too hard by the decision.
The magistrates at the St Helens Licensing Sessions were the ones who had refused to renew the man's licence.
The man in charge of St Helens Police, Superintendent James Ludlam, informed the Bench that there were 165 inns / public houses and 185 beerhouses that his bobbies had to keep an eye on.
That was within the townships of Windle, Eccleston, Parr, Sutton, Rainford and Bold, a total population of 52,306 – that's a drinking house for every 120 adults or so!
And I don't think places like Haydock and Newton, as well as Prescot, would have been included.
During the past year 886 people had been charged with drunkenness within the St Helens district as compared to 773 in the previous year.
Kate Garstone ("The favourite serio-comic"); Mrs and Mrs Leonard White ("Negro duettists, vocalists, instrumentalists, trick violinists, burlesque artistes, big boot and pump dancers"); R. Hales ("A superior comic"); Miss J. Richards ("Serio-comic and balladist") and Joe Bashall & Lydia Frazer ("Duettists").
I think a serio-comic was someone with the dry style of Les Dawson. These were very popular during the 1870s, as were black performers – some of whom had come over from America after the civil war.
Many were bluntly described in advertisements by the use of the far more offensive N-word than "negro".
And finally, young children made by their parents to work on the streets of St Helens were a common sight – often in bare feet.
Of course, St Helens was no different to other places and this week this article was published in the Liverpool Mercury about the street children of London.
It described a census of their numbers and occupations and how these children would likely be exempt from the provisions of the new Education Act:
"In the middle of July an inspection was made of the numbers and occupations of children under 13 years old observed in the streets from the Royal Exchange by Temple Bar and Regent-street to the Oxford-circus, also from Farringdon-circus along Holborn to the Marble Arch. The following is a summary of the result:-
Roadsweepers = Boys 14; Girls 0
Licensed shoeblacks = Boys 27; Girls 0
Other shoeblacks = Boys 6; Girls 0
Sellers of matches = Boys 45; Girls 11
Sellers of newspapers = Boys 42; Girls 5
Sellers of other articles = Boys 3; Girls 4
Total: 137 boys, 20 girls.
"Besides these children, there were persons in the same streets over 13 years old at the same employments – 186 men and 64 women; total 250, of whom 8 were crossing-sweepers; and in addition there were 77 persons with advertising boards between Temple-bar and the Oxford-circus.
"Thus in about five miles of the most frequented thoroughfares there were 157 children street-workers, or about 30 to the mile. Nearly all of these children are without any special control of their conduct.
"Their struggles to secure custom are without regulation, so that when the competitors are vigorous and active their business is impeded by their own zeal, and their disturbance of the public thoroughfare is rendered more objectionable.
"All these children, it must be clearly understood, are ordinarily outside the provisions of the Industrial Schools Act, as well as the usual administration of the police regulations against obstruction of the highway.
"Delay in applying some stringent remedy will only complicate the case with additional difficulty, because the number of children employed in the streets will be much increased when the compulsory powers of the School Board by-laws shall be put into operation.
"For among the valid excuses to be allowed under these laws for omitting ordinary attendance at school will doubtless be the plea that a child is “engaged in earning money.”
"To escape school, therefore, the child can be sent or can go into the street as a seller, ostensibly at least, of some light, cheap article; and he will thereby have the same ground for exemption from ordinary school attendance which must be allowed to children employed in a shop, or for errands, or for similar work.
"When such future circumstances arise, it will undoubtedly be difficult to make and enforce new police regulations; but if these are applied now, they can be arranged before the pressure comes, so as to co-operate with the by-laws of the school board when these shall be in operation."
Next week's stories will include the plans to build a new Town Hall in St Helens, the Ashton gold watch trick, a shocking mining explosion takes place and the Bridge Street plumber who came to a sticky end in an ashpit.